Let theTravel Begin: London and Paris

So now I get to reflect on all the amazing trips I’ve been on in the past month! It’s really been a whirlwind. I never expected to see so much in such a short amount of time. At times it was stressful and a little nerve-racking, but now that they’re over, I can’t help but look back on them with fondness. This part of the study abroad experience has just been absolutely wonderful!   My first major trip was to Paris and it was far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I still can't believe I did it... I actually went to Paris! And it was all my own doing. Overall, it was a very fulfilling and enjoyable trip.

There was, however, a lot of chaos and frustration leading up to it. With my tutorials ending less than a week before we were due to leave, I felt very unorganized and unprepared with regard to the planning. I usually tend to get nervous and super organized before going on a trip (big or small), so my inability to prepare the way I wanted to left me feeling a nervous for what was to come and completely helpless. Alexis and Colleen were organizing everything themselves and finishing my last tutorial was keeping me from getting involved in anything. Eventually, I just had to trust that they were making the best possible decisions and choose to focus on finishing up my academic term (and that last essay was a tough one- probably one of the toughest- I was so happy to be done!).

Even after the last tutorial ended, there were still things that needed to be done. Mostly just housekeeping things. I had to return all my library books, return my academic gown, clean my room from the chaos it saw during the term's many all-nighters, and register for fall classes at Eastern (certainly not by my own choice- it was quite depressing, I will admit). Meanwhile, Paris was drawing closer and closer and I had yet to sit down and really think about all that I wanted to do there.

But before Paris, we wanted to do a little something to celebrate the official end of term and take a break from the constant errands. So Alexis, Colleen and I ended up planning a short day trip back to London. It didn't exactly turn out as we planned. We had hoped to have a full day and to visit all the things that we didn't get to see when OSAP took us, but we didn't realize how hard it would be to navigate the city on our own. Getting around took a lot longer than we thought and we really only got to do one thing. But I won't complain. In my opinion it was the most important and absolutely fantastic thing we could possibly do in London. I had been waiting for this for so long and I refused to leave London that day until we did it- I finally got to visit Abbey Road!! I had done so much prep work for this moment and I was so excited that I could barely contain myself when we got there. The fact that it took nearly all day for us to find it only added to the anticipation and overwhelming sense of success I got when I finally saw the Abbey Road street sign. I couldn't believe it when I saw Abbey Road Studios and I immediately made my way to the wall outside where generations of Beatles fans have been writing messages. I felt like I was making my mark in Beatles history and it was pretty exciting. And of course there's the road itself. I can't tell you how many times I crossed it. Colleen took tons of pictures for me (for which I am eternally grateful!). It was a little difficult- it's still a working street, so you have to cross at the light or when cars aren't coming- it can get pretty tricky. But it was so much fun. You feel this special bond with all the other people dodging cars and trying to get their picture cause they're there for the same reason as you- we all just love the Beatles! So yes- it wasn't the most eventful day in London. I didn't see the British Museum or the Globe Theatre, but I can do that later. I crossed Abbey Road, so in my mind it was a completely successful trip.

a dream come true!

writing my message on the Abbey Road Studio wall

crossing Abbey Road- such a happy moment!

So with tutorials, errands, and a trip to London finally done, Paris was officially the next thing on the to-do list. With all the things still going on in Oxford, I was scrambling until the very last minute. I felt like I rushed out the door with a million different things on my mind, but once I sat on the bus that took us to the airport, Colleen looked at me and said "We're going to Paris". At that point I was able to finally refocus. All the things that were still bothering me or keeping me busy in Oxford were going to have to wait cause I was going to Paris. I had always wanted to go to Paris and looking back on it now, I still can't believe I actually did it. It was absolutely a dream come true.

We ended up having to leave Oxford at around one in the morning and our trip was in full force from that point on. So needless to say, we were completely exhausted our first day there. We had all gone well over 24 hours without sleep, but we only had 3 days in Paris- there was no way we were going to sleep back at the hostel. When we finally landed, it was so exciting to get off the plane and see all the signs in French and to hear nobody speaking English- a little nerve-racking, but still exciting. I was frantically trying to remember all the French I had taken in high school. It took a while, but it slowly started to come back to me.

After a long, somewhat complicated trip to our hostel (mostly due to our inexperience with the metro), we were left with the rest of the afternoon and evening to explore the city. Our plan was to spend that night exploring the Louvre and then the Jardin des Tuileries (the Tuileries Gardens). The metro dropped us off right at the museum and as we walked through the archways that led to the main square with the famous glass pyramids, I got my first real burst of Paris excitement. After having only seen the dark metro stations and the obscure neighborhoods surrounding our hostel, the familiar sight of the Louvre was thrilling. Now I could really say that I had made it to Paris- and I hadn't even seen the Eiffel Tower yet!

