tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48570740027049257692011-12-06T05:49:27.167-08:00Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.comBlogger691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-79837821509704177312010-07-31T18:12:00.000-07:002010-07-31T18:12:21.199-07:00

Well, I'm home, I guess. That's never the way I expected to start this entry, which I've thought about for two or three months now. I was going to give you the typical (if there is a typical?) post-study-abroad-run-down: I'm back, I love my home, I miss England, etc., etc. I don't think that's in the cards, here, in this post, which has taken me so long to actually put into words because I

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-85606937701509598592010-06-20T13:41:00.000-07:002010-06-20T13:41:39.009-07:00

(I bought a postcard from every place/country I visited this year. Here they are!) I know I promised you all a "wrap-up" post; a post that would attempt to sum up what has certainly been one of the most amazing years of my life. Not yet. I'm still in Oxford, getting high tea for the last time, going to the pub once more, packing up my room, and hugging all my friends. It doesn't seem right to

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-2747208812308761172010-06-19T13:51:00.000-07:002010-06-19T13:51:24.107-07:00

The Rad Cam. The hundreds of narrow, secret passages and lanes. (This one leads to Pembroke...see the wooden door?) The cobblestones. The meadow. Living HERE... ...with these girls. Don't worry. This isn't the inevitable "What I Learned From Studying Abroad and How It Changed My Life" post. That comes in the next couple of days. For now, I want to celebrate what has quite possibly been one of the

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-63510574882041355362010-06-16T05:35:00.001-07:002010-06-17T16:22:03.285-07:00

Michaelmas Term (October - December 2009) Two papers ("courses"). Sixteen tutorials. Thirteen essays. Hilary Term (January - March 2010) Two papers. Twelve tutorials. Eleven essays. Trinity Term (April - June 2010) Two papers. Twelve tutorials. Twelve essays. In total: 3 terms 6 papers ("courses") 40 tutorials. 36 essays. Approximately 380 pages, 1.5 spaced. Over 150,000 words. ...one year

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-24391132832292524852010-06-13T07:43:00.000-07:002010-06-13T07:43:48.415-07:00

"You know," I said, while we were walking down a straight one-lane road, surrounded by wooly sheep, shaggy cows, and vibrantly green grass, "it's easy to forget how much I wanted to do this, now that I've actually done it." We were walking toward a lighthouse perched on the Dutch coast, right outside the tiny fishing village of Marken. The "this" referred to was both big and small. It referred

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-63611852326669976622010-06-11T07:21:00.003-07:002010-06-12T03:14:51.963-07:00

If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly: if the assassination Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success; that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We'ld jump the life to come. I know, I know. I've kind of fallen off the blogging bandwagon as of late, for a variety of

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-37855633527093336372010-06-01T15:31:00.000-07:002010-06-01T15:31:22.741-07:00

Last Saturday was the Pembroke College Garden Party, on the main quad. Too bad it rained...but some of the older ladies there had elegant hats on, so their hair wasn't ruined. I love Britain. In other news: I finished my last essay ("American Women & Conservatism") today! Hooray! Now all I have is a sort of wrap-up/project proposal/annotated bibliography, done mostly for my own benefit in

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-76069946509042714932010-05-26T11:46:00.000-07:002010-05-26T11:46:20.414-07:00

Spring has officially arrived in Oxford and as a result, here are some of my exploits over the past few weeks: Hearing Malcolm Gladwell talk at the New Theater! (Not particularly spring-like, I guess, but quite exciting nonetheless).Venturing to new parts of Oxford, such as Cowley Road (otherwise known as the best place for ethnic food), and Port Meadow, pictured above.Pimms at Turf Tavern with

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-47926362611695343222010-05-18T01:30:00.000-07:002010-05-18T01:30:41.302-07:00

Though I didn't take this photo, there have been plenty of times where I could have. I'm at the library now and it's gorgeous outside. Blue sky, perfectly sunny, maybe 70 degrees. I want to be outside, not at a desk, outlining the essay which I will spend today writing. But at least I'm not a finalist, because then I'd never see the light of day. A "finalist," in Oxford lingo, is a third or

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-84012558864484023482010-05-16T05:10:00.000-07:002010-05-16T05:10:32.592-07:00

