Reflection. The People I Have Come To Know.

Two weeks. No less than that. Today is December 10^th, 2012. Exactly 12 days and 1 hour till I board the plane, ending my time here in Oxford.
I almost feel that leaving will be like heading back to reality. I have been in Neverland for three and a half months, but now? Now I have to go back and grow up.

I find myself resisting this, I don’t want to leave the peace of England. Because that is what England is. Peaceful.  It’s quite and kind of dark and nobody talks very loud.

      This past Friday, the seventh of December, was when it really hit me that my time here was coming to an end.

Adam, the first one of my newly made British friends to head home. His departure opened up my eyes and made me realize that despite the bonds I’ve made they would have to be severed. 

I owe all of my British friends to John and Justin.

It all began due to their desire to  wander around our block, hoping to meet “foreign people”. They were successful and ran back into our flat screaming, “We got invited to a British flat!”

My first thought, what am I going to wear?

Later that night we went over, I was nervous. I had to look nice to meet these people that I knew nothing about.

Walking in was slightly awkward, no one really knew what to say to each other, except pass around names. A division began to form in the room, the Americans with the Americans and the Brits with the Brits.

Someone jumped up. The idea to take a group picture had been proposed and everyone slowly got up, awkward as to where to stand. It ended up being a brilliant idea because what it did was it got all of us out of our seats so when we sat back down we were forced to intermingle.

After that the conversation started to flow.

Slowly people began to leave until the only people left were me, Cassie, and our newly made British friends, Olly, Adam, and Tom. For some reason we were all drawn to each other, we all got along well and laughed the night away attempting to explain the cultural differences between our two countries.

After that night the idea that I would be going home in four months vanished from my head and I didn’t think about it again until last Friday, when I was saying goodbye to one of the closest friends I have made here.

I came over to Oxford with the intention to see all of Europe. I find myself pleased that I didn’t achieve that goal. Yes, I did travel, I saw major cities in England, Paris, and Venice, experiencing in the diversity that each one held.

I remember at orientation, Dr. Winter sharing his words of wisdom to us before we departed. He said staying in Oxford we had two options. We could travel some but spend most of our time in Oxford, completely immersing ourselves in the culture or we could just go everywhere possible in Europe.

At the time the mere thought of spending one weekend in Oxford was appalling. I was going to be in England! A stone throw away from all of 

Europe! Why would I want to stay in Oxford?

But once I got to Oxford, the second I made friends, the thought of not hanging out with them for a weekend was unheard of.

Even though the summer preceding I was already planning which hostels I would stay at, planning my trips, once I got to Oxford I fell in love and all my plans just melted away from my mind.

What I gained from just living in Oxford is that now I have a goal. I know now that one day, every soon I want to live in England. Not all my life mind you, the dreary winter is something I would find hard to deal with for too long. I want to travel, but not for a weekend. I want to pick places across the world and live there for no less than a month.

I have realized that I love the cultural experience, I love noticing the little differences in the way people do things, from their fashion choices or how the store eggs.

I have changed from the person who wants to pick one place and stay there for the rest of my life to a person who wants to be able to say that I have lived every place in the world.

Living in Oxford has taught me how to survive in “the real world”. I have learned about money, how to navigate a grocery store and how to take care of myself in times of illness. I have always been a highly independent person but living in Oxford showed me that I can survive on my own. It prepared me to jump in the waters of adulthood and never look back.

But I will have to look back. 

In 12 days and 1 hour I will leave England and go back to my parents house, back to the restricted rules of childhood. 

I am not on my own yet.

          I gained so much from living here in Oxford, I feel as if I am almost an entirely different person than that nervous girl who got off the plane, worried she wasn’t going to make any friends.

Reminiscing about the time I have spent here and the friends I have made, while flipping through photos and rereading my blog, I know that even though I may be leaving, I know I am too stubborn not to come back. 

Living in Oxford has been the best experience of my life. I will never forget my time here, the traveling I have done and most of all the friends I have made. Because even though leaving feels like the bonds are severing I know that the people I have meet here, the people I have spent all of my time with for the past three and a half months, will never fully leave my life. 

