Ok, this story is really about why ANDREA doesn't belong at Cambridge, but lets be honest, neither of us really do.
Recently, I have become the photographer for the CU visiting scholars (NVS) group! That's the happy part not the embarrassing part(s).
So, I was invited last Friday to a volunteer's tea at the Master's Lodge at Corpus Christi College, by the Master's wife who is the new Chairmen of our group.
Sitting Room of the Master's Lodge, looking into the garden.
The Masters of the Colleges at Cambridge University are like the Presidents of Colleges in the U.S. They are very prestigious positions usually held by Lords, past British ambassadors, dignitaries and diplomats after they retire. The Masters and their wives always live in the College usually in very fancy houses.
This NVS tea was like a meeting/social time just for the people who work or volunteer for the group. I was invited because I am now "in the fold" as they told me. I was really excited to go, to see the Master's Lodge and get to know more of the people involved. I was given vague instructions as to how to find the Master's Lodge and decided that I would just ask more specifically when I arrived. We have been told in the past that it's better to arrive fashionably late than very early for events especially at Master's Lodges, so I was running just about right on time when I arrived at the College. I stopped at the Porter's Lodge to inquire about finding the Master's Lodge. The porter asked me if I had an appointment with the Master. I told him that I was having tea with Sibella and the NVS. That seemed to suffice and he told me to walk across the first courtyard, past the Chapel, through the iron gate, up the footpath and when the path splits to go left and I would find the Master's Lodge where I should just ring the bell.
I walked hurriedly as I was now about 5 minutes late and was doing well until I came to the footpath that never split, but instead wound around the outside of another large courtyard. I went left at my first opportunity but all I saw were doors with letters above them and nothing that looked right. I was starting to get pretty anxious when a student passed me and I asked him where I could find the Lodge. He told me that it was back where I had just been and to the RIGHT not LEFT. I hurried along and opened the gate and proceeded to the front door where I rang the bell.
I thought things were a bit strange because the lights inside seemed to be off, there was no one to be seen and there were no shoes near the door. I started to wonder if I had gotten the wrong day or time. I waited for what felt like ages until a harried looking woman in jeans and socks came to the door and confusedly asked me,"ummm, are you here to see the Master?"
Stammering I said something about how I was there to see Sibella and for the NVS tea. "Oh!" she said "...you have the wrong college!"
In a bit of shock I blurted the question, "Oh! What college IS this?"
"Pembroke" she said. "You're looking for Corpus Christi, the next college over." Laughing a bit as she said it.
Thankfully she was very nice and understanding about it as we laughed and I apologized vehemently! Now I was REALLY late for my tea and I had to run over to Corpus on foot as my bike was parked far away.
When I arrived at Corpus I saw the door to the Master's Lodge open with people still streaming in and I was SO relieved. I confessed to a couple of my friends about my mishap and they just laughed and said that happens to everyone, but I'm pretty sure it would just happen to me. As I was finally starting to relax a bit I realized that EVERYONE else was wearing a skirt or black pants and I was wearing my dark (very dressy I thought) jeans and I became embarrassed a second time. My friend assured me that they were dressy enough and that because I'm the "young photographer" I'm allowed to dress in a more relaxed fashion. I began to relax again when I noticed that the entire floor was covered white carpet and expensive-looking oriental rugs and that no one was taking off their shoes. I hadn't noticed before but when I looked down at my boots I realized that (though they were clean on the bottom) there was still some mud and grass stuck to the kitten heels from when I was flower frolicking a few days before! Mortified, I asked where I could find the loo and, stepping only on the rugs, went in and quickly washed off my boots attempting to leave no grass or mud behind me! By then I was sure there was no way I would ever fit in at Cambridge, but the ladies were all very warm welcoming and kind to me anyway. :)
After laughing at myself and telling the story to Brandon and our friends here I was finally beginning to recover some of my self-esteem. When, on Tuesday as I arrived at our NVS tea Sibella herself came up to me and said something like, "So, I hear you had a visit to my neighbor on Friday!" I laughed trying to hide my mortification and said "Oh, I was really hoping you would never find out about that!" She laughed and said that the Master's wives all know each other and have weekly "wives of the masters" meetings where the MW at Pembroke had told her of my visit and how she had come to the door in jeans and socks wondering what was going on! I said that I really hoped I hadn't disturbed her but she assured me that it was fine, laughing.
I may give up eventually, but for the time being I find the whole situation to be very humorous.