Last Saturday, I went to the ball. I've since likened it to the most out-of-control, lavish, extravagant Bat Mitzvah party I'd ever been to. Except that's not exactly right. See, this was on the grounds of a beautiful college in Oxford. This had over 1,000 attendees. This had alcohol and food from stores and restaurants around the city, and it felt like you could have as much as you wanted for

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-4870840301530387662010-05-08T09:21:00.001-07:002010-05-08T09:21:19.896-07:00

After flying from Istanbul to Rome to London and returning to Oxford to do laundry and relax for two days, I took a 5:30 a.m. Eurostar train to Paris with Margot! In all honesty, I'm a little too excited to write a real post right now. (Why? Because I'm about to go to the ball! This ball. I'm going with around twenty other freshers from Pembroke, including Brianna, Margot, and Lydia). So you'll

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-84926564548878360422010-05-04T15:22:00.002-07:002010-05-05T02:12:45.749-07:00

I finished my fourth essay of the term today. While I'm always happy to finish an essay, I have to say that it's not like the previous two terms, where each essay is one essay closer to the last of term! Hooray! Nope. This term, each essay is one essay closer to the end. The End. Capital letters, end of term, end of year. Oh, s**t. I've started doing the nostalgic thing, taking those bittersweet

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-44607680985870814262010-04-29T09:22:00.000-07:002010-04-29T09:22:32.285-07:00

This term, I get to study what I really want to study. My two tutorials, both with the same American history tutor at Pembroke, are as follows:American Social and Cultural History. Basically, an offshoot of the General History 17 course, which in total covers American history over the past 200 years. I am focusing on the twentieth century, and covering (you guessed it) social movements and

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-43962353688740285672010-04-26T09:22:00.000-07:002010-04-26T09:22:52.758-07:00

From History and Feminism: A Glass Half Full, by Judith P. Zinsser. "For the 1980 International Congress of Historical Sciences, the American Historical Association sponsored a description of 'Recent United States Scholarship on the History Women.' The 55-page pamphlet written by historians in both United States and European history documented a decade of unprecedented scholarly productivity:

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-90224953455018693932010-04-25T07:46:00.000-07:002010-04-25T07:46:36.846-07:00

It would take far more than that to do justice to the marvelous, beautiful, fantastic two weeks Bri and I spent in Turkey with my two most faithful blog readers. (Hi Mom and Dad!) Also, I am back in the midst of term (yes, it is only Sunday of 1st week, and I have researched and finished one essay and am researching the second right now) and so looking at photos sounds like more fun than copious

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-88419536324312720662010-04-20T16:28:00.000-07:002010-04-20T16:28:30.893-07:00

Didn't I just write about traveling alone, and how it was a new experience for me? I said something like, At the same time, I think traveling alone shows you a lot more about how you handle yourself in foreign countries, and how you deal with various travel situations. It also presents a lot of time for self-reflection--and for all those reasons, I think I will do it again at some point, for a

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-15057862300318133372010-04-15T02:00:00.007-07:002010-04-15T02:00:04.616-07:00

From the moment I sent Eric off on a bus in Venice to rendezvousing with Bri and Davis at our hostel in Florence, I had about 24 hours of solo travel time. It was a fascinating experience, simply because I haven't really traveled on my own for more than a few hours in a foreign country. It gave me a lot of respect for people like my friend Joel, who travel the world solo for years (!). Of course,

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-28034138461922045732010-04-11T11:42:00.000-07:002010-04-11T11:42:49.390-07:00

Back home. That's what it feels like, after a month of traveling--taking the bus from Heathrow and then walking up High Street, right turn onto St. Aldates. Walking through the Porter's Lodge, back to my staircase. How strange is it that it felt so much like home! But considering that six months have passed since October, when I arrived, not that strange at all. I just looked back at my short

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-1106759868575555182010-04-02T07:42:00.000-07:002010-04-02T07:42:50.053-07:00

The quote above comes from my father ın regard to swımmıng here: The lagoon to the upper left ıs the Blue Lagoon and Brıanna and I passed a glorıously lazy half hour lyıng on a dock ın the mıddle of ıt, traılıng our fıngers through the jewel-toned water and marvelıng at how unbelıevably beautıful ıt was. We lıterally had the place all to ourselves...the number of cars ın the parkıng lot could be

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-60452144108056672962010-03-30T10:45:00.000-07:002010-03-30T10:45:21.267-07:00