A Day in London

A Day In London

After a rough week both mentally and physically I needed a break. My work was nowhere near to being done but that didn’t matter. One more day of me locked up in my room or working away in the library and I would have screamed. I need a day off, and what better way to relieve stress than to go spend way to much money on clothes?
So I hopped on the x90 with Collier and off we went to London with the intention to get some really cute clothes.

Gossiping on the way there about boys and where we were going to shop the coach stopped in London at Marble arch in almost a blink of an eye.

Driving in was wonderful. London is so beautiful, but driving up Oxford Street was exciting. Lined with department stores of the best shopping I was in heaven, my nose pressed against the glass.

Getting off the coach we immediately went down to the subway to get a day pass and then make our way to Bond Street.
We walked into the perfume shop. I can’t remember the name due to a bad memory but it was beautiful. This very little place filled with really expensive sents. I was almost talked into buy a 35 pound bottle! (Like honestly I was so close) Assuring the pushy sales lady that I was going to come back we made our way to Victoria’s Secret.

This was the Victoria’s Secret to put all others to shame. Four stories high and filled to the brim with just the most beautiful bras imaginable I just want to buy everything. I almost did to be honest, but I don’t think I would ever forgive myself if I spent 85 pounds on a bra…. No matter how much lace or sparkles it had.

Moving on we got back on the tube and made our way to Harrods. Both of us hungry we decided that lunch would be a first priority. Well until we passed by H&M. Rumbiling stomachs aside, this was shopping, what we had come to London for. Walking in I was in heaven, grabbing practically every piece of clothing I store two stories of that store apart. Venturing into the changing rooms I ended up walking out with a green dress (that makes my eyes literally pop) and a maroon lose fitting top. Collier, having been done for a while was getting impatient and hungry so I quickly grabbed a pair of leggings and tights and headed to the check out. Walking away I was pretty please with myself, I was worried I was going to spend about a hundred pounds rather than the forty that I ended up spending.

Keeping our eyes pealed for a place to eat while walking to Harrods we gave up and surrendered to the fact that we would have to find a place once we got into Harrods.

It was a mad house, people everywhere, pushing and just running into each other it was awful. Making our way to the second floor in hopes of finding a place to eat we found a directory that said there was a pizza shop on the third floor. We searched around Harrods for a good 40 minutes before we finally found this pizza place. And it’s not like we didn’t ask for directions. We asked three different people. I think you just can’t have a goal of what you want to find in Harrods, you just have to wander and hope that you run into something you like.

Feeling reenergised after eating our fill of pizza we continued to wander around. Honestly the place was so packed I couldn’t even tell you what I saw.
Tired out and desperate to make Justin’s chorus concert we walked over to the X90 stop. But due to the fact that is was rush hour the coach was a good 20 minutes late, completely destroying the thought of actually making the concert on time. Finally the coach got there and we got on and both of us promptly fell asleep, exhausted from our day of shopping. 

Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market & Craft Fair

Two weeks ago, so the Saturday before last I went up to Birmingham with Dr. Schweitzer and Kenzie for the Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market & Craft Fair. This Christmas market is the “The largest authentic German market outside Germany and Austria and the centrepiece of the city’s festive event calendar returns to Birmingham for its 11th year. Explore over 180 stalls selling gifts, jewellery, decorations, handmade toys, delicious German fare and of course the ever popular Glühwein!” (http://visitbirmingham.com/christmas/birmingham-frankfurt-christmas-market-craft-fair/)

Leaving bright and early in the morning I recognize that I would have missed the taxi to the coach way if Kenzie hadn’t called me twice to wake me up.

Arriving at the coachway we immediately boarded the bus. Chatting for little bit, hammering out what we were going to do when we got there the conversation finally died. After and attempt to work on my art research paper I eventually succumbed to my drooping eyes and fell asleep.
When we pulled into our stop at Birmingham the cold was the first thing we noticed and I immediately regretted wearing my flats and a pair of tights.

