Spinning in circles, a token for all to see

This weekend was supposed to be Brighton. Aleisha got sick so that didn't work out. Perhaps I'll go on my own this weekend.

I went to a protest rally this Saturday against Israel's aggressive actions against Lebanon and Palestine. Peter, the Italian, and Chereen went together and must have walked 2 miles around London in that march. They gave signs out - Free Palestine, Peace in Lebanon, Bush No. 1 Terrorist, among the others, and it was really nice. It started raining halfway through so imagine cold London drizzle for about the last hour of the protest. We kept going, I can proudly say, however. I'm really glad I went. Even if it makes little difference, its a balm to one's conscience.

Went to Oxford on Sunday. I absolutely fell in love. I remember as a little girl wanting so terribly to study literature there. People had Harvard, or Yale, or NYU, it was always Oxford for me. Until that is I realized that I didn't have the focus and ambition to realize that dream when my family was on the brink of self-destruction.

It is literally gorgeous. Buildings of antiquity where dormitories are located, a feel that one is never too far to walk from one area to the next, parks of endless serenity, peace. Yet there's not the dull quality or small towns, it just seemed inspirational. Enough cute cafes and pubs to keep you entertained, while there's churches that Oscar Wilde walked through. The perfect place to study I suppose, you truly get the feeling walking down those small winding streets that perhaps you too can follow in the footsteps of greatness. Perhaps.. graduate school? London struck me as too rushed, too impersonal - although the life is enviable, I'm not certain I'm ready to jump in headfirst yet. Oxford, like Chereen said, offers that degree of quaint comfort that's so necessary for people far from home and all they've known.

And to hollow that all out with a capitalistic venture- I bought a sweatshirt. First college sweatshirt I've ever gotten. It mattered enough to me that I went ahead.

The trainride to Oxford was gorgeous. Chereen, Habeeb, Farwa, Maria, Aleisha, and me - it was nice.

I can't believe Jasmine is leaving. Oh God, I haven't allowed myself to think about it. I've had her practically everyday.. since coming here. She's as much of London to me as anything. I swear its gonna hurt when she's not here and it settles in that I can't just call her or text her with a dumb thought. I've never met anyone who's so easily become such a sister to me. It usually takes months and years to achieve that comfort level and trust- with her it was just instantaneous.

Time here, all but means nothing, just shadows that move across the wall/
They keep me company, but they don't ask of methey don't say nothing at all.
-Sarah McLachlan