Cambridge 2

And so to Cambridge again. And though it was a pleasure before, it was even more of one this time. What a very happy few days we had meeting Hannah’s Cambridge friends and celebrating her and their successes in this pretty and historic town that must have, over the centuries, entertained so many proud parents in its hallowed halls.

It was one celebration after another on Thursday: an official photography session within the Corpus Christie (Hannah’s college) grounds, a garden party in the garden and home of the Master of the College, a chapel service which proved to be more secular than religious with some lovely singing, the procession to the Senate Hall (in which Hannah managed to walk, just, without a knee brace), the graduation ceremony itself (brief, thank goodness, as it was all in Latin), and then drinks and dinner in a local pub for Hannah’s friends from the law course and their families. It was nice to meet them, mostly Kiwis and Australians, and interesting to see how well they had all done.

Then on Friday, we had a more formal dinner at a private club of which Hannah’s friend Ryan, from the Hawke’s Bay, is a member, to which Hannah’s special friends from her nine months here were invited. Congratulations to them all for looking after her during a year that was not an  easy one, and for always being there when we could not be.

The following day, the three Italian boys took us punting on the River Cam. Strawberries and bubbly were apparently compulsory. The boys sang to each other in Italian, boats crowded the waterways, spires soared to the sky and the sun shone warmly. We could almost be forgiven for thinking we were in Venice! It was hard to say goodbye the next morning to the four house-mates who have shared their loves and lives with Hannah over the year.

 

 

 

 

 

For us, the greatest success of her time here is that she managed to survive the rigours of the place -  the study and exams as well as the enormous amount of socialising - with her brain and sense of humour intact. Although her bank account is now hopelessly depleted, the experience has enriched her in many ways and we are happy that she had the opportunity to be a small part for a while of this unique and, at times bizarre, institution.