Christmas Dinner: Celebrated the British way

Well it was that time again for the traditional Christmas dinner, this time celebrated on Saturday 5 December. Volunteers from Alma church and BISC spent most of the day setting up, changing the venue into something spectacular, and cooking the most delicious dinner anywhere in the UK. Before we go on, we must say a BIG THANK YOU!!

The was decorated beautifully with Christmas trees, fairy lights and tables laid out with candles, crackers, party poppers and all other bits and pieces to make it look so nice and cosy. The guest appeared at around 7pm and it was obvious to some that this was the first time they had witnessed a traditional British Christmas setting with all the trimmings. The meal was superb and there were plenty of second and third helpings. I think Dr Chill was the head-waiter with that white coat on. But his bow tie had a Christmassy touch even though it was worn upside down!!! For those who had never sampled a traditional Christmas dinner with crackers, I trust that the experience was to your liking. Did you find a hat, toy and joke in your cracker? I think you did as we were soon attired in paper hats of various colours. My cracker joke went something like this: ‘Who is the most famous lady in America? Answer: Mississippi!!!! Ha Ha. Don’t call us we’ll call you!!!

The mulled wine was excellent. It had a warm glow to it particularly if you drank it, and it tasted sanguine. I did notice that Dr Chill had two glasses of mulled wine. It was simply too delicious!!! If you have a special mulled wine recipe, add your comment and recipe to this blog.

During the dinner we enjoyed a short talk on the Christmas story and a live performance of Christmas carols. We all joined in and it created a very special atmosphere. But more was still to come when Father Christmas suddenly appeared!!! And what did Santa give you? His elf joke about sick elves and where they go for treatment, and a comment that Santa should be on the stage raised one or two laughs!! Oh well!! I didn’t see Dr Chill there with Santa; he missed a treat, and a present.

All in all some sixty guests took part in the traditional Christmas dinner and I trust the experience was uplifting and something you can share with your friends. Remember to show them the photographs.

This is the last blog for 2009 and the Autumn term. I personally would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Jacqueline in her first term as BISC Coordinator. Jacqueline has undertaken her task well. It is a role where you have to be multi skilled, have the patience of Job (Book in the Old Testament in the Bible), and she is always smiling!!!

And a BIG BIG thank you to YOU, lovely international students. Without you we could not run the centre. In conclusion may the BISC Team wish you a happy and safe holiday and may God be with you.

Christmas is Here: making cards the traditional way

Hello once again you lovely blog readers. Well what can I say about Christmas card making, and why do we send cards at Christmas? The practice of sending Christmas cards began in Britain during the early 1840s, although the custom began in America some 20 years previously. The development of Christmas cards coincided with the development of the railway system and the penny post. Cards in unsealed envelopes cost less than a penny to post and proved very popular with early Victorian society that was beginning to enjoy the benefits of cheap rail travel and an efficient cheap postal service. The red post boxes in Britain began to appear in the early 1850’s and if you look at then you can see the monarch’s initials. There is one Victorian post box somewhere in Clifton, but around the BISC area there are some post boxes bearing the initials of Edward VIII (1902-10) George V (1910-1935) George VI (1937-52) as well as those from the present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Near where Dr Chill hangs out is a very rare post box erected in 1936 with Edward VIII crest on it. Edward VIII was never crowned as he abdicated after 10 months.

So Christmas cards developed with the cycle of the white heat technology of the 19th century. The Victorian post and telegraph system was perhaps the first form of email!

At BISC a happy bunch of about 20 sat down in the lounge making their own Christmas cards. I met a Russian lady who considered it most enjoyable and creative, and all this was organised by the Christian Union of Bristol University. The afternoon did in true BISC fashion include food, food and food. There was the traditional mince pies, cakes and something salty to break all the sweet – all very delicious with hot and cold drinks to keep us going. A BIG BIG thank you to the Christian Union for all they did to make this a most enjoyable afternoon.

Well that is another history lesson from Dr Chill folks. Keep rocking and rolling my lovelies until the next blog on the traditional Christmas dinner.