If you could see the size of the town I am in (tiny) or the quality of the roads around here (rocky) you would be shocked that I have internet! As Bri pointed out: not even TUFTS has wireless! We went to Ephesus today and were interviewed by giggling groups of high schoolers practicing their English. And tonight we drank black mulberry wine with dinner. Though it was in the mid-70s today, it is

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-3298023017557738932010-03-29T07:26:00.000-07:002010-03-29T07:26:04.336-07:00

Most amazıng bırthday ever! Brıanna and I woke up ın our adorable pırate shıp (my nıckname for our luxurıous lıttle room ın a lıttle odd shape) and I was ımmedıately presented wıth a fantastıc apron whıch I may or may not have had my eye on sınce October...wrapped ın kıtty wrappıng paper! Breakfast = delıcıous yogurt´and fruıt and bread and olıves. I cannot seem to fınd the apostrophe or comma on

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-8481515407376021992010-03-26T14:08:00.000-07:002010-03-26T14:08:02.216-07:00

Highlights of the past week include: Staying HERE for two nights: ...walking through vineyards, cooking dinner and eating in our own little villa by the fire... Visiting Emily in Siena and having tea and cake at the most amazing tea room ever. Enjoying Rome for one last day before heading to Istanbul!

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-51209941715266458242010-03-19T07:08:00.000-07:002010-03-19T07:08:29.415-07:00

BuranoI have a photograph on my camera of me standing on that very bridge--though it could be one of the other dozen on the island, all with the same colorful background palette of houses. Since uploading photos onto internet cafe computers does not seem like it will work, just pretend you can see me perched on the bridge!

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-44215416518390553832010-03-18T02:59:00.000-07:002010-03-18T02:59:31.594-07:00

1) Even at 5:30 a.m., when you just spent the last 6 hours in a train compartment with an old Romanian man who snuffles and sniffles all night, Venice looks beautiful. 2) Trenitalia is confusing. 3) Rome is amazing. 4) Best lunch ever: picnic on Janiculum Hill with fresh salami, mozzarella, olives, tomato, and foccaccia. 5) It's pretty creepy that the man running this internet cafe seems to

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-892355379931532162010-03-15T11:26:00.000-07:002010-03-15T11:26:35.366-07:00

I am here! In Rome. It is fantastic and I cannot use any apostrophes on this computer so thus no contractions...super formal! We got in on Sunday (only yesterday! crazy, we have done so much...) and were picked up at the airport by a friend of our host, whose name was Massimo. He was really nice and gave us some great recommendations. We settled into our apartment B&B, and went out sightseeing!

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-70414773674129075332010-03-12T15:38:00.000-08:002010-03-12T15:38:21.935-08:00

Hilary Term, in case you didn't get the reference in the title, is over. Using the term "spring break" at Oxford is a bit silly. Or at least, that's the impression I've gotten from my British friends. This is true for several reasons.  1) It is not, for most students, an academic break, as a lot of freshers have either collections or end of year exams when they return. 2) Spring break is a term

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-86865196367259155692010-03-10T14:54:00.000-08:002010-03-10T14:54:03.046-08:00

As of a few minutes ago, I finished my LAST essay for Tudor England, on witchcraft in early modern England. I hope you just sighed in relief, because now you won't have to hear me stressing about the immense reading lists and intense tutes. Actually, the people most relieved are probably my staircase-mates, who've been ever-so-gracious in putting up with my stress over this infamous tute. So,

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-16771305900517396532010-03-05T15:55:00.000-08:002010-03-05T15:55:11.283-08:00

Exactly one week ago, Bri and I were in Ireland! We left on Thursday night, taking a 4:30 train from Oxford to London, a 6:50 bus from London to Stansted Airport, and a 9:45 flight from Stansted to Shannon, which is on the eastern side of mid-to-southern Ireland and about an hour and a half from the coast. We spent the night in an oh-so-classy airport hotel and got up early in order to catch the

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-83978001638285179922010-03-03T05:36:00.000-08:002010-03-03T05:36:00.894-08:00

Officially. Because today, upon scanning my card at the checkout desk at the History Faculty Library, I was told that I had reached my limit and could only check out 4 books. Limit = 10 books. I had 8 books. Sigh. Stories of Ireland coming soon, I promise!

