Lost on the Flipped Side

One thing about living in a city founded in the 8th century is of course that it's streets can be quite narrow, winding, claustrophobic, and overall, pretty confusing.

For a brief history lesson...Oxford grew up around a priory with its settlement name "Oxenaforda". This city is a place where the Oxen could ford the river Thames. And some of its streets are still about as wide as they were back then. Yet, this is to be expected.

What I didn't realize before actually living in England is how common it is to name a street something different every few blocks.

To the foreign visitor, the city centre can be so unnecessarily confusing. Pick a name and stick with it!

• George Street becomes Broad Street turns into Holywell St.
• Abingdon Road turns into St. Aldates, then Cornmarket, then Magdalen which turns into St.Giles which splits and becomes Banbury and Woodstock roads.
• Parks Road is Catte St is Magpie Lane is Merton

I know it isn't just me. I've passed tourists standing on corners with maps in front of them and have eavesdropped on conversations such as: "Wait. We are going the right way. Look - George Street is the same as Holywell over that way."

Last week I wanted to cut through the center of Oxford via Marston Ferry Road. I had been on the road before, but hadn't driven it myself and had apparently only paid attention to the street name when entering it starting from the west. Coming from the east, I drove down Headley Way because it looked like it might turn into Marston Ferry and it looked familiar but then I wound up turning around when I couldn't find it. I should have known better. Headley Way becomes Marston Ferry in the middle of the Marston neighborhood, halfway through.

I'll admit, that once you do know all of these short street names and where they are, it is convenient to know which "section" of the street you need to go to.

The other thing is that while the city centre has decently labelled street corners, if you are elsewhere in Oxford and you come out to an intersection, half the time you will not see the name of the major street you have come across. You may need to walk a block or two either way to find a street sign telling you which road you're on.

Sigh. I miss you, grid system.





Fill-turd Coffee. Fun with Language

Two countries divided by a common language. That George Bernard Shaw... he was so right.




I knew before I came I'd be learning a new language and yet, the English language can still surprise me daily. I've never been so cognizant of my choice of word or phrase on such a constant basis. The tone, the pronunciation, the volume... nothing like moving to a foreign country to make one hyper-self-aware. Even if they "speak the same language". There were words I knew in advance of course, and I read up on some of them, yet I still have some type of regular revelation.

•  Whilst. They do say it... I was hoping it was a myth. I already sense its going to start creeping into my vocabulary any day now. It will start with writing it in an e-mail, then it will come out of my mouth and sound awkward in my ears.
• I had a Rocket, Goat Cheese and Sun dried Tomato Pizza. They said Rocket was a leafy green. I thought it might be like Arugula. Rocket = Arugula. I figured right.
• "The faucet is dripping." "What?" "The faucet." "You mean the tap?" Faucet is not a word in British English. I got a laugh.
• Maths. I had my Maths exam. I'm not very good at Maths. This was a word surprise where I heard it and thought, lisp?  I did not know this one and in my opinion it just does not roll off the tongue. Say that ten times fast. They argue Mathematics is plural and therefore this is the correct word. I googled it, and this guy's blog  Separated by a Common Language has a rather lengthy defense of "Math" if you are curious.

 There have been a few timely articles on BBC News that have definitely hit home for me: Why do some Americanisms irritate people? Followed by the reader's input Americanisms: 50 of Your Most Noted Examples , and an American lexicographer's response Viewpoint: American English is getting on well, thanks (which is trying to be a little too 'clever' towards the end but he has some good points).

While I understand the annoyance in the creep of baseball terminology into the language of the English (ball-park estimate, touch base, out of left-field), I agree with Grant Barretts opinion --"The original version" is what Engel calls British English, which is like calling one's firstborn "the original child". English is, in truth, a family: American English and British English are siblings from the same parentage, neither is the parent of the other. They are two siblings among many modern-day varieties."

If the English language wasn't meant to evolve, we'd all be talking like Shakespeare right now. Which word choice or pronunciation is 'correct' is not the point. Although my new friends and colleagues are quick to quip that theirs was the original and therefore, correct!

Other things:

• This conversation happens about every other day:

"Kirsten is it?" "No K-R-istin...." "Oh Kristin, oh okay." This is usually followed with a "Sorry not a common name here so I keep wanting to say Kirsten" when they inevitably call me Kirsten again at some point.  Apparently my name does not roll off the British tongue.

• I bought my sheets and mattress topper (my bed is as hard as a rock!) at TK MAXX. No, you didn't read incorrectly. It's called TK MAXX here because someone apparently already had the T-J taken.
• The first time I ordered at Starbucks here, I asked for a cup of coffee and they said "Fill-tuhrd Coffee?" What? "Fill-Turd Coffee?" I nodded yes. Not knowing what they meant. They went to the coffee pot so I was satisfied I had communicated properly and then my eyes glanced to the board. "Filtered Coffee"... I've since learned that if you want milk in your coffee you order a White Filtered Coffee. The Fill-turd coffee is so strong it barely changes color with milk!  
•  The British keyboard is pretty similar with a few slight issues ... the Enter key is much farther over to the right and there are some other keys including the # key in between so when I first started using one, my typing looked like#  this whenever# I have a new paragraph# or second thought# in an IM window# or email. I'm getting used to it. Just like everything else... 

To My Family & Friends

It's been a month since I left the comfort of my hometown Chicago life, and I realized it's probably best to start a blog after sending a few lengthy e-mails about the trials and tribulations of getting settled in a foreign land. Please stay in touch however! I want to hear about you as well!

The past month has pretty much been all about obtaining those basic things that you take for granted when you already have them. A bank account, a cell phone, an address, a social security number (national insurance), a car (learning to drive it!), internet access... I'm happy to say I found a flat to live in rather quickly, and the other essentials have fallen into place although not without some of those inevitable annoyances.

After living in my own condo alone for the past year, the thought of going back to communal living initially detered me. However, after speaking with more people and doing more research it seems its really common to rent in houseshares in England due to the high cost of living. People do this at all ages, whereas in the U.S. we might think it odd for a 33 year old man to be renting a room in a house with 4 people, here nobody bats an eye. It is especially common in Oxford, with a more transient community than others. Even better, the majority of flats come furnished in this country which was perfect for me.

The decision to give the flatshare a go was an easy one...it will save me loads of money, it is a built in way to meet people, and it will be distracting to the "I'm alone in a foreign country what am I doing?!" thoughts. I'm sharing with two other English "professionals" in the neighborhood of Jericho a short walk to the city centre.  It's probably been the best decision I've made so far.  Thanks, http://www.gumtree.com/! 

In standard English fashion I will leave you talking about the weather for now.

It's not hot. It can rain anytime during the day and then the sun comes out. I feel it is perpetually September and I've missed my summer.

But its fine because if you know me, I hate hot and who loves living in a city with 2 feet of snow and the fun of digging out your car and claiming parking spots and bundling up head to toe in sub-zero temperatures? I think the English weather and I will get along just fine...

Love you. Miss you. Follow me on this journey...