Formal Dinners.

Here are Cambridge we have very special nights called Formal Dinners where we all dress up and meet on the Lawn for drinks (except the last few times it has been raining) and we are actually permitted to walk on the grass! Formal dinners are quite a big deal here because it is a sign of respect for the college and if the Fellows are present, we are not allowed to be seated until they are seated first. However, the Fellows have not dined with us mainly because they are all on holiday or are busy with their research. The meals are complex three course deliciousness with accompanying bread and white/red wine.

However, I will say that some students take it too far. The problem with American students is that they are not watchful of others. During formal dinner, you are not exactly supposed to stand up at any time, but the American students have not noticed that. They also don't understand that the wine is supposed to accompany the meal and is not supposed to be chugged down like a shotgunned beer. This has caused a little bit of a problem and is often quite embarrassing. My advice is to be respectful, especially when it is a formal occasion.

Anyways, back to the good part of Formal Dinners. Basically, the food is absolutely amazing. Something you would eat in a 5 star restaurant and involves multiple knives and forks and all these complex mechanisms. It's been a great learning experience and I've enjoyed it all. Here are some accompanying pictures. Try not to drool all over the screen please. Thanks!

P.S. There was a bit of a fiasco with the pork belly. The skin was so crisp that it was impossible to cut through but I still tried and it basically flew off my plate. While I was seated across from one of our program directors. Lovely.