So much stuff has happened over the past week, I haven't been able to catch my breath and write about everything yet. So it's time for some catch-up now.

I had my long-awaited nerd date with Dr A. N. in London last Monday. She took a group of church kids to the British Museum and invited me to join them. She told them I was her assistant - haha, I don't think I fooled anyone though, I walked around the museum with my mouth opened in amazement, clearly knowing nothing about archaeology. The highlight of that tour for me was definitely seeing the Rosetta stone, oh my, for a second I turned into a linguist all over again and gazed at the ultimate symbol of the study of languages with a blissful expression on my face. THE Rosetta stone, right in front of me. I almost got emotional.

And then we let the kids go and had a lunch at Wagamama and it was such an awesome time. We talked just about everything (nerdy stuff, that is). There was this moment when we were discussing something about orality and the Scriptures, and I was like, yea yea, I recently read this book for my thesis about the oral tradition. I mentioned the book. And she's like, 'Oh no, that is so outdated by now'. I wanted to cry. I tried, I really tried to impress her. No. Don't. It doesn't work. Don't ever try to impress someone like Dr A, you only end up depressing yourself. [sigh]

And then we were back to the museum and went to see the special viking exhibition. Naturally, she's got the museum's VIP member card so we got to walk in without even having to queue. Ah, like bosses! By the time we made our way through vikings' countless coins and jewels and swords, it was evening and time to depart. Such an awesome day.

But what impresses and touches me the most about experiences like this is the whole mentoring thing. Like, I'm no-one. And I don't deserve any of her time. And yet she takes time to hang out with me and to teach me and to give me priceless advice. It's like she invests in me as a mentor. And that is a priceless experience. Maybe one day when I'm much older and much wiser, I'll get to pay it forward, maybe I too will be able to pick some young kid and share my wisdom with her/him. Because, honestly, having someone mentor you like this can change your life, quite literally. Beautiful.