Oxford sucks. Big time...
It seems like there were many things stopping me to come over to Oxford. When I was at Stuttgart airport, I almost couldn't get through the passport control because I wasn't stamped when I entered Vienna. The passport control officer said that it was my responsibility to ensure that the passport control stamps on my passport otherwise I could be regarded as illegal immigrant. But how would I know that stupid Vienna one forgot to!? Luckily I still kept my ticket and boarding pass to Vienna.
My plane is EXTREMELY tiny. There are only 4 seats per row and 13 rows. No business class, I think. My head is almost touching the ceiling when I stand up! It was quite scary when it was landing. I never experienced a plane rocking so much whilst about to hit the ground. At one second I thought we were going to land on one wing... I arrived at Heathrow at about 6 pm. We were circling up on the air for like 15 minutes before landing, and it took another 15 minutes for the plane to come to a complete stop. We actually had to walk on the airport ground for a very short distanceinto the building, rather than those hall ways that come to the door. There wasn't even a bus!
Yes, Heathrow is appaling. I had to travel through the tunnels to get to the Central Bus Station where I caught a coach to Oxford. Just as soon as I arrived at the Central Bus Station, it started raining. Then, the rain was pouring down like crazy! It was actually sunny with some clouds when we were circling up in the air...
It took about 50 minutes to arrive at Oxford, but it was another 30 minutes before actually arriving at the city centre where my college is. On the way, I actually saw John Radcliffe Hospital (where my lab is) and it was a bit of a way out from where I live... Sigh... Buses everyday again... Very luckily, Hannah and her boyfriend picked me up at the bus terminal with a car and took me to St John's College. It's not too far away, but with luggages it would have been quite a big hassel. I reported to the Porter's Lodge first where I received a key ring with 2 keys and a magnet things to get into the college buildings. My house is on St John's Street, about 3 minutes walk from the college building. Hannah and her boyfriend dropped me off outisde the house and had to leave quickly because parking is shocking at Oxford and there are constantly wardens checking. Yes, I was all excited when I came to the door of my house, but the key didn't work! I couldn't open the front door! I rang the bell, no one answered. Since the key writes SJ 9/6, I thought it might be 6 St John's Street, rather than 9 St John's Street as the porter has told me. So, I went over to find 6 St John's Street. It took me a while because6 SJS is at the corner and isn't actually facing SJS. Just when I was about to try the key, a guy came over. He lived in the apartment and told me that the house is actually fully occupied after I explained the situation to him. Fortunately, he was extremely kind and offered to have me inside his house with my luggage. He helped me ring up the Porter's Lodge again, then it turned out that the Porter didn't check properly when she gave me the key ring. There were supposed to be an additional key to the house but the previous occupant has lost it. So I quickly went back to pick up the as-she-called-it "reserved reserve key" and I had to hand it back on Monday. So, I finally got inside the house. It was shockingly bad. The staircase is tiny, probably only 1 meter wide. It was extremely difficult to drag my huge suitcase up to the third floor where my room is. My room is I guess not too small, but smaller than I expected. It's probably 2 metres by 6 metres. I shall send you a photo soon when I get it off my camera and send it through my computer. I was at least relieved to see the bed is made with a duvet. I walked around to check the house if it could be called a house... There is one other housemate at the moment and she is from America. Quite friendly so far, but you never know. I saw a toilet, a tiny kitchen and a bathroom. But there's no wash basin! There's only a sink in the kitchen. Well, it turns out that the wash basin is in a closet in my room. Strange! And the hot water tap is separated from cold water tap, which is something I hate the most. Yes, then I further discovered that the kitchen doesn't have anything to cook with! No oven no stove. Not even a microwave! There are only a toaster and a kettle. Fine... Then the American girl told me the shower outside my room doesn't drain... So, I had to go through many doors to another shower. It turns out that all the 9, 10, 11 (and probably more) of St John's Street houses are interconnected on the ground floor (or is it basement???). Luckily, there was a laundry facility on 10 SJS, so at least I don't have to carry my clothes to the college building. It costs 80 pence to wash and another 80 pence to dry each time. There was no living room or dining room in the house. I have to come to the dining hall in the college to eat and the Middle Common Room (MCR) to watch TV amongst probably 100 other people. Yes, there was no internet connection either in my room yet, so I'm typing in the computer room in MCR. At least it's free to use and print. In my room, there was only one light, the main light on the ceiling that works. The table lamp and the light over the wash basin are both broken. Oh, and I have to pay for heating... They say the rooms are supposedly kept at 15 degrees (free of charge), but the radiator that was supposed to do is cold, so I don't think it is working. For dinner last night, the guy who helped me out very generously invited me over for dinner at 10 pm. We had frozen pizza from the supermarket heated in the oven. It's disgusting, but better than nothing.
