Oxford

Today we had our trip to Oxford. We had a good time and learned many lessons along the way. We had a hard time getting up this morning. we originally planned to be out the door by 9 or 9.30 but decided to sleep in a bit. Then we made the wrong decision of leaving the flat without really knowing how to get to oxford. Our directore isnt the most organized person. We had to get to oxford on our own and he gave us tickets for a train. But he never told us how or where to get to this train. So its been a little frustrating. So it took us longer to get there than expected. We rolled into oxford at about 12.30 and then realized that we had no idea where to go. I think im just use to dad being super plann-y and plan everything perfectly for us. And oxford is a lot different than i thought. I thought it was going to be more like Trinity College--where it had like main campus that you can go to, but Oxford is really spread out through all of the colleges and then there are shops and stores interspursed throughout the town. But we did find Christs Church (pictured)--and yes, thats my new shirt from ireland!)--and amazing church that was beautiful. And Harry Potter was filmed there as well! So we really wanted to go inside of it to see the Dining Hall, but it wasnt open until 2.30 and we had a lecture at 3, so we wanted to come back for the tour after class. Well we did, and alas, it was closed! we were so bummed. but a bunch of us want to see it so i think we are going to go up there again, and go a little more organized next time. So as i said we had a lecture there today at the Oxford University Press on the Oxford English Dictionary. We had a presentation on the history of the OED, how it came about, how it was compiled and all about it today. it was really interesting. I never realized how hard it was to make the dictionary. We watched a video on how it is constantly being revised and published on the internet. They said that if they were to publish the OED now it would be over 40 volumes. The archivists (the lady giving us the presentation) brough out all documents from when they were originially compiling the OED. Back in the day people were paid to submit word to the dictionary from literature that they read. So she brought out a box of a bunch of those submissions from the 19th Century (pictured). Then one of the main editors also came and talked to us about what he does on a daily basis. He is giving a set of words from the dictionary and he has to find modern uses of the word to add to the dictionary. sounds like a boring job to me, yet interesting at the same time. i dont think i have ever used the OED in my life, and i dontknow if i ever will. after our lecture we continued to walk around oxford, (tried to see harry potter sites, but it was closed) bought some food, and then bought an oxford sweatshirt. ill be honest ever since laura bought one on her SA i have always wanted one.

after we have got back from oxford we had a meeting at the Hyde Park Chapel to get our war assignments. and while we are at the church we found out that there is a YSA dance there tomorrow night and we got invited to go! so we are all super excited to go to that. Then we got our ward assignments and im going to the Lea Valley Ward. Im going with a couple other girls and the stake president said that the ward mostly consists of eastern europeans and africans. so it should be interesting. im excited. the ward starts at 10 but the stake president said that we have to leave by like 8.45 to get there. so not too bad.

tomorrow we are going to buckingham palace! and then shopping on high street kensington before the dance.