The Louvre

So we certainly got our fair share of pictures outside the Louvre. Unfortunately, we found out shortly after that it happened to be closed on Tuesdays. That left us free to walk the streets again. It ended up working out for the best. We were still ridiculously tired from our bus and plane ride, so the Louvre probably wouldn't have been the most enjoyable thing to do. Seeing that it was getting dark and not having any major attractions on our list for that night, we decided to enjoy the nice evening weather and walk the long walk to the Eiffel Tower. It took a while but it was totally worth it. On the way there, we got to see a good chunk of the center of Paris, peek inside the stores, and just enjoy the time together. As it was getting darker and darker, we walked through the central square and we even got a glimpse of the Arc de Triomphe. I almost got run over trying to get a picture of it in the middle of the street.

Once all the lights turned on, everything just looked so beautiful. The whole idea of being in Paris just got more and more real. It was like a movie. When we finally got to the Tower, we spent a long time in this little park right underneath of it. We took pictures and just admired the size of it. It really is amazing to see in person. Every time we saw it after that, one of us would always say, “Oh look, the Eiffel Tower”. We had to constantly remind ourselves that this wasn’t a fake.. this was the real Eiffel Tower and we were standing right underneath of it! Needless to say, we went to bed very pleased that night.

Our second day was the longest and busiest. We were up and out early and after getting a quick crepe from a street vendor (which was amazing! We ate so well on this trip) we were off to Notre Dame Cathedral. After the chaos of taking the underground in London and the uncertainty of finding our hostel on the first day, we were a little more prepared to navigate the city on the metro. By the end of the trip we were pros.

Notre Dame was absolutely beautiful and very exciting to see in person. Seeing the outside had a similar effect to the Eiffel Tower in that I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't looking at a picture in my high school French textbook or watching the Disney movie. This was the real Notre Dame. The entire building was really intricate and detailed. I could have spent forever looking at the outside. Thankfully it was free to go inside, so Alexis, Colleen and I were able to spend as long as we wanted admiring the inside of the cathedral as well. It was really gorgeous. My favorite part was seeing the giant stained glass windows from behind the chandeliers in the center of the church.

After Notre Dame, we casually walked around the city trying to decide what to do next. We took a look at a couple of shops, checked out the outside of another church, and took a nice long stroll along the Seine- this time getting to see the Eiffel Tower in daylight. We finally decided (thanks to my parents' recommendation) that it would be worth it to take a boat ride on the Seine so we could see all the major sites., It was a warm, sunny day so it was really the perfect thing to do. We took a tour from a group called Bateaux Parisiens. We passed the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Mussee d' Orsay, Notre Dame, and many more notable sites. It was cool to see all those sites, but it was almost more enjoyable to just enjoy the sunny day out on the water. The sites and interesting historic information were an added bonus!

Once we were back on land and enjoyed some more strolls around the Eiffel Tower and a cute little park with a merry-go-round, our group split up. Being a huge fan of the Impressionists, I was dying to see the Mussee d'Orsay. My parents had told me a lot about it from when they had gone a long time ago. Its the coolest museum- its an old train station so the building isn't that big, but its really unique. And the entire thing is devoted to the Impressionists! Colleen came with me and we had a great time. We went through the entire thing. I was thrilled when I got to see Van Gogh's self portrait and Monet's Water Lillies. It was the absolute perfect art museum!

view of the Louvre from inside the Musee d'Orsay

inside the Musee d'Orsay

In the mean time, Alexis was on the hunt for good Parisian food. By the time Colleen and I were done with the Mussee d'Orsay, she had a great little bakery to show us for lunch. We all ended up getting croissants and bringing them down by the Seine for nice break. We hadn't been sitting by the river long, however, before we realized that Colleen's camera was gone! Frantically trying to retrace our footsteps, we ended up running all over the city, trying to remember where she might have left it. We ended up finding it at the ticket booth for the Bateaux Parisiens! She had dropped it when getting off and one of the workers had picked it up. It was a Paris miracle! We were so excited!