I'm just extremely disappointed and depressed. My accomodation is appaling... It's very old, worse than the one I had at my high school! I knew they would be old buildings, but I thoght the interior would be very nicely renovated. It's also a little bit dirty, so I had to go out and buy a cloth to wipe every surface before I could really unpack my clothes. There were no drawers for clothes by the way but some shelves. I just can't imagine living in this shit hall for a year. Not even a month! The shower that I went to is even worse than the ones in the hostels I stayed in Vienna and Salzburg. It's honestly the worst accommodation I've ever lived in in my whole life! After hearing all about how nice accommodation is at Cambridge from friends, been to the guy's house which has a huge kitchen and living room and knowing the rent is not cheap at all ( 10.99 pound per day), I was expecting something really nice too. But it's not really livable... Apparently my room is of the C- grade, second worst. We don't get to choose... And I'm bonded to live here for a year... And I got a pile of mails (including my fresher's handbook, finally) about things to be sorted out in my pigeon hall when I was at the Porter's Lodge. There are so many rules. I even have to fill out a form to report electric appliances to be connected to the house and have them tested before I can use them... Then there was no internet or telephone and I had to get them organised on Monday. I can't do anything arriving on Saturday. All the offices are closed! I don't think I can have family or friends' over to stay either, which is the opposite of Cambridge. All the information and stuff to be sorted are just too much for me right now... I have to attend a matriculation ceremony too on the 14th of October. Apparently I have to wear a suit underneath the academic gown that I have to hire. I don't have a suit! I'm just really depressed...
