Happy Beginnings

"Big Brother: The Westfield House Experience" has begun for the Roggows. Those of you who have seen the slightly-strange CBS reality show about 8 or 12 or 15 or however many people living as house mates together will have a little glimpse into what I am talking about. After an intense go through security (our bags were specially screened, and we were frisked!) , a lovely flight on Virgin Atlantic (complimentary alcoholic beverages and personal TV/movie screens), and a tricky journey navigating England's bus system whilst carrying 120 lbs. of luggage each, we arrived at our very own house in Cambridge, England. Well, it's not exactly our own...

And that will be the concentration of this post. Westfield house is a beautiful, old, ginormous (did you know that word made it into the dictionary? I may have spelled it incorrectly here, though) English house located about a 10 minute walk outside the city's centre. It's drafty and quirky and filled with about 14 other people - give or take - and it's brilliant! First the logistical detail's: the ground floor (1st floor for all you Yankees) has a couple offices, a library, a living area, a kitchen, and a dining room. The dining room has maybe 5 refrigerators (big and small) and a couple of freezers, and there are 3 stoves and ovens in the kitchen. The first floor (again, think 2nd floor, Americans) consists of, I believe, 7 rooms and a private flat, a couple of toilet rooms, and a couple of shower rooms. Sorry to bore you all with such details, but the mums at least will appreciate them.

Now the reality show aspect. We are living in the same four walls as friends from home, students from South Africa, and a pastor from Ethiopia, just to name a few. It's crazy. And so nice. Guys play darts and smoke pipes, girls assemble Little Mermaid puzzles, students drink Scotch while simultaneously solving all the church's problems, and all these different personalities blend together to make a weird and very fun house. Somebody keeps leaving the toilet seat up, everyone's bikes keep braking, and nobody knows where the dishes go. There's been a bunch of laughing, some awkwardness, and a bit of heated discussion (i think it was mostly healthy, though). So maybe this isn't as titillating or scandalous as the original TV show, but I am definitely getting a kick out of it. And I am so thankful to be surrounded by such kind people. It's gonna be a good year.

Check out this link for our pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/ARoggow