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-65323579154231118262010-02-26T02:00:00.051-08:002010-02-26T02:00:04.693-08:00

Perhaps my favorite part of the week was Friday afternoon, when I met up with the fam after my tute, and we drove about half an hour outside of Oxford to Blenheim Palace. I had been wanting to go for ages, since it's supposed to be just beautiful, and is also the birthplace of everyone's favorite Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Although I couldn't take pictures inside, the interior of the

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-25199534125932515472010-02-24T10:21:00.000-08:002010-02-24T10:21:13.560-08:00

Traditional London: traditionally damp, cold, and pouring rain. Traditional in terms of our choice of tourist activities: the Tower & Westminster. View of the Tower from outside the complex. The private execution block within the Tower complex; in order to be executed here, you had to be "friends" with the Queen. Examples: Queen Anne Boleyn, Queen Catherine Howard, Robert Devereux (Earl of Essex

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-13881038837815522952010-02-23T14:08:00.000-08:002010-02-23T14:08:39.260-08:00

On Monday, we packed into the tiny two-door rental car and put our lives into my Dad's hands as he drove and Eli navigated us out of Oxford and into the Cotswolds. I don't think he (Dad) was a fan of the roundabouts, and we laughed nervously whenever Eli said urgently, "GET OVER!" Driving on the left side of the road in the right side of the car...weird. But he did so well! And we made it

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-70154885747310608142010-02-21T15:08:00.000-08:002010-02-21T15:08:23.662-08:00

This week is going to be full of nothing but reading/writing about the English Reformations (yes, there were several), and as much as I'm sure you'd love to read all about what I'm reading about, you'll have to live in suspense, because I'm going to be posting little blog-lets about LAST week. See, three of my most loyal readers flew all the way from Seattle to spend a week with their daughter/

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-80408703603559095932010-02-12T08:22:00.000-08:002010-02-12T08:22:45.861-08:00

(Warning: this post contains no stories of adorable British slang, hikes among sheep, or Shakespeare plays. It is purely and totally academic. If you want something more exciting, go here). For those of you who ever have worked with me on a group project--which could be no one, considering that I'm still not sure if anyone actually reads this, besides the family members who have it sent to them

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-83089773302945599952010-02-09T14:14:00.000-08:002010-02-09T14:14:46.622-08:00

...in my 15 minutes of allotted internet time. See, I figured out the key to being productive while working in my room: unplugging that happy blue ethernet cord and writing, writing, writing, with no Facebook or Blogger or Twitter or Gmail or Skype to distract me. (See? Too many distractions. I shudder to think of the vast amounts of time I waste on Facebook alone.) 8 minutes left. Highlight of

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-72362797875870656062010-02-07T01:47:00.001-08:002010-02-07T05:55:29.355-08:00

The title of this post is going to take some time to explain. Patience is required. And a clear head. And the ability to keep calm. No...wait. That's what was required of me and Limmy, my wonderful hiking companion, when we found ourselves quite lost in the Peak District National Park, surrounded by some of the thickest fog I've ever been in, on the phone with Wilderness Emergency. (This

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-42140910198354160312010-02-02T05:07:00.000-08:002010-02-02T05:07:37.709-08:00

I made lunch. And it didn't consist of dipping carrot sticks in hummus. Sauteed zucchini with almonds and parmesan. Otherwise known as sauteed courgettes with almonds and parmesan. Success.

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-2925988747962206242010-01-31T14:46:00.002-08:002010-01-31T14:47:29.807-08:00

I just re-wrote the first sentence of this entry three times. Not because it was bad, per se, but because life is so busy that I'm not sure where to start. I could start with last weekend, when a very special visitor dropped in from Paris, and we spent a lovely few days in Oxford and London... (That's us on the London Eye, with Big Ben right above my head). (Gills with tea and a cucumber

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-68500587597567959212010-01-21T06:25:00.000-08:002010-01-21T06:25:38.302-08:00

Just a quick note today, as the pile of books on my desk will not read themselves. I wanted to share with you two quite humorous excerpts, which should prove that reading and lectures aren't always painfully dull. The first is from the book The Reign of Henry VIII: Personalities and Politics, by David Starkey. (The author, in introducing his subject matter, acknowledges that occasionally we ask

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-89835635588101365562010-01-18T10:07:00.000-08:002010-01-18T10:07:55.079-08:00

