I got to see A. L. Barker's papers yesterday! After all the planning, packing and worrying, the purpose of my visit to Austin - my fellowship at The Harry Ransom Center - has finally started.
The HRC is closed on Mondays so I started work yesterday. This huge white building is on the edge of the University of Texas campus, itself a gigantic complex of teaching, administrative and maintenance buidings all grouped around the UT tower. My office - yes, I have my own office! - is on the 3rd floor, and the reading room just below that.
In the last 1.5 days I have managed to read only half a folder of Barker's correspondence from 1946-48 - but what I have read is incredible! There are many signed letters from Leonard Woolf (the Hogarth Press was Barker's first publisher) and lots of references to mystery unpublished short stories that I hope to unearth. My worry now is that I'll never have time to see it all. There are 18 boxes in total with about 7 folders each!
Apart from work, I have been busy chatting to random people as per usual. I went to a "mall" today in search of a US cell phone (which are surprisingly expensive compared to the UK) and met a nice woman on the bus. She told me that it takes her 2 hours to travel by bus a journey that takes 25 mins by car. No wonder everyone in America drives!
On the way to the bus stop I was mobbed by a load of these horrible birds they have out here called Grackles. They look a bit like blackbirds but make these strange dinosaur-like clicking sounds. I keep expecting to find one blocking the path in front of me. And then, just as I raise my foot to kick it away, another to my left about to pounce. "Clever girl!" Just like that man in Jurassic Park.
Right, my horrible cold is fogging my brain and I can't think of anything else to write so I'm signing off now.
More soon...
K
So there was I thinking I didn't have jet lag.
I'd only had a few hours' sleep but on Friday I went into the city to meet up with a friend who is in Austin reviewing SXSW. I learnt a few things.
1) Buses in Austin are freezing. I was wearing summer clothes and the bus temp was about 6 degrees C. This was a relief at first, but in the end I had to get off early because it was so cold! I am now suffering from some kind of air-con-related lurgy :(
2) The shops here give you booze! I was innocently browsing away when a sales assistant presented me with a Margarita, then carried all the stuff I'd selected to the changing rooms. If only they did this in the UK... *sighs*
3) American people really are amazingly friendly. And not in a creepy way. (Evidence below.)
After my shopping trip I found a cafe to sit in for a while. It had a European-style layout with a semi-circle bar to one side. I sat at the bar opposite a group of friends watching the basketball on TV, and next to a woman eating calamari. After a while she left. I was absorbed in my paper when a movement made me look up. One of the basketball-watching-guys was eating the woman's leftover calamari! It was like catching someone picking their nose or something. Hilarious.
So we had a few drinks and lots of photos were taken (because you know how much I looove having my photo taken). Due to my inability to recall names I only remember Jenny and Anthony, who lives in Austin and is my new fb friend, but the whole group were brilliant and so welcoming.
The rest of the night went something like this. Went to see some bands; went to Coyote Ugly (completely Mischa's idea); hung out on a balcony with a woman who lives in a treehouse (there is a treehouse commune about an hour away from Austin, apparently); was badly and shamefully beaten at air hockey; left bar to get taxi, spent 1.5 hours trying to get a taxi aided by a very nice man with a giant beard called Brian (the man not the beard); finally got home at 3am.
Then I lay awake for ages before finally getting a few hours sleep. At lunchtime I ventured out for a walk and to get some food, came home and forced myself to stay up until 7pm, when I went to bed and slept for 13 hours straight!
Feeling lots better today, unsuprisingly. I've just skyped Mum, Dad and Alex and am now catching up with various radio 4 and 6 music programmes I've missed. Makes me feel a lot less homesick.
More soon. Over and out,
K
After a mildly traumatic 24hr journey, involving angry shouting Texans and giant burritos, I have arrived in Austin!
It's hot here. 24C but weirdly overcast and humid. I woke up at 8am after only 6 hours in bed and couldn't get back to sleep, so have been wandering about in a bit of a daze with a head of massive frizzy hair because of the humidity.
In the supermarket I spent ages looking at all the American food, then bought Weetabix, PG tips, bananas and Oyster Bay Savignon Blanc! Think it's safe to say I won't be going native anytime soon, though I have found a great cafe near where I'm staying which has amazing vegetarian sandwiches (I'm staying away from the meat which all seems to be those processed slices). I had mozzarella and homemade pesto with whole pine nuts, plus a proper latte so now feeling better and a bit less exhausted.
Already about 4 people have said they love my accent. I have to stop myself from hamming it up too much, but it is tempting ;)
The house I'm staying in is right in the middle of a very trendy studenty area. I've seen lots of people biking about and there are bike lanes so tomorrow I'm going to look into hiring a bike. It'll be just like home, except the streets are about five times as wide and the cars three times as big! The room itself is great and has aircon so I can maintain delightful British temperatures inside. Julie, my landlord, has been very helpful despite having to stay up until 1.30am this morning waiting for me to arrive! I will post photos of the area soon.
Right. I'm about to go and meet a friend who's over reviewing SXSW bands, so that's it for now. Until next time...
K