Not to clear were the fair was we wandered around the city a little bit, the map Dr. Schweitzer had printed out proving useless due to the fact that the street signs were about a visible as waldo.

Finding the fair was fantasitic. It was just this long line of German themed Christmas stands filled with German food and trinkets of both the German and Christmas variety.

Walking down the row of stands, marvelled by the sights, I swear to you I could feel the temperature dropping as the ominous clouds began to cover the sky.
We made it all the way down to the end of the fair before the rain started. It was only drizzling and normally that would have been fine. But it was bitingly cold and we didn’t have an umbrella so as my hair got wetter and my shoes soaked through to my tights an escape into somewhere warm was nessicary. So we quickly darted into the art and history museum that was across from the fair. When we walked in and up the flight of stairs the first thing I thought was for such a grand room they had a lot of ugly art hanging on the walls.
Finding our way upstairs we walked into the area that displayed the history of Birmingham in a fun innovative way. Lots of things you could touch and such, it was the type of place 3^rd grade teachers took their students to learn about the history of Birmingham in a fun interactive way. Despite the fact that I am a 19 year old college student I really enjoyed all of the interactive buttons that I could push.
Next we found another indoor market due to the fact that it was still raining. This one was by far my favourite, full with vintage clothes and bags I was in heaven and worried about my bank account. But due to my wonderful self control when it comes to shopping I ended up making it out of there having only spent five pounds on a pearl necklace.

Next we walked back out and continued to walk down the market, meeting a nice man who sold his original water colour I enjoyed conversing with him for a short time.

Walking further we found our way out of the fair and instead of walking back we decided to walk through this giant convention centre and on the other end was a canal and the cutest little resuraunte in a boat on the canal. We sat down and got a cup of tea, attempting to wait out the rain. Unseccesful in waiting out the rain we did end up completely dry before we went back outside to brave the cold. Making our way back through the coachway we walked back through the market.
By the time we got to the coachway we were drenched to the bone and cold, happy about the successful day but cold and a little miserable none the less. 

Photo Essay Draft

WEDNESDAY

Walking up Wednesday morning with an itching throat and two papers due the next day, I knew that I wouldn’t be doing anything exciting throughout the entire day. Making myself an extra strong cup of coffee I sat down at my desk, papers and books still scattered about, barely leaving room for my computer to sit. The previous night I had sent the rough drafts of both papers to my friend Camryn to help me edit. Reading over her notes I ended up applying most of what she said. Grammar has never been my strongest subject and most of her comments revolved around that. There ended up only being a few places where the content of my critical analysis of Andre Breton’s text What is surrealism? and my image analysis of Salvador Dali’s painting Metamorphosis of Narcissus. Appling Camryn’s notes I knew I still had a lot of work to do but my stomach was grumbiling and my brain was a little overworked. Getting up I went into the kitchen and made my signature caprese sandwich (mozerella cheese, tomatoes, balsamic vinger, salt in between two slices of bread). My stomach full I hopped in the shower and got myself ready for the day. Well presentable enough to go to the library. Packing up my stuff I took the cold ten minute walk up Pullen’s Lane to the main campus.

While in the library I guess everyone decided that then was the time to call me because about an hour into my work my phone goes off (yes, I forgot to put it on silent) it was John asking me if he could eat some of my cauliflower, why he couldn’t text that question is beyond me. Only a short while later my aunt called me showing her sympathy due to my lost credit card and offering to come over the next day and give some cash until I am able to acquire a replacement. Looking around the library I could see the disgruntled faces of my piers. Sorry, but a phone call is a phone call.

An hour before six I figured it was time for another break and some dinner before Dr. Forsyth’s class so I went back to my flat, ate and then headed over where he spent the lecture talking about the architecture of England. Pretty interesting stuff actually.

After the lecture was done I headed back to the library and didn’t end up leaving till I was completely finished with my two papers. Walking back, my papers printed, the cold three in the morning air I went and dropped of my completed papers in my professors box and head back to my room, excited for bed and my brain completely dead (hey, that rymed!).