Since I arrived in the UK, nothing in this country has yet shocked me.

Until I landed in Broadhaven.

Until the moment I stepped off the bus and saw the sea.

The sea was not blue. It was gray. What a shocker.

But then nobody else seemed to notice. Apparently, it was oh-so-lovely and everyone couldn’t wait to kick off their shoes and feel the cold, cold sand.

So it was cold, and windy and gray. But that didn't stop all 76 people from all over the world from communing by the seaside, happily strolling along the beach, perhaps getting a little bit sentimental.

But then I suppose that apart from shipping us all to Broadhaven to finally come up with that eureka moment for dissertation, this was what Broadhaven was about. Camaraderie. Getting to know the class more (check). Rooming with strangers in awfully colored rooms (check). Having breakfast with the people you haven't talked to before (check). Memorizing their names and faces (oops).

But perhaps blame that bit with all that coffee, wine and beer consumed.

Now out of Broadhaven and back to civilization, I suddenly get my second shock when I realize that I had quite a charming experience. When I think about Broadhaven now, this is the picture that will always remain in my mind. A little cold, a little gray, a little intoxicated, a little confused, and so many different people stuck in one odd place. And I couldn't help but think, welcome to the world of the MA IJ.

portia [ 10:02 AM ]