I just hope that the lab is going to be nice at least. But... I have to take 30 minutes bus ride there each way everyday...
不過好在這個禮拜五，我朋友幫我在這邊的一個每兩週來一次的魚販（Fisher Van，它開一台小貨車賣）買到了一隻超大螃蟹． 我原本要自己去的，但後來實驗拖太晚，來不及，就拖她去買． 她打電話問我說要大隻小隻時，我想到我有１０人份的大同電鍋且只買一隻，就請她買了一隻大隻的． 她還特地問我說確定要大隻的． 結果我在拿到貨時，才知道它真的超大，且還是活的，不過動的有點慢，所以還好沒被夾到． 我的大同電鍋大概只能容納兩隻那麼大的螃蟹！ 更令人開心的是，它是母的！ 在紐西蘭，母的螃蟹是不能補抓的，所以在那邊都沒吃到蟹黃（紐西蘭的螃蟹其實本身就又貴且買不到好吃的）． 恩，這隻英國巨蟹，超肥，且蟹黃很多，雖說很鮮美，我很滿足，但吃到最後還有點想吐．．． 它的螯的殼我咬不動，所以剛好先不吃．
這裡拜我自己煮了兩個正餐： 一頓咖哩飯、一餐鮭魚． 煮咖哩時，一次就煮了八人份． 沒辦法，這邊雞腿買一盒就八隻，不馬上煮掉也不行． 好笑的是因為我沒有剁刀，所以我得很豪邁的把整隻雞腿放下去煮．．． 昨天逛超市時鮭魚打對折，把它用煎的，再煮些義大利通心麵，加罐裝的蕃茄醬汁，煎個蛋，炒個菜，一餐就很豐盛了． 唉，在國外就是得自己當家庭主婦． 昨天去超市，沒買任何超過５英鎊的東西，但很多東西加一加也花了４２英鎊！ 雖然買的很多東西可以用很久，例如果醬、洗髮精等，但付錢時還是心在淌血．．． 哈，我該不會變成美伢了！ 我想我可能還是以後會常去學院吃，比較方便，且可能還會比在家自己煮便宜． 至少錢一筆一筆慢慢扣，感覺不會那麼錯愕． 我煮的咖哩大概也會沒吃完就丟掉，浪費大概不少鎊．．．
這裡拜我也開始了我的網球生涯！ 禮拜六早上跑去學校網球社的非比賽練習初級班． 參加網球社一年繳４０鎊，每次練習都會有學校選手指導． 這次有１０個人去，每兩個人都可以打半場． 網球真的不是像看職業選手打那麼簡單，我拍子揮出去，１０個球有３個沒打到（反拍ｘ２）、５個不知打去哪、２個有到接近我想它去的地方． 不過還是很有趣，打了幾次也似乎有點進步． 還再台灣整理行李時，很自然的沒有準備任何運動用的衣物，鞋子也是勉強算是運動鞋的休閒鞋，所以那天下午就去購物． 還好這邊有在打折，價錢勉強還可以接受．
不過好在這個禮拜五，我朋友幫我在這邊的一個每兩週來一次的魚販（Fisher Van，它開一台小貨車賣）買到了一隻超大螃蟹． 我原本要自己去的，但後來實驗拖太晚，來不及，就拖她去買． 她打電話問我說要大隻小隻時，我想到我有１０人份的大同電鍋且只買一隻，就請她買了一隻大隻的． 她還特地問我說確定要大隻的． 結果我在拿到貨時，才知道它真的超大，且還是活的，不過動的有點慢，所以還好沒被夾到． 我的大同電鍋大概只能容納兩隻那麼大的螃蟹！ 更令人開心的是，它是母的！ 在紐西蘭，母的螃蟹是不能補抓的，所以在那邊都沒吃到蟹黃（紐西蘭的螃蟹其實本身就又貴且買不到好吃的）． 恩，這隻英國巨蟹，超肥，且蟹黃很多，雖說很鮮美，我很滿足，但吃到最後還有點想吐．．． 它的螯的殼我咬不動，所以剛好先不吃．
這裡拜我自己煮了兩個正餐： 一頓咖哩飯、一餐鮭魚． 煮咖哩時，一次就煮了八人份． 沒辦法，這邊雞腿買一盒就八隻，不馬上煮掉也不行． 好笑的是因為我沒有剁刀，所以我得很豪邁的把整隻雞腿放下去煮．．． 昨天逛超市時鮭魚打對折，把它用煎的，再煮些義大利通心麵，加罐裝的蕃茄醬汁，煎個蛋，炒個菜，一餐就很豐盛了． 唉，在國外就是得自己當家庭主婦． 昨天去超市，沒買任何超過５英鎊的東西，但很多東西加一加也花了４２英鎊！ 雖然買的很多東西可以用很久，例如果醬、洗髮精等，但付錢時還是心在淌血．．． 哈，我該不會變成美伢了！ 我想我可能還是以後會常去學院吃，比較方便，且可能還會比在家自己煮便宜． 至少錢一筆一筆慢慢扣，感覺不會那麼錯愕． 我煮的咖哩大概也會沒吃完就丟掉，浪費大概不少鎊．．．
這裡拜我也開始了我的網球生涯！ 禮拜六早上跑去學校網球社的非比賽練習初級班． 參加網球社一年繳４０鎊，每次練習都會有學校選手指導． 這次有１０個人去，每兩個人都可以打半場． 網球真的不是像看職業選手打那麼簡單，我拍子揮出去，１０個球有３個沒打到（反拍ｘ２）、５個不知打去哪、２個有到接近我想它去的地方． 不過還是很有趣，打了幾次也似乎有點進步． 還再台灣整理行李時，很自然的沒有準備任何運動用的衣物，鞋子也是勉強算是運動鞋的休閒鞋，所以那天下午就去購物． 還好這邊有在打折，價錢勉強還可以接受．