International Feast and Games – Eat, eat and eat some more

What a feast, and what rain all on the same night! Well despite the weather some 47 guests arrived with their goodies (yummy) for the annual BISC International Feast and Games. Indeed the guests were very generous, and their cuisine delights must have taken a lot of time and effort to produce. For example there was potato salad from Germany, quiche from France, and a little number called ‘Numerical Pork’ from Hong Kong, cheese and freshly baked bread, also from France, a pasta dish from South Africa, shepherd’s pie from England, a variety of Persian delights and so much more. Personally I found it very hard to choose. I could however not resist the peach and mango crumble. I had two helpings, and a third on Monday for lunch!

When the time arrived to select our favourites from the heavy laden kitchen counter, we were transported back in time to a scene from the Titanic as the ladies went to collect their food first at the insistence of the gentlemen (although on the Titanic it was to book your seat in the lifeboat). This gallantry form the gentleman never the less caused long queues as people battled to decide between so many choices, but as Britain is the land of professional queuing we felt right at home.

Between the main course and the sweet, we took a break from all that eating with a ‘sign game’ and thereafter an ‘animal game’. The laughter and mirth emanating from the lounge was a clear indication that the guests were enjoying themselves! Then it was pudding time!

There was so much pudding that we simply could not manage it all. But as explained before, it was not a problem for Dr Chill that could then enjoy sampling a little more for Monday lunch. The pudding samples included English apple pie, Lithuanian cake, French apple tart and Persian rice pudding with letters of cinnamon indicating a great appreciation for BISC.

Finally the evening was rounded off with more fun and games and a lot more laughter. Departing guests commented on what an enjoyable evening it had been and promised to send recipes of all their delicious contributions.

Once again folks, another glorious evening at BISC! Don’t forget the traditional Christmas dinner at Alma Road church on Saturday (5 December). I have heard that Father Christmas will put in an appearance!

This is Dr Chill signing off until next time.

Cardiff Castle and the Big Pit – A world of contrasts

Here we are again, Dr Chill and the trip to South Wales. Well you certainly witnessed the total spectrum of the British social class. The coal owners built and lived in Cardiff Castle and those who paid for it worked down the coal mines, which were very unhealthy, and the miners were only paid a pittance.

The castle was spectacular although ‘relatively modern’, but was built on the site of an earlier Norman castle. The mound in the middle of the castle grounds with the ruins of the original keep was a true gem. The keep was the most important part of the castle and had to be defended at all costs. This was all right in the days of bows and arrows. With the invention of gunpowder and cannon the days of the castles were numbered as they had big holes blown into them. Nevertheless the modern castle had many interesting facets that you must have seen, like the almost invisible lady in one of the bedrooms?

And now, for the Big Pit! Over twenty-five years ago there were many coal mines in South Wales; today there are none! Coal from South Wales was once a strategic commodity as it is good steaming coal and was sold to the old railway companies with their steam engines and to the British navy for coal burning battleships. Much later South Wales coal was sold to the Central Electricity Generating Board. The mines died in South Wales because they became unprofitable, and it was cheaper to import coal from abroad.

There always had been acrimonious industrial relations within the coal industry between the owners, the government and the miners’ union. I will not bore you with the history but it all came to a head during the early 1980s. The miners’ union lost the argument, and the government began to close the mines permanently. The Big Pit is now a museum. Did you see a Davey Lamp invented in 1812, just after Dr Chill was born! The flame is protected from the outside elements that in a coal mine could include explosive gases. If they were present, however, the flame in the Davey lamp changed colour, so everyone underground could get to safety. The miners also took a canary in a cage down with them. If there were poisonous gases present the canary suffocated and the miners could escape to safety. Bad luck for the canary though! At some point pit ponies were employed underground, pulling coal wagons from the cutting edge of the mine to the cage where it was lifted, to what is called the pithead. The coal was sorted by hand and many women were employed for this task. Would you fancy doing that day in and day out? No wonder the miners sang, music lightened up their difficult and strenuous lives!

Dr Chill did his master’s degree in ‘Industrial relations in the British coal industry, 1900 to 1990’. Did you contrast the two environments? A castle and a coal mine, not many miles apart but in two different worlds. I doubt whether the coal owner who lived in the castle ever went down a pit, and a coal miner would have never been invited into the coal owner’s castle. I bet the canary wished that he lived in the castle; there were no poisonous gases there!!!

Well there you have it you lovely BISC Blog readers. Don’t forget to comment on the blogs and keep rocking and rolling.

Remember Christmas dinner at Alma Church on 5th December. Book early at BISC to avoid disappointed.

Until next time, this is Dr Chill signing off!!!!

Polish Night – A night to remember

Friday 13 November was a very wet and windy night as some 40 of us made our way to BISC for the Polish Night. The weather did not seem to deter our guests as one group after the other streamed through the BISC front door to enjoy a fabulous evening organised for us by Bristol University’s Polish Society. And very well organised they were too!!

The food was fantastic soup starters with bread and pretzel sticks - yummy yum!!! And more was to follow. Stuffed eggs, cabbage and sausage were presented as the main course. Who went for second helpings?

After the main course, we were treated to a very informative presentation about Poland. This was followed by a quiz on famous Polish people, places, food and random facts. The quiz was organised by grouping each table as a team, with a prize for the winning team. My team did unfortunately not win - not through any intellectual deficiency on my part off course (although some may question this!). Perhaps I should admit that my total lack of geographical knowledge might have contributed to our defeat.

This leads me to a little joke! What is the difference between geography and history? Geography is about maps and history is about chaps! Oh well, I never did get that job in a Christmas cracker joke factory!

Then it was back to yummy yums with cheesecake and biscuits, along with a little fame!!! Amongst our distinguished guests were two who help with the Polish radio show on GWR (Bristol Radio). Recordings were made to include informal interviews and bits and pieces of the fun and laughter enjoyed throughout the evening. We are not sure when it will be broadcasted but watch this space and tune in to the BISC Blog and Dr Chill for more information in the future!

Entertainment included live singing of Polish songs, accompanied by a young lad on a guitar. Dr Chill did not sing, as he didn’t want to spoil the evening. So all in all, a good time was had by all in the little lounge of the little house with a BIG heart for international students.

So tune in to all past, present and future blogs. Don’t forget the International Feast is on Friday 27 November 2009. Book in to the office either personally or on-line to avoid disappointment. The event is free. But please bring a culinary delight from your own country (savoury or sweet). Does anyone do a Hungarian goulash?

Keep rock and rolling my friends, this is Dr Chill signing off.

Bridgwater Carnival 2009

Greetings, you wonderful Blog readers! On Friday 6 November 2009 Bridgewater Carnival arrived again and we were off down the motorway on a wet afternoon. To avoid traffic we needed to take a few detours and arrived slightly later than expected, but still in time to enjoy the beginning of the carnival. On arrival there was a mad rush for MacDonald’s healthy menu including the old favourite of burger and chips and off course to visit the ‘little ladies (or men’s) room’.

The floats, or carts as they are called in Bridgewater, were spectacular. The various carnival clubs spend nearly a year mapping out a scheme for their respective floats and setting it up. Thousands of flashing lights, loud music and costumes! Although some of the characters on the floats were only attired in scant clothing on a wet chilly November night, the carts with all those light bulbs actually generated a lot of heat. You may have felt the blast of hot air of each float as it passed by. This helped us to forget the cold and the somewhat wet weather during the later part of the evening.

The spectators gave wonderfully to the various charity collectors – all the money goes to various charities, for example, Cancer Research, Children in Need, the local Red Cross. In Britain a charity is a voluntary sector organisation that raises funds for a particular issue that is not totally funded by the state.

