Week 5

Sat in on a class of Year 3 children (3rd graders) today, Oct 9. There was a substitute teacher. It reminded me of how "easy" it used to be with subs because they aren't aware of how the class is supposed to go.

I met their usual teacher in the lounge. His name is Colin Fieldhouse; he's around my age. I can see it'll be good to work with another young man. It's going to take some time to feel more comfortable with the girls, especially while adjusting to a new country simultaneously. Sometimes they rush to decisions without including me and there are big adjustments with the distinct ways in which we communicate. If it was going to be easy there wouldn't be much reason to do it--something I often told myself in San Francisco while taking on new challenges.

In Chicago it was a little overwhelming to share a living space with so many others. Now, there's a more familiar feeling of moving to a new place and a sense of having my work cut out for me. Our hosts, the Reverends Paul Flowers and Paul Bilton, have many possible volunteer positions for us to consider. I have my mind on a few. But it is still the first week here, and it may take a few weeks until my schedule becomes established. In the meantime, it is anxious but slowly becoming more comfortable to be here.

We met the Radical Journey coordinator for Europe, Tim Foley, who resides in Northern Ireland. He gave us a tour of downtown Bradford. It's a more appealing town than I expected. There are many pubs and cafes. The old buildings have an industrial look but they have their charm as well. The spectacular city hall is modeled from Florentine architecture.

We've had several impressive meals, including two at the Biltons, who live only a 5-minute walk away. They own hens that strut around their driveway. One hen, Alice, has an injured foot and stays in the house. On three separate evenings we've plopped on the Bilton's sofa while the Pauls, their friends Barry and Val, and additional guests have bantered away in their northern English accents. So flawless is their timing in preserving the flow of the conversation that their interactions resemble a play.