Greetings from Cambridge!

 

I hope to create a blog, or an easy way to update you all on how my studies and adventures in Cambridge are going. For now, I'll stick to email to give you a quick update about my first week in Cambridge. 

 

I arrived last Saturday morning and so have been here for officially one week. My parents traveled over with me and we had a wonderful week exploring Cambridge. During our first day, we went punting along the Cam River, meandered throughout the local market, and ate dinner in a local pub. We also were able to travel to London for the day and saw a production of Wicked! They left yesterday morning and arrived safely back in Philidelphia. 

 

If you are familiar with Harry Potter, Cambridge is similar to Hogwarts, in that you are "sorted" into a "house" known as your "College." Your College is a community of students and faculty, who do not necessarily share you discipline, but are there as a sort of extra support for your time at University.  My Cambridge College is called Darwin College, and sits alongside the Cam River. It has a charming modesty about it and is the only College in Cambridge which allows students to walk and sit on the grass! I am constantly meeting inimitably passionate people, whose interests/studies range from whale conservation to astronomical machinery to theorizing more sustainable architectural practices. While Darwin has been an incredibly welcoming community to ease my transition to Cambridge, the Rotary Club of Cambridge Swantson has been equally warm and supportive!

 

I attended their 30th Charter Dinner on Tuesday of last week in the Great Hall of Queens College. Every Rotarian greeted me warmly and I was humbled to be a part of such a special occasion and event. At the dinner, I met the scholar from Botswana, who your Club raised money for! After years of attempting to make it to Cambridge, it was the support of you all that allowed her to travel here! I've attached some photos from the evening.

 

I am immeasurably grateful for this opportunity and am motivated to make the most out of my time here -- for the schools, communities, and people I love in Colorado Springs! I begin classes on Wednesday, and will send an update once i have my course underway. 

 

I hope you are enjoying Fall in Colorado and are able to enjoy the last of the Aspens changing!

 

Thank you again for everything,

 

Emily

 

Emily Hoover at the Cambridge Sawston Rotary 30th Charter Dinner

with Agrieneth B. Masule, a fellow Global Grant Scholar from Botswana.