Wrapping it all up

beautiful england...on a sunny morning

As I ride through the English countryside on my post-term family vay-cay to Scotland, the world is whizzing past us in a blur. I realise now that my final weeks of my term at Oxford have come in gone in the same way. The term is over, and I can now smilingly look back and see how far we’ve come. Between the eight weeks of term and the subsequent five-week crash-course on British history, I feel that my mind has been stretched a refreshing, new way. The Oxford educational system really knows what it’s doing with the whole tutorial deal.

The hills outside my window, now cloaked in a blanket of cheery, mustard-yellow wildflowers display the vibrancy and life of this place, despite the dark clouds hanging low in the sky. England is an absolutely magical place. It’s different from what I expected, to be certain, but it’s a pleasant kind of different. Life seems to move at a more reasonable pace here, leaving time for long held traditions like afternoon tea and scones. In Oxford, almost everyone walks or cycles, rain or shine. No getting caught in afternoon gridlock, no road rage. You can take the train all over the place, and actually have time (and a view) to experience the journey. It’s something the US has quite unfortunately moved beyond – so it thinks – in search of becoming more efficient, quicker, and more accessible. No part of me wants to go back yet, but I know that I have to.

I have learned so much here – and made some of the BEST friends I’ve ever had – and I hate to say goodbye to all of it. But, I am looking forward to a great time in Scotland this week to wrap it all up and - as my dear friend Jesse would say - "process" everything before heading home.