Diversity

I know it can sound like a cliche, but the diversity of people that one gets to meet here is simply amazing. I went to the Dining Hall at Goodenough again this evening, and sat together with individuals from Kenya, South Africa and Spain. There was also a doctor from Singapore at the table, here for a course at UCL, and the two of us took some time explaining the concept of the 5Cs for our new friend from Spain, who, in turn, lectured us on the difference institutionally between the European Commission and the European Council of Ministers.

Then, it was on to a Welcome Drinks event, where the bar hostess was from Syria, where a PhD student from Nepal came up to introduce himself......well, you get the picture. It felt at times like some receptions in my old job in DC, but decidedly less stuffy. In all, it was a nice gathering. I never turn down a free beer - an ice cold can of Stella Artois, but so far, the conversations I've been having centre mainly on the usual questions of what one's name is, where and what one is studying, and how long one has been in town. Everyone's comparing notes.

It's pretty easy code-switching, but every so often, you get the feeling that a judiciously timed wah lau or abuthen would convey that exact meaning you're groping for.