AGTO Day Two: All the Other Stuff

The seminar was great, but that was just the beginning of the day. We're scheduled pretty heavily, and there's hardly any free time at all. We get some time for lunch, and then it's right into the speakers. The first was Tony Benn, a politician and a self declared socialist. His topic was "The US and UK: A Special Relationship." Mr. Benn said that it isn't really a special relationship to the US, but the UK thinks of it as special. He talked about the issues of the world being split up into the haves and the have nots, and how it's important for politicians to seek justice. A "special" relationship, he was careful to point out, does not mean always agreeing with each other, which is what's been happening lately. He was not a fan of Tony Blair, and didn't like that Blair went along with everything Bush did. He was very interesting. Sometimes got a little off topic, and didn't always answer questions directly, but the man is 86, so I think we can be understanding.

Then we had tea, of course, because it was 4:00 and that's what one does at 4:00. Immediately following tea was another speaker. Professor Valentine Cunningham was to give a talk on the Oxford system. I have to be honest, I completely zoned out during this one. It had the potential to be really interesting, but it was all over the place. Really rambley. And he did not have the excuse of being 86.

Then there was another three course dinner. Eating a three course meal is exhausting. Dinner was followed by what was being called "Circuit Training." It was a bunch of different games that we rotated around and competed at by team. It was kind of cheesy, and a lot of people skipped out to wander around Oxford, which I understand, we have so little free time. But those of us that went had a lot of fun and got to know each other better as we competed at Twister and anagrams and charades and giant Connect Four among other things.

Then we went to the pub. Because, much like 4:00 tea, that's what one does. Again, I didn't stay out to long as I was pretty tired, but then we I got back, I couldn't fall sleep for hours. I guess I'm not quite adjusted to Oxford time yet.