Not wanting to to end the day and now with an extra boost of excitement from the discovery of Colleen's camera, we all headed to the Louvre for a second try. Not only did we end up getting in, but we got in for free for being Oxford students! Thank you Oxford... another great reason to love you! Once we got inside, we knew that there was no way we'd be able to do the entire museum. The Louvre is absolutely massive- completely unlike the Mussee d'Orsay. So we decided to head for the major pieces and see what time we'd have left. Of course we went straight to the Mona Lisa. I was actually shocked at how small she was! I don't know, maybe it's because there were just too many people around her or maybe I just didn't get to spend long enough appreciating her, but the Mona Lisa wasn't a huge shock for me to see in person. Don't get me wrong. It was very cool. I took her picture and I stared and thought, "Wow, this is the Mona Lisa", but it's hard when you've seen it replicated so many times. And she really is tiny. Maybe if I was alone with her and really studied it I would get the hype, but in the setting I was in, it wasn't as impressive as I thought. We also checked out Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, some work by Michelangelo, some Greek and Roman sculptures, and some Egyptian art (Alexis is a big fan of Egyptian stuff). It was all very cool. The museum itself is beautiful-a work of art in itself. The ceilings are incredible to look at. I could spend days trying to get through that museum. I'd love to go back someday.

We stayed at the Louvre right up until closing time and then realized that we were hungry again. We wanted to do something special to end our big day in Paris, so we went on a long search for fondue. We eventually found it and all shared a big pot for dinner. And boy was it good!

croissants by the Seine

Winged Victory

Greek and Roman statues in the Louvre

Although our first two days in Paris were amazing, I think Colleen and Alexis would both agree with me when I say that our last day was special in its own way. We checked out of our hostel early in the morning and left with our bags for Monmartre- again, something that my parents suggested for us to do. When we got off the metro, I was a little confused because the area we were in was very run down and a little scary looking. My parents had described Montmartre as the artists' community and had made it sound like a classically Parisian place, but the place we were in was nowhere near that. It took a little time and some navigating with my gradually improving French, but we eventually found the Sacre Coeur (or Sacred Heart)- a giant white basilica on top of a giant hill overlooking the city. It had a unique look it and we got to look around inside too. Our next stop (and what I was looking most forward to) was the Place du Tetre- the artists' square where all the town's local artists come to work. Almost as soon as we stepped into the square, a man came up and started sketching me. I told him I didn't have any money, but he said I could pay him in kisses. There was no way I was planning on doing that either, but he had already started drawing so I let him continue. We had a nice conversation and while they were waiting, Colleen and Alexis got caught by two other artists. We all ended up getting fantastic portraits done for a relatively decent price (not kisses- much to the artists' dismay). With portraits in hand, we spent the rest of the morning walking around the square, looking at the artwork, listening to accordion music and enjoying some ice cream. It was the absolute perfect Parisian morning. We all wanted to stay longer, but we had made plans to visit the Moulin Rouge and head over to the Champs Elysee before making our way to the airport. Both were cool to see and I'm very glad we found them, but I could have spent all day in the Place du Tetre. It was so nice to get away from the city stuff and enjoy this special part of Paris.

After some window shopping on the Champs Elysees and an awesome lunch of baguettes and pastries, it was finally time to make our way to the airport. But the fun still wasn't done. Because of crazy bus times to Oxford, we ended up having to wait in the airport in London until around 2 in the morning and let's just say when you're in the airport that late, you meet some interesting people. I won't get too into it, but involved Swedish students, loud music, and Alexis dancing the electric slide with them and a little boy... good times.

So yes.. Paris was a fantastic trip. I still can't believe I was there. But I have to say, by the time I got home, I was exhausted and happy to be back. And yes, you read correctly- I did call Oxford home :)

Getting So Much Better All the Time

A long over due update.. again. I'm sorry to all those who have been waiting.

Like the first half of term, the second half was extremely busy but also extremely enjoyable. And will you believe it-- it's actually over?!! My academic career at Oxford is officially over and what's even more shocking is that I made it out alive! When in the midst of all the intense academia and constantly writing essay after essay, its hard to notice how quickly time is passing you by. But now that those are behind me, I can hardly believe that I did it all and that there's only a month left in this entire trip.

It's really quite hard. As the trip continues to pass me by, I have more and more mixed emotions. While I'm here, things are constantly getting better. I'm meeting so many fun people, seeing so many amazing sights, learning so much about myself, and just falling more and more in love with Oxford and the whole idea of being on my own. The cruel part is that while I'm falling more in love with my study abroad experience, the end of it just keeps creeping closer and closer. It feels like just when I get to the peak of happiness here, the term ends and its time to start thinking about coming home.

But the fact is, I do still have a month left on this glorious trip and I've been trying my hardest not to let the thought of coming home depress me. So let me briefly fill you in on how the second half of term went...