The first day of First Week. The whole term ahead of me, rife with travels, walks through beautiful Oxford, tea-drinking, visitors, excursions to London, and...a heck of a lot of work. So begins Hilary Term 2010, my second term at Oxford. All of the above is true, and I'm certainly excited for everything on that list, but at the moment, the work kind of stands out. After all, I did get a handout

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-11946641853938863442010-01-13T14:27:00.000-08:002010-01-13T14:27:17.854-08:00

(On the shoot) I was a vegetarian from age 10 to age 19. I didn't eat meat until last year, when, in preparation for my junior year abroad (in a yet-to-be-determined location), I decided to start easing meat back into my diet. "Why aren't you vegetarian anymore?" puzzled friends asked. I always gave a version of the same answer: I wanted to have more flexibility while traveling, and didn't want

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-89778500108448305452009-12-09T09:47:00.000-08:002009-12-09T09:47:49.888-08:00

Back in Seattle, after a 7.5 hour flight to Boston, 3 great days with friends, and a 6 hour flight to Seattle. It was so good to be at Tufts, but bizarre too. I didn't anticipate how BIG the campus would feel; after all, Pembroke is tiny, both in terms of square footage and student population. There are roughly 120 freshers, and I know most of them by face...but at Tufts, I don't even know my

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-63653047775468977232009-12-03T10:33:00.000-08:002009-12-03T10:33:22.762-08:00

The jubilation of my previous post lasted all of Monday, when we had a fancy dinner in hall for all the rowers this term. I ate guinea fowl for the first time, which tasted like a cross between chicken and turkey. I am rather proud to be expanding my non-vegetarian horizons! It was fun to see everyone dressed up (as opposed to bleary-eyed, in sweats, at 7 a.m.) and I think my boat looked quite

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-86354927842936100272009-11-30T05:55:00.000-08:002009-11-30T05:55:09.011-08:00

Because.... I am done with work for the term! WOOOOOO!!!!! The final tally: 13 papers (or roughly 120 pages double-spaced, or about 28,000 words*) Probably 70-80 books checked out from the library...maybe even close to 100... (the shortest of which was just under 300 pages, the longest of which was over 800). YAY! Technically I still have a tutorial this afternoon for the paper I turned in

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-66643650273681720352009-11-28T15:53:00.000-08:002009-11-28T15:53:18.232-08:00

This week was the Christ Church regatta, the race at the end of Michaelmas term traditionally for novice crews to experience their first real competition, held on the Isis River here in Oxford. I was shockingly nervous on Wednesday morning--I haven't had stage fright for ages, but wow!--and couldn't wait to just get down to the boathouse and get going. That's our super-legitimate polo shirt,

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-65090327182245406642009-11-26T17:32:00.000-08:002009-11-26T17:32:00.354-08:00

(Sung to to the tune of "Halloween" from Rent). November 26, 2009. Thanksgiving. Amazing what has happened over the last year. Strange to think how much has come to pass....okay, fine. I'm not Jonathan Larson. So since I can't write an entry to the tune of Rent, I think instead I shall make a list of things for which I am thankful (keep in mind that while extensive, this list is not exhaustive).

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-56653350596444875092009-11-24T07:44:00.001-08:002009-11-24T07:52:17.275-08:00

Simon and Garfunkel obviously didn't go to Oxford, that's all I have to say. Meaning: while I am perfectly happy to smile all day long, I have more than enough to occupy me concurrently. Last few shows went well--pictures to post when I can get my castmates to post them on Facebook. For now, you will have to content yourself with this next photo, courtesy of the Midnight in Paris Ball at the

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-47704291398933146452009-11-20T16:09:00.000-08:002009-11-20T16:09:23.751-08:00

Over the past two months, a lot of my friends back in the States have asked, "So, do people still hate America?" or "What do they think of us?" or even, "Has Obama started to undo Bush's legacy?" People here are exceedingly friendly. Not a single Brit has brought George Bush up in conversation; on the contrary, I tend to mention him in an "

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-13290513991043637262009-11-11T14:15:00.000-08:002009-11-12T06:17:22.390-08:00

Here at Oxford, the term is organized by week. "When's your show?" someone might ask, and I would respond, "Sixth week!" Thus, people refer to the drag in the middle of term, when you just can't believe you have another essay to write--wait, make that five more essays to write. The fifth week blues are here to stay; I turned in one paper this morning, went to two libraries to pick up books for my

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-30435921410390208462009-11-09T03:04:00.000-08:002009-11-09T03:04:48.085-08:00

