I love my college!

St. Antony's has been wonderful so far! Last night, the entire college had a welcome dinner in our dining hall (quite good - I had salmon and veggies), then went to a pub in an area of town called Jericho, just a couple of streets away. All of the students are so welcoming, and we are definitely the most international graduate college, which is perfect for my studies. Students who also did their undergrad at Oxford say St. Antony's is known as one of the best places to be a post-grad. I feel so fortunate! I want to buy a sweatshirt with our crest.

And I am exploring the area during my runs - so many interesting sites, quaint cafes, beautiful art shops....and of course old buildings. I feel like I am starting to really get my bearings. In fact, this morning I gave correct directions to a Portuguese student who had just arrived!

Tonight, John is picking me up for a Rotary meeting; the speaker will discuss the future of the town of Oxford. I am looking forward to seeing my counselor and Gyl!

Tomorrow, the International Student Orientations begin. I hope to learn lots of good info!

Back in Oxford

The Link sessions this morning were mostly about how to make successful presentations and how to adjust to culture shock. A fellow scholar and I remarked about how good it feels to be in a program where we are able to admit homesickness and recognize the need to adjust to a new culture. Rotary has provided such a valuable network of support, on both sides of the pond! And I am so grateful to have so many new friends. I am already planning a trip to Bristol to see my friend Margaret; we want to visit Bath in the spring.

Arriving back in Oxford, I felt a pang of loneliness after growing accustomed to the warmth of Rotary. But most students are now in residence at my college, and I have met several interesting people. Tomorrow we have an all-college dinner! In addition, I discovered great leads for good deals on a phone and bike, so I feel like I am adapting well. For the first time, I felt comfortable walking around the city and thinking, "I am a student at Oxford." Quite exciting!

Barn Dance in Birmingham

Here I am at Link Weekend, an Orientation for all the Rotary students studying in Great Britain and Ireland. It has been a fantastic day! First, we had a walking tour of the city. I appreciated the variety of architecture - something modern right next to a Victorian home. And the remnants of the industrial warehouses are now trendy lofts. Next, we went on a canal boat trip! B'ham actually has more miles of canals (35) than Venice (25 or so), though over a greater geographic area. I found the city full of character and quite beautiful, especially in the old downtown near the canals.

But the best part of the day was the barn dance from 7-11pm! A live band called out dance instructions - square dances, promenades, etc. It was so much fun to get to mix and laugh with the other scholars! We started out tripping all over each other but ended up doing pretty well. Plus it was a good work out.

Tomorrow we have seminars about Rotary events and programmes in Great Britain and Ireland. And then it's back to Oