Real quick: This is me driving in Ireland. Please notice how everything is opposite of what we're used to... the stick shift, the steering wheel... oh and that road may appear to be narrow, but that's actually one of the wider roads we traversed... it even had two lanes.

I've completed my first week of the "real" Oxford. For anyone I haven't told, Oxford operates on a tutorial system, which means that I never go to a class that meets regularly. Instead I meet with a tutor (professor) once a week for a primary tutorial. In these meetings I prepare a 2,000-2,500 word essay. We meet, we discuss the essay and then I receive a reading list and a new assignment for next week. My primary tutorial is on Wednesdays and is called Historiography- which is the philosophy of history... but basically its just the histories of historians. or History squared. The other aspect to Oxford is that there are constantly lectures taking place every hour of every day, even Saturdays... and my tutor suggests which lectures I should attend, so that is another aspect of the process.

I also have a secondary tutorial which meets every two weeks or (fortnight), for me this started this week. The same set up takes place, but I get two weeks to research an write a paper. So every two weeks is extremely busy and intellectually taxing. My secondary tutorial occurs every other Thursday, and is called Philosophical Theology.

So I've completed my first round of tutorials at Oxford. Met my tutors, presented my arguments and received feedback. My primary tutor I think was impressed by my answers, although I don't know what he'll think of my paper. It was on the topic of Augustine, and our meeting was basically discussing Augustine's influences, thoughts, and approaches. Truth be told, I came out better than I think I should have. I've compared the experience to winner a drawing to meet the best pitcher in the world... as part of the award you get to try to bat off the famous pitcher... but just before you grab your bat, you are blindfolded. What do you do? Swing at every thing you think is a pitch? Wait until you hear the 98 mile/hr fastball coming at you? No, you bunt. I pretty much bunted every thought and question he pitched at me. I had enough knowledge of the subject to get a few hits, and I even perhaps impressed him with a thought or two, but mostly I could guess what he thought the answer to a question was in the method he asked me, so I basically bunted through the meeting. I thought it went allright... but now I'm more nervous for the next one, where I was hoping to be more at ease. This will be very challenging.

I was hoping that the philosophical theology tutorial that I had today might be different. I was right, but in the worst possible way. If I came to Oxford to be humbled that was accomplished today. My secondary tutor let me have it. We discussed the existence of God and whether there was a rational justification for belief in God. I entered the discussion thinking- No, that "faith" is the act of making a belief even in the absence of evidence... that there is not sufficient evidence to believe in God or not to believe in God, and that we must have faith in order to believe.

She destroyed every one of my arguments. In fact, I've never been so completely and utterly refuted in every essence of an argument. Frankly, despite the embarrassment, I was really impressed. I think I've grown from it... but the strange thing is, despite the fact that she eradicated my arguments, it still doesn't make sense for there to be enough proof or evidence to prove God's existence. I have been thinking about the interaction all day and although I no longer have a defense for my position (which is really difficult for me, because I like defended positions) I still do think that all you need to reach God is a superb brain... there has to be an aspect to God's system that allows anyone at any level of intellect to have just as much access and reward to God... it can't be based on intelligence and access to information. I think I just need to come up with better arguments, not change my overall perspective.

Oh well. It was a good experience. Along with my tutorials which I will have for the next seven weeks and write ten more essays for, I also have an overall essay called the Big Essay (how original) that I will turn in at the end of the term. It can be on any historical topic of my choosing. So since I really enjoy Naval history and sailing, I plan to write on the either Napoleonic Naval History, the Naval battles of the War of 1812, Privateering, or the tension between Political history of naval battles vs. Naval history of political battles. Should be fun.

I'm trying to get connected with my college's soccer team. Apparently there is a game Saturday, so I'll try to join up. I'm really out of shape, but hopefully I'll be foolhardy and American athletic enough to make an impact. The soccer here is much more intermural in essence since no one comes to Oxford for athletics, we only play teams from the 28 other colleges. I'm really looking forward to it though.

As a result of the papers and assignments this first week, I didn't do much outside of the libraries and in front of the computer typing. I don't know if it will be much different for the next seven weeks, but there will be some highlights. I got voted to be on a seven member council for my program. Its basically student senate, and we plan events and fun nights, ect. Tomorrow is our first, just a movie night for the end of the first week. But we'll throw an amazing Dress up party over Halloween, and the highlight of the year is the Thanksgiving Party. Apparently we are the largest visiting student program at Oxford (close to 50 Americans, 1 Canadian) and we have a reputation for throwing an amazing Thanksgiving party, which Britain doesn't celebrate... so we've been asked by several Oxford locals about it. Our last event will be a Christmas Caroling/ice skating party. It'll be great, my parents should be here during that time, so I'll get to sing with my mom which is always special for me.

This is a picture of a road sign from Ireland. Reminding us not to drive our rental car off the pier into the Atlantic Ocean. I put this picture here to be funny and also to represent what my secondary tutorial experience was like today.










Well, I'll let you all go. For those of you who have stuck it out until the end of the message, here is the next addition to the house tour. Today you'll see the amazing features of the Vines' entry way, common room and dining room. Enjoy.