There are so many incredible things that I have experienced and learned this week. I’m a little overwhelmed by the wall of work I will be facing over the next 20 weeks because whenever you are faced with the reality that what you don’t know so far outweighs what you know – it’s just plain daunting, you know?
But here are some things I do know after 9 days in Wroxton:
- No matter where in the world I travel, it I am destined to be the ‘fourth dude’ rounding out a group of three guys. However, it seems now I have reached the age where I no longer a guy-girl but Wendy to their lost boys. I’m still processing how I feel about that…
- Don’t eat Bangers and Mash after 8 p.m. if you plan on sleeping that night. I turned into some sort of evil British Gremlin
- You don’t have to tip for drinks when you are in English pubs.
- We seriously need to have “tea time” in America – I will be bringing this up with my boss at our next status update. I may crack out from withdrawal when I get back
- Careful when you use the word utilize – it does not always mean what you think it means
- They don’t sell rice pudding in Oxford. Trust us, we checked everywhere.
- No matter what country you are in, drinking red wine AND doing shots of whiskey is never a good idea.
- There is an actual prison in London called “The Clink” and that is where the term comes from.
- Everyone, no matter where they’re from, has a Keith Richards story.
For me, the greatest thing I learned here is to just admit all the things I don’t know. I’ve spent years being afraid to ask too many questions and peel away the layers of my stupidity for the world to see. I guess once you accidentally brand yourself “White Girl with a Fat Ass” to anyone who has a working knowledge of how to Google – which is pretty much the entire world except my mom – fear of embarrassment is no longer an issue.
My best times during this residency have been my “Moron Moments” where I finally just fessed up that I didn’t know what they hell all these wonderfully well-read writers were talking about, because after I asked they explained it to me. MAGIC!
I’m reading a piece that I wrote and work-shopped over the course of the week at the New Student Reading tonight. I’m excited but also a bit nervous. Want to read it? I know you do. CLICK HERE to donate to my virtual food drive for Feeding America – in support of the 1 in 6 Americans struggling with hunger and I will send it to you.
That’s the deal. Why? Because I’m in England and only have one night left sleeping in an Abbey/Tinderbox and I said so. Cheers