Now, shall we look at the origins of this spectacular tradition? The origin lies in celebrating the unsuccessful attempt to blow up the English parliament with King James I and all of his cronies. Guy Fawkes, a mercenary soldier who was half Italian and half Yorkshire (English), had been paid to prime the bomb and then leave very quickly. But treachery surrounded the plot and Guy Fawkes was betrayed. He was arrested, taken to the Tower of London and tortured to confessing his role in what is now called the Gunpowder plot. His sentence was execution by burning and he was stuck on top of a bonfire. The Bridgewater Carnival originally celebrated the failure of the Plot in 1605.

The current Bridgewater Carnival began just over 100 years ago. At the time England was caught in an agricultural and economic depression. This affected Somerset rather badly. Some townsfolk resurrected the Carnival to boost the morale of the local people and it has grown to the celebration we enjoy today. It is said that the light reflected by the Carnival can be seen from the Moon! Personally, I have not been to the Moon to check this out, but we will give the enthusiasts the benefit of the doubt.

We all arrived back in Bristol after being well taken care of by Tony, our enthusiastic coach driver for many a trip. Remember him? Tony was at ‘A Taste of the UK’ singing his heart out and treating us to traditional English folk songs.

Well that’s all for now folks, keep rocking and rolling until next time
Yours as ever
The Blogmaster
alias Dr Chill!

Food & Discussion: Eating, chatting and chatting more

South-African Bobotie with Yellow Rice as main and Milk Tart for pudding was enjoyed by 40 odd guests this Wednesday 28th September, followed by food for thought with the interesting topic ‘Science (Art) and God’. The BISC team had been slavishly working all afternoon to get the food for the discussion forum ready. Don’t forget on the same day 12.00pm 2.00 pm the BISC kitchen and lounge was set up for the weekly soup lunch. I am always struck arriving on Wednesday morning about 10.00 a.m. of the wonderful savoury aroma that hits your nostrils as soon as you open the front door and walk in! I digress. The food prepared was yummy! Slightly more international students arrived than we expected, yet there was more than enough for all to enjoy!

After dinner Dr Charl Faul, a Christian and a noted chemist and lecturer at the University of Bristol, gave a well prepared presentation. The presentation was neutral and did not argue for one side or another. Guest were invited to form their own opinions and encouraged to seek facts within different ‘schools of thought’ before forming these opinions. One ‘school of thought’ was that faith and science do not necessarily have to apose one another, and where there might be contention between the two it need not end up in a sort of academic slanging match, damaging the credibility of both sides! Perhaps there is a lesson to learn from this.

The Blogmaster when reading for a Master’ degree at Leicester University in 1918 compiled a dissertation on Science, Religion and Education in Victorian Britain. It is interesting to note that part of the problem why other nations overtook Britain in industrial supremacy was because the politics of education in the 19th century was inundated with internal religious in-fighting. Not something we are proud of, but certainly something we were able to learn from.

Well back to the discussion: some very interesting questions from the audience followed Dr Faul’s presentation. The questions came from a number of disciplines, including psychology, biology and the humanities. The discussion was lively and stimulating, but the respect shown by all for differences in opinion, struck me as truly remarkable. It was an absolute pleasure participating in a Forum like this where every individual is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions.

As the Blogmaster, I am being slightly naughty in taking the liberty of sharing a personal story with you. Two years ago I experienced healing (which I believe to be at the hand of God) from a life threatening condition. This and working as a BISC volunteer, which in itself was a miracle and not by my own design, gives me total peace and happiness – ask me sometime and I will tell you what happened to me. In no way would I like to diminish the important role that science played in my healing process, but throughout my healing process, I know that I had a big encounter with a very big God of love!

If you would like to investigate Christianity in a non-threatening and relaxed atmosphere, please do sign up for the Alpha course commencing next Wednesday 4th November. Come and enjoy another two course meal and then stay for the course itself. As in the case of the Food and Discussion Forum, the course is not intended to convert you to Christianity. It is a simple two way approach leading to enriched discussion whilst respecting the opinions and beliefs of all involved. As with all other BISC events, international students of all faith backgrounds and those with no faith are most welcome.

Well that’s all for now folks. The Blogmaster