Tutorials:
Well naturally my tutorials are what have taken up most of my time the past few weeks. Like I mentioned before, the intensity of these courses is unbelievable, even though they're only two hour long sessions that meet once (or once every other) week. The system is just so different from the American lecture course- and a little hard to get used to. But I think I can confidently say that at this point, I'm used to it and I really do like it. The one on one interaction with the tutor is intimidating, but it really lets you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. In a lot of my American classes, I feel nameless or invisible- even in a class of only 20 people. But this is serious stuff. And for someone who doesn't like to talk much in class, this set up really forced me out of my comfort zone and made me answer to things that I would have normally ignored.

My Shakespeare tutorial saw a bit of an improvement in the second half of term. I'm still not a fan of my tutor and I don't like some of her comments, but I think my work got a little better as I got used to the Oxford system. Eventually she didn't have as much criticism and we were able to discuss the plays rather than how much she didn't like my word choice. So even though Shakespeare was tough and not exactly as enjoyable as I would have hoped- I would say it was generally a success.

Romantic literature.. oh what a joy that tutorial was. I was so sorry to see it end. Every single one of those meetings was interesting and thought provoking and I really felt like I was learning a lot from them. My tutor and I had such good discussions about my essays and the poems that I analyzed. And he was very encouraging about my work and just life in general. It was really great. And we had tea every time. :) Nothing like discussing Romantic poetry over a cup of tea.

Now that both tutorials are over, I'm extremely happy to be done with the constant research, the heavy books, the all nighters, and the hours of paper writing. But there's still a tiny little part of me that's going to miss it. As much as it was frustrating having to spend every day there, I'm going to miss the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library. Nothing will be able to compare to them back home. This is certainly the most enriching and unique academic experience I've ever had, and I'm sad to see it end.

The Bodleian Library

The Radcliffe Camera

Trips:
Since I last posted, OSAP took us on two more day trips (The first ones were to London and Stonehenge/Bath). At the end of February we went to Windsor Castle. It's hard to say because all the trips were so much fun, but this might have been my favorite. Windsor Castle is absolutely amazing!! The outside is, of course, beautiful- with it's rounded towers and beautiful gardens. I was just so excited. To see a real working castle was thrilling. The Queen was actually there when we were but they kept her well hidden of course. We didn't have any specific tour to follow, so after they gave us our tickets, we were free to explore the outside and inside of the castle on our own. After looking through the grounds, admiring the gardens, taking pictures of (and with) the guards, and getting a glimpse at St. George's Chapel, we made our way inside. We went through a couple exhibits. We saw Queen Mary's Dollhouse and a special picture gallery for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee which happened in January. The real impressive stuff though, was when we made our way up the grand staircase and into the actual rooms. If I could, I would explain every room to you- but I'm already writing a bit of a book here. But trust me when I tell you that every room was more stunning and more beautiful than the next. We saw treasures from all over the British empire, giant suits of armor lining the corridors, unbelievable painted ceilings, gorgeous ballrooms- the list goes on and on. It was truly amazing. And to think that all the past monarchs as well as the current one lived and worked there is just awesome. From there we got to enjoy the town of Windsor (which is adorable) and then on our free time, Alexis, Colleen, and I walked over to see Eton College: one of the most prestigious and famous schools in Britain. It was founded by King Henry VI and has had lots of famous students (including Prince William and Harry). We ended up getting a lot of good pictures there before getting on the bus to head back to Oxford.

they really are like statues

The final OSAP trip was to Portsmouth. I wasn't sure how much fun and old port city would be, but it was actually great. It was supposed to rain that day, but it ended up being bright and sunny. We were given free reign to roam the city and visit whatever sites we wanted to. I went on a really tour around the harbor with Alexis, Colleen, Beth, Steve, and some of the other kids in OSAP. It was a lot of fun and so nice to do in the sunny weather. We also got a tour of the HMS Warrior- one of the most important Navy ships during Queen Victoria's reign. The rest of the day was nice and laid back- just strolling the city, taking pictures and enjoying the sea air. Oh.. but the highlight was our lunch. We had real fish &chips. They made it right in front of us and handed it to us dripping in grease in a bunch of paper. It was so messy but so good. We all sat together on a bench in front of the water and ate while we watched the seagulls. It was definitely the best meal I've had so far!

Me, Alexis, and Colleen on the HMS Warrior

Life in Oxford:

I think I made a conscious effort in the second half of the term to do as much as I possibly could on the social front- knowing that my time was limited to enjoy Oxford and all the people and places here. I forced myself, therefore, to do as much as I could between essays so I could at least say I gave it a shot. While I didn't do nearly as much as some people in the social world, I did get out a few times when my essays allowed it. Beth had a few house parties throughout the term so I went to a few of those. They were nice ways to get to meet fellow OSAP students and relax after long weeks in the library. I also ended up going over to her house a lot just to hang out on my own. I ended up getting to know most of the people in her house pretty well so it was nice to stop by every once in a while to say hi and hang out.

