I spent my first week abroad at Cambridge University with my roommate from college, Lydia. It took two planes, one Tube ride, two busses, and a train to get to her, but when I finally saw her outside that last station, my exhaustion evaporated. We were both wholly energized by our happy reunion.
I learned a lot in just one week of being a pretend student at Cambridge. Lydia is working on her Masters in Classics, so I joined one of her lectures – intrigued by the provocative title – Drugs and Adulteration in Ancient Rome. I soon discovered was that the referenced drug was pepper, and adulteration meant alloying said pepper by Roman merchants to bulk up their supply. I left the lectures up to my academic friend after that!
What Lydia loves about Cambridge is that people are always talking about something interesting – I noticed this too. Just passing a posse of students on the streets I heard lively intellectual debates. Her roommates especially were not ones for mundane conversation. One, a Brit studying history could give whole lectures over breakfast on World War II – he had an impressive propensity for obscure facts. Another roommate, a Hungarian studying theoretical physics, valiantly tried to explain Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to me over dinner. Something about a cat in a box . . .
sourdough toast, avocado, poached egg and bacon
(they call It “streaky bacon”)
I believe that beauty helps the brain think, and Cambridge, with its stunning architecture, is such a lovely place to wander. Lydia and I ultimately ended up walking six miles each day that week so naturally “I would walk 500 miles” became our theme song.I believe that beauty helps the brain think, and Cambridge, with its stunning architecture, is such a lovely place to wander. Lydia and I almost accidentally six miles each day that week. Naturally, I would walk 500 miles became our theme song as we tramped about the countryside.
After seeing Cambridge from its city streets and surrounding countryside, we decided to take to the water. After all, no Cambridge experience is complete without a little punting. We boldly skipped the group tour and rented a boat for ourselves. She paddled first while I sat back, soaked up the scenery, fed myself (and the birds).
When it was my turn to punt, I spent half an hour simply trying to turn us around! We scraped against the sides of the canal, got tangled up in a willow tree, and spun in circles. I was so bad that professional punters leading group tours gestured to me as they explained to tourists how bad people are when punting for the first time.
The group then proceeded to laugh and take pictures of me! Nevertheless, I persisted, and eventually, we got back to port.
On my final night in Cambridge, Lydia and I went to her Graduate Formal. She, and others in the College wore their special robes and we had an incredible five course meal.
Thank you Lydia for hosting me on the first leg of this long journey. I loved being roommates again!
Darcy Hughes 
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