I can't believe that I'm going to Scotland tomorrow. It's mind-boggling. Everything is booked: the hostel, the bus ride, the tours...we're packing a LOT into three days! I'm so excited, my camera is charging right now because I need to take pictures of every single little thing while I'm there. I'm also trying to get a head start on my work so that I don't die of stress when I come back (I have two papers due on Monday).
In other news, I finally went into the Oxford Borders. It's got a reputation as being kind of a low-level, cheapo bookstore compared to Blackwells. There's no doubt after going into it that Blackwells is superior, but then, poor Borders didn't really have a chance; Blackwells is this ancient, wonderful, extensive, creaky bookstore with all the old-fashioned charm of a British scholar peering down at you from behind his monacle, and Borders is a chain store. Still had a good vibe, though. Played very pretty music, and was bright and organized.
Anyway, as I was checking everything out I "happened" onto the History section and found about 10 books I want. Most of them...ok, all of them....were about WWII Paris.
Then I glanced over at the Russian history section and the feeling I got - well, it was almost like running into an ex-boyfriend, the one you're still desperately in love with. It might sound strange, but I've been pining for Russia. Is that weird? I've never been there, but its history is so endlessly fascinating to me.
Without consciously realizing it, I'd wandered over to the language learning section. I didn't buy anything, but I'm very, very tempted to go back and pick up this awesome learn-Russian package that comes with a workbook and 4 CDs. I don't know why it came over me today so swiftly and so certainly, but thinking about it, I realize that I really do need to learn Russian at some point. Russia, so far as I've heard, is not very easy for English-only speakers to navigate. And I really, really want to visit someday.
If there's anything I've taken away from my experience in learning French, it's that I should do a program that emphasizes speaking right from the get-go. My French classes have been focused on writing and reading, and it shows. I'm horribly shy about speaking the language even though I can write 10-page papers in French and by all accounts should be basically fluent by now.
Wow, rereading this post...I'm such a nerd. I'm going to be that specialist historian, the one who tries way too eagerly to tell people about the effect of republican revolution on Western European monarchies, or about the different varieties of radical leftist political structure in the Slavic nations circa 1918. I can tell.
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"different varieties of radical leftist political structure in the Slavic nations circa 1918" ... what the, who the, what the ... !!! Maybe you should pick up a bottle of single-malt scotch from the Speyside Region of Scotland (about the only type of hard alcohol I care for). In the event you ever want to discuss the aforementioned subject with me, I'm going to need it. Frickin Oxford!
ReplyDeleteI'll tie it all in later, but until then, I'm blaming your boy.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed at how you are able to keep up your studies and still see the sights and look forward to seeing some photo's of Russia.
ReplyDeleteIf I could travel any where though, I think it would be New Zeland.
Off the sublect - You said something in a prior post about speaking French. A neighbor of mine says that it is easier to practice speaking another language if you are talking to children. It's not so embarassing and they get a kick out of being able to correct an adult.
Dad - You always blame him!
ReplyDeleteAunt Suzette - New Zealand looks so beautiful, I'd like to go there too. And that's a good idea, about speaking to children in French.