Church has also been my other major social outlet. I've still been going to student night at St. Aldates every Thursday night and I've absolutely loved it. Everyone there is so nice. We've met a lot of really great students- some British, some American, and some from other countries as well. Usually the night is started with dinner, followed by praise and worship and then a message, followed by social time down at the pub. It's a lot of fun and it's been a great way for Alexis, Colleen, and I to get out and meet some fellow Christians in the city. I'm really going to be sorry to have to say goodbye to that.

I also wanted to use these last few weeks of the academic term to do as many "Oxford" things as I could. So certain days I spent by myself walking around the city until I got lost, taking pictures, reading in the cloisters at New College- it was quiet times like that where I would sit and reflect on my entire experience and what an amazing one it's been. I also made sure to do things like visit other colleges- I went to church one Sunday at Magdalen College chapel- the place where C.S. Lewis went to church every week. I occasionally strolled around the grounds of Christ Church College and had mini nerd moments every time I saw their dining hall (better known as the Great Hall from the Harry Potter movies) and the many references to Alice in Wonderland. I also made sure to attend an Evensong service in the New College chapel and a formal hall dinner at New College dining hall at least once. I got to wear my academic gown and everything. So yes, I did do my fair share of Oxford things. I am a student here you know...

New College cloisters

Oxford's Bridge of Sighs

Inside Christ Church's chapel

Christ Church dining hall (aka "The Great Hall")

reading in the cloisters

me and Tom Tower in Christ Church quad

the Harry Potter tree at New College (where Mad Eye turned Malfoy into a ferret in the 4th film- I spend literally every other day here)

Magdalen College chapel

New College chapel

So there you go... a nice long update on the second half of term with just a few pictures to help tell the tale. It was an amazing term: the most amazing academic term I've ever, or will ever have. And I still have a month left.. let's not forget that. I have lots of exciting travel plans to tell you about, but I'll save that for another post. I promise to keep  more diligent updates as I go gallivanting all over Europe in this last exciting month abroad!

Tutorials, Trips, and Social Life: Some Much Needed Updates

Okay, Okay.. so my lack in posts has been shameful to say the least. I'm truly, truly sorry. To be honest though, I really haven't had much time to catch up on anything like this. It took me two weeks just to get in touch with my parents! There may not be a set schedule here in Oxford, but somehow I find my days jam packed with things to do and the weeks are just slipping by. I honestly can't believe that I'm about half way through the academic part of the term!

Oxford really has a sense of familiarity for me now. It feels great to know where everything is and to be able to pass by the same things as I walk to the library or to New College. It feels a little more like home. Its not, of course, but I feel like it could be. Although there were certainly those moments of "I don't know what I'm doing here. I want to go home",  I've also had some really nice times were I can just sit back and think, "Wow, I live in Oxford and I'm really enjoying it." Sometimes I wish I could stay here for a whole academic year and really get to know the city and the people, but I know that realistically its a bit much. Experiencing life on my own and with my friends has just been so enjoyable so far- a complete blessing given the anxieties that I had right before leaving.

So there's a lot to catch you all up on, so I guess I'll list a few major bullet points to keep things clear and simple. I'll try to be more diligent with my posts in the future so this sort of generalizing doesn't have to happen :)

Tutorials
So this is what's been consuming the majority of my life here in Oxford. I spend almost every day either in the Bodleian Library, New College library, or in my flat reading books or writing essays. I've done more work in the past four weeks than I've done in the last two and a half years of my college career. So yeah, Oxford is no joke. I'm taking two tutorials, which are one on one meetings with an Oxford professor in a particular subject. There's a primary and a secondary. The primary has a total of 8 meetings and meets once a week for an hour and the secondary has 4 meetings and is every other week for an hour. For each one you have to write an essay on a particular topic given by the tutor. They're to be presented at the next week's meeting. Doesn't sound too bad right? That's what I thought. But these things are intense. They really take over the majority of your time. I've never had to crank out so many essays this fast. It's definitely a new way of doing things and it's had to take some getting used to.