My paternal grandmother, Inge, came to the United States from Vienna, Austria, when she was seventeen years old, in 1938. Actually, she turned seventeen on the boat over--when she left Austria for Belgium, on the eve of the Holocaust, she was sixteen. Along with her brother, George, and cousin, Phil, she came to the United States, and in short order learned English and enrolled at Radcliffe/

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-53431937142580225672009-11-05T02:06:00.000-08:002009-11-05T02:06:59.986-08:00

Well, friends. I am having a unique abroad experience, that is for sure. England has given me a gift. Oh, indeed. It appears that I have some form of flu: quite possibly, swine flu. I started feeling pretty icky on Tuesday morning, and by Tuesday night I had a high fever, chills, and was on the phone with the Great Britain Swine Flu Hotline. Oh yes, it exists. I spent maybe twenty minutes on

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-6859031474898790002009-11-02T05:24:00.000-08:002009-11-02T05:24:48.894-08:00

I can't believe I have neglected to update here for a week! Cliches are cliches because they happen, and well...time flies! I have to say, though, that this has not been my most favoritest week. And yes, I am aware of the non-existence of the word in that last sentence, but when you've been reading as much Chinese history as I have, a made-up word is just fine. Seeing as it is 11:30 and my brain

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-46210250686347137562009-10-26T11:16:00.000-07:002009-10-26T11:16:40.364-07:00

This post is a treat to myself for working all day. No, really, all day. I went to the gym this morning, and to lunch for half an hour, but other than that? It's been Vietnam, LBJ, Kissinger & Nixon all the live-long day. This Saturday, though, was not about work. This Saturday, half a dozen intrepid Tufts-in-Oxford girls, along with a couple of non-Tufts friends, got up early to hop on a

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-7558899292931271922009-10-22T09:49:00.000-07:002009-10-22T09:49:27.810-07:00

I mentioned in my last post that I'd joined the Oxford Union. Well, I have now joined the ranks of another (slightly less exclusive) group: those who have seen the inside of the Master's Lodging at Pembroke! Yesterday the Master, his wife Lynne, and several of the lead administrators/bursars/tutors hosted the visiting students for a very lovely hour of drinks and canapes. (When I received the

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-78277098851041891262009-10-20T02:52:00.001-07:002009-10-20T07:22:56.956-07:00

Today was my first GH14 tutorial with Dr. Gregory. We met in his office on the main quad, which is at most a 90 second walk from my front door. I like my tutor very much; he manages to fulfill many of the positive stereotypical requirements for an Oxford tutor while avoiding the negatives. I secretly hope he wears a jacket with elbow patches at some point; that would basically complete my British

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-20617251580535426372009-10-18T11:24:00.000-07:002009-10-18T11:24:55.702-07:00

What did you do yesterday morning? I woke up at nine, got dressed in my sub-fusc, and went outside to join the freshers for our photograph. See, all the normal Oxford freshers (read: those that are here for a full three or four years) matriculated yesterday. While us visiting students weren't allowed to do so, we took part in the freshers' photograph and CERTAINLY didn't miss out on the

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-11366009188586080892009-10-16T16:22:00.000-07:002009-10-17T05:40:14.106-07:00

Everyone, meet Polly the Purple Bicycle. Polly and I got off to a rocky start--she is a little rusty, and I'm a little scared of traversing High Street, full of Oxford's double-decker buses--but we're going steady now. At the end of our dates together, I walk her down the ramp into a lovely, romantic cement shed underneath Staircase 18 and lock her up. She doesn't mind. Although right now she's

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-57696621437322611272009-10-13T08:11:00.000-07:002009-11-12T05:45:07.930-08:00

Fresher's Week is most definitely over. I had to go and tempt fate by updating my Facebook status yesterday morning to read, "As far as I know, I don't have class until Thursday, and I have no work to do...?!" Within an hour of posting that, I had been a) cast in a show, b) set up for my second tutorial, and c) received the reading list for said tutorial. The class is General History 14 (herein

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-9809098545437844962009-10-11T06:50:00.000-07:002009-10-11T06:50:32.803-07:00

Weekends at Oxford are going to be very different than at Tufts. I can already tell, for several reasons: a) Saturday night is the quietest night of the week--people don't go out because the 'townies' go out on Saturdays; b) Pembroke doesn't feed us from Friday night until Sunday night; c) I don't have a third reason except that I just think they'll be different! Yesterday was the 'open house'

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-56527775825890733752009-10-09T03:14:00.000-07:002009-10-09T03:14:44.005-07:00

The past couple of days have been a whirlwind, but oh, such a positive one. Now, before I go any further, there's something I must address with you, dear readers (if you are out there). One of my fellow freshers told me an interesting story. While at dinner one night, she was conversing with an academic dean or member of the administration; she wasn't sure which. He mentioned to her that he'd

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-13105675975380408312009-10-06T16:42:00.000-07:002009-10-06T16:42:28.374-07:00

I'm absolutely chuffed with the way Freshers Week is going so far! (See my Britishisms glossary on the side of the blog home page for the meaning of that sentence). Seriously, I can't believe I only got here three days ago! I can already see why so many people love Oxford, and more than that, why they love Pembroke. The city is just so beautiful and alive: a mix of young people, old buildings,

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-41909965599783388782009-10-04T16:20:00.000-07:002009-10-05T03:52:56.267-07:00

So reads the label on the door to my room. I wonder who Warren was...is? Yesterday: The flight from Seattle was uneventful. Except for the fact that I had my first legal drink--red wine with dinner. So civilized. Jo (my neighbor in Seattle)* and I arrived on British Airways @ Heathrow around 12:30 p.m. I made it through customs and border protection just fine, and we sat at the baggage claim

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-9912729832295854912009-10-02T14:44:00.000-07:002009-10-02T14:44:56.197-07:00

And it's almost time to leave. Bags: packed. Room: empty. Me: excited! England, here I come!

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-31670183742577931432009-09-28T22:23:00.000-07:002009-09-28T22:23:52.939-07:00

The incredible VARIETY of landscapes across the United States never fails to amaze me. I woke up on a college campus in Baltimore, Maryland, on our country's eastern coast. I flew into Kansas City, Missouri, where the first word that comes to mind is flat. Nothing on the horizon for miles and miles, just green and brown fields. Currently, I'm above the Rocky Mountains, dark green-brown ridges

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-21740651946863001542009-09-20T23:35:00.000-07:002009-09-20T23:58:14.003-07:00

Still in Seattle...sigh. Time alternates between going SUPER fast, and slow-as-molasses. And as "Party in the USA" plays in my iTunes (sorry...I know, I know...but it's CATCHY!), I'm writing here instead of writing (or rather, preparing to write) my first essay for Oxford. Just to clarify, since I've been doing a lot of this lately: In the US, I might say, "I'm taking a course/class on

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-87142480435465603712009-09-02T21:44:00.000-07:002009-09-02T21:44:18.656-07:00

Hello from Los Angeles! I arrived this morning and am soaking up the heat with my dear friend Raleigh, who recently moved into a gorgeous 1920s era apartment building in West Hollywood. She even has a built-in vanity table and a stove that really does look like it could be from the twenties. Even so, we cooked a delicious dinner, getting creative and grilling asparagus on her panini press! I'll

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-32342744524708883732009-08-10T16:54:00.000-07:002009-08-10T16:59:54.564-07:00

I'm going to England! I got the official email today from the Los Angeles British Consulate, telling me that my visa has been approved and is on the way! I'm really relieved, especially because I hadn't heard anything until two weeks ago, when I got an email saying that my application needed "further consideration." I guess they thought I was sketchy?Anyways, I am back in Seattle now, after a

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-22397210775417175502009-07-14T16:11:00.000-07:002009-07-14T16:30:28.433-07:00

When people think about studying abroad, the images that come to mind might include navigating cobblestone streets with foreign names while staring an incomprehensible map, eating something spicy and exotic, and traipsing from hostel to hostel in the hopes of finding a free (and somewhat clean!) bed. Well, my study abroad experience started today, in none of the above ways.Today, I journeyed to

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4857074002704925769.post-46112358782438030282009-07-12T19:21:00.000-07:002009-07-12T19:25:05.914-07:00

Testing...1 2 3?Not a very auspicious start to my blog, but I wanted to start one so that I can follow all my friends who are already abroad (?!!).Not much to report as of right now: I had a wonderful weekend full of relaxing, cooking, and bowling at the White House. I'll leave you with these two images.

Claire Maukschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09724369830570719251noreply@blogger.com0