My primary tutorial is in Shakespeare. Its been.. interesting. I don't mind Shakespeare and all, but I have to be honest. I don't like my tutor- at all really. She's not very nice and I don't feel very comfortable talking to her. I haven't had a great feeling about any of our meetings so far, but I'm really trying my hardest to just do my best and get through it alive. She's very critical and I don't like a lot of the things she says, but by the end of the term, I'm hoping to give her something that she'll have nothing to comment on (cause she certainly wouldn't compliment it). So yes... Shakespeare. It's a bit of a headache and I'm looking forward for it to be over, but its definitely making me think.

My secondary tutorial is a totally different experience! I absolutely LOVE my secondary tutorial! Its a shame that I only have it 4 times. It's basically combination of Romantic literature and Jane Austen which I absolutely love. Now that I think about it, I have no idea why I didn't make that my primary. My tutor is absolutely fantastic. He's really nice and enthusiastic and we actually have meaningful discussions about the things I write and the ideas in the texts I'm reading. I really feel like I'm learning something from him. It also helps that we drink tea during our meetings and he likes Bob Dylan :). It's definitely the Oxford experience that I wanted. It's nice to have those meetings to balance out the bad Shakespeare ones.

Trips
As of right now, OSAP has taken us on two organized tours as part of the program. There are still two more before the term is over. They're day trips and already included in our tuition, so we don't have to pay anything. It's also an opportunity to force yourself to take a break from studying- so they're much needed.
The first was to London at the end of January. I was so excited for that one. Honestly, we didn't actually get to do much- there's no way that you can do London in just one day, but I was impressed that we actually got to see a lot of the major things. We started with a bus and walking tour of the city so we could get pictures of most of the major stuff like the Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, The Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, etc. That was followed by a visit to the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War Rooms. The tour guide was really nice and helpful. Alexis, Colleen and I actually ended up having lunch with him in this old church and he told us all about London, Oxford, and just the UK in general. During our free time, we just explored some of the central parts of Westminster and took pictures (most of them in the telephone booths!). We just kept saying, "Guys.. we're in London!"- it was so surreal! It was a lot of fun, but I definitely want to go back... there's just so much more to do!

Buckingham Palace

Alexis, Colleen, and I enjoying London!

 

Westminster Abbey

 The next trip was about a week ago and it was to Stonehenge and Bath. I was also really excited about this one. We started with an hour at Stonehenge. It was really amazing to see. There was a giant path for tourists to go walk on so you could go around the entire thing. It's actually quite large. Unfortunately, it was beyond freezing, so I didn't have the patience or body temperature to stand and contemplate or learn about the history of Stonehenge. I was, however, completely glad that I got to see it and enjoy it and get my pictures. It really is an amazing thing to see in person and I'm glad I finally got to do it. After that we went to the city of Bath. The only thing that we were scheduled to do there was see the Roman Baths and the museum they had there. That was also pretty cool, but what I really wanted to see was the Jane Austen museum. Bath is mentioned in a lot of her work and she actually lived there for some time. For my secondary tutorial, I had just finished reading Northanger Abbey, one of the novels that takes place there, so my tutor and I both agreed that visiting the Jane Austen Centre would be a good use of my time. As soon as we got some free time, I made my way there. Nobody else seemed to have too much interest, but I enjoyed it by myself. It was totally worth it!

the Roman Baths

The next two trips are to Windsor Castle and Portsmouth. I'm really looking forward to them and I hope they're as fun as they first two were.

Social Life in Oxford
So this is going to be a much smaller section than the others. Because most of my days are spent in the library, my social life has been pretty limited. I've been trying, however, to get myself out there and enjoy the social world. Early in the term, I bought tickets to see Monty Python's Spamalot at a theater across the street from the OSAP office. I went with Beth, Steve, and a few of the girls living in Beth's house. It was actually a lot of fun and a much needed break from the stresses of my Shakespeare tutorial.
Other the occasional visits to Beth's house, meeting new people in the OSAP program, and the occasional family dinner with the girls in my flat, the only other major social thing I've been doing is at church. Alexis, Colleen, and I have been going to St. Aldates Church- a really nice Anglican church across the street from Christ Church college. It has a really large student community and we've been able to go to services there on Sundays as well as Student nights on Thursdays where they have dinner, praise and worship time, a speaker, and a social get together. I've only been to one student night so far, but I'm really looking forward to more and I'm hoping that I can meet a lot more British students that way.

So yes... lots to say. And there is undoubtedly lots more to come. Again, sorry for the incredibly long silence. Life is busy. I'll try to stay on top of things a little better. If you were able to get through it all, thanks for reading!

Cheers!

Orientation Week: Time to Settle In

What a week it's been! Orientation has left me completely wiped, but a lot more knowledgeable about where I am and what I'm doing... for the most part anyway.

Everything started on Tuesday morning. I moved out of St. Michael's Guest House at around 10:30 and made myself ready to move into my permanent flat in Venneit Close. Although I didn't like living out of the suitcase and the guesthouse certainly had its share of difficulties, I was a bit sorry to see it go. I really enjoyed being so central in the city and I had somewhat grown attached to my tiny, closet-sized room. But at the same time, I was excited to see my new flat and meet my new flat mates. And of course I was dying to see Alexis. Being in the guesthouse by myself got rather lonely and I needed a roommate to help keep my spirits up.

After meeting Alexis at the OSAP office, we made our way to Venneit Close. It's about a 25 minute walk from the center of the city, but I'm sure I'll get used to the distance over time. It's actually a lot nicer than I thought. Alexis and I have a large double room with a small private bathroom. There's also a kitchen, full bathroom, and lounge that we share with our two other flat mates, Colleen and Manami. Manami is from Japan but goes to school at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. She's studying biology and chemistry and has actually been studying in Oxford since September! So needless to say, she's been a big help in showing us about the flat and giving us advice on tutorials and Oxford life. She's really sweet too. Colleen is from Oregon but goes to school in Ohio at Cedarville University. She's studying International Relations and C.S. Lewis and this whole experience is just as new to her as it is to Alexis and I. She's really nice and Alexis and I have spent a lot of time with her this week. It's nice to know that everyone in the flat gets along so well. That'll make for a very pleasant living experience.



Venneit Close flats



the double room that Alexis and I share

After the work of moving in and the satisfaction of unpacking, OSAP put us right to work with orientation activities. The majority of these consisted of lectures held in the OSAP offices (some of which were on Oxford living while others where on cultural views of both Americans and Brits), the occasional meet and greet party (I got to meet lots of cool people at these!) and an academic advisory meeting during which we received the names of our tutors. There were also, however, some orientation events that were a bit more exciting. On Wednesday, for example, we took a walking tour of Oxford. Unfortunately, it was a night so it was a bit cold and didn't make for great pictures, but it was nice to hear some actual facts about the places where I'll be spending much of my time. The Bodleian Library, for example, is Oxford's largest and most famous library and has over 11 million books! Can you believe that? 11 million! It has a copy of just about every book ever printed and there are so many that the buildings can't hold them all. So there are actually underground tunnels of books that most people are totally unaware of. And that's just one of the libraries. Every college also has their own library! Oh, and the Bodleian was also one of the many places in Oxford that where the Harry Potter films were shot. So yes,.. I will be spending a lot of time there!

The Radcliffe Camera: part of the Bodleian Library and one of the most famous structures in Oxford

We had an official induction to get into the Bodleian Library which included a lecture, reading a pledge, and getting our Library card (which also serves as our University ID). The next big induction was into our individual colleges. Everyone in OSAP is placed into one of four of Oxford's leading college's: Magdalen College, Christ Church, New College, and Trinity College. Beth and I are in New College. Alexis and Colleen are in Trinity. My induction into New College was pretty laid back. It included a tour of the grounds and an explanation of the library system, etc. It was nice to see it in person after looking at pictures for so long. New College is actually one of the oldest in Oxford: it was started in 1379! And you can tell. It has a very medieval look to it. Everything is old and quiet. It's also one of the largest colleges so it's going to take some getting used to as I try to make my way around. I was particularly impressed with the college's chapel, cloisters (which were used in Harry Potter!), and dining hall. They're absolutely beautiful and something you'd never imagine seeing in an American college.



outside the chapel at New College



New College dining hall: I can't believe I get to eat here every day!

So orientation really introduced us to the type of things we were going to be seeing every day. On our free time everyone usually just hung out or did some grocery shopping for the their new homes. But by dinner time , we were exhausted. The days seemed totally full, but I have the feeling that this is the pace things are going to be at for the rest of the term, only I'll be on my own schedule.

This weekend we didn't have any OSAP events, so Alexis, Colleen and I took things kind of easy. Yesterday we visited the Ashmolean Museum, one of Oxford's many free museums, and checked out some the exhibits and then we took pictures around the city. Today we just stayed in the flat all day. The plan was to go to church this morning and run some errands, but Alexis and Colleen had essays to work on, and I came down with a cold. I think it might have been the weather and the nonstop activity that finally caught up with me. Hopefully it'll get better before classes start.

This week is the official start of term. Oxford students are officially moved in now and tutors are contacting their students and setting up tutorial meetings. I'm looking forward to getting a set schedule down, but quite honestly, I've been having some serious apprehensions about the start of classes. Now that I've somewhat settled into the living away from home aspect, the nerves about tutorials are starting to get to me, and I'm really not looking forward to starting them. I'm trying not to let fear of them get me down. I'm supposed to be meeting my tutors this week so hopefully all will go well and things will go a lot better than I'm expecting them to. I'll be sure to let you know!



Welcome to Oxford!

So I'm here. I've been here actually... since Thursday morning. It's really hard to believe that so much time has passed and that orientation starts in only a couple days. So let me fill you in on what's been going on.

The day I left (Wednesday the 4th) was very difficult. The chaos of trying to get last minute things done coupled with the random emotional breakdowns and terrifying thoughts of leaving home in only a few hours time led to complete exhaustion and emotional drainage on my part. Saying goodbye to my parents and my sister at the airport was one of the hardest things I had to do, but by the time I was sitting at my gate, waiting to board, all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep. At this point, I felt like sleep was my only escape from this chaotic nightmare. I was eternally grateful though, that I had my friend Beth (from Eastern) to take the flight with me. That honestly made all the difference. With her there, I was able to have someone to work with and to help distract me from the thought of leaving my family.

mom, Claire, me, and dad at the Philly airport!

My first major glimpse of excitement came as I boarded the plane. I've gotten on tons of planes in the past, so I didn't give this one a second thought, but when the stewardesses greeted me with those British accents, my heart jumped. It was the most amazing sound in the world. Beth and I gave each other the cheesiest smiles as we made our way to our seats. It was a very good way to get the trip going. Things were starting to feel a little better.

The flight was very smooth other than a little bit of turbulence before landing in London. The constant crying from the day before had left my eyes tired so I slept (or tried to) through most of it. Even making our way through the airport at Heathrow was fairly simple. With Beth there to go through it with me, everything seemed very smooth. By the time we landed, went through customs, got our bags, and took the bus to Oxford (about an hour and a half from London) it was close to noon on Thursday the 5th. Beth and I made our way to the OSAP (Oxford Study Abroad Programme) office in the center of the city, picked up our keys and welcome packets, and then split up to go to our different houses. Beth is living in a beautiful old Georgian mansion on St. Giles Street which is right in the center of the city. I'm living in an flat farther away, but I can't move in until the morning of the 10th. Until then, OSAP put me in a small bed and breakfast called St. Michael's Guest House. It's very old and small but it's central location is fantastic. It's going to be hard to leave this for my flat which is about 25 minutes away.

The St. Michael's Guest House

Because Beth and I arrived early, these past few days have been like a mini vacation. Steve (another student from Eastern) and Sarah (one of Beth's new housemates on St. Giles Street) have joined us and the four of us have used this time to do nothing but walk around the city and scout out fun and important shops that we'll be visiting over the next four months. It's been nice getting to walk around without any set schedule or obligations. I suppose that gives us a nice leg up over the people who are arriving on time when orientation starts.

Even though I've been here for almost four days now, I still don't think I'm fully qualified to make any official judgements on Oxford itself. The parts I've seen have had a lot of shops and restaurants. Like a smaller, cuter version of Philadelphia without the skyscrapers. At this point, we can only see the outer walls of the colleges because we don't have our college IDs yet. I'm really looking forward to getting those. Once we can walk in to the colleges and see some of the things like the courtyards and cloisters, then I think it'll feel more like Oxford.

Nevertheless, it's been fun to live among the Brits these past few days. Of the British people of talked to, everyone is very polite, friendly and helpful. Today I went to The Eagle and Child- the famous pub in Oxford where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis worked together and worked on the Narnia and Lord of the Rings stories. I got my first official British fish and chips and it was amazing!! I'll definitely be going back there. Beth, Steve, Sarah and I took our own unofficial walking tour of Oxford yesterday. We walked a good ways and were able to see some of the more famous buildings like the Bodlian Library, Tom Tower (at Christ Church), the Bridge of Sighs (based off the one in Venice), and New College (my new school!). Like I said, we couldn't go in any of these places, but it was nice to see them in person. Once orientation starts, OSAP is going to take us on an official walking tour. Then I'll be able to see everything and take all my pictures.

Fish & chips at The Eagle and Child

So tomorrow if my last full day in St. Michael's Guest House. We plan on walking around the city some more and possibly walking out to Venneit Close which is where my apartment is. On Tuesday morning, I get to move in to my apartment and Alexis gets here!! Alexis is one of my best friends from high school and she's going to be my roommate in Venneit Close. I can't wait to see her and officially settle in to my new home!

Hopefully I'll be a bit more diligent with my posts so they don't end up as long as this one. Next week is bound to have some blog worthy events as orientation starts and Oxford life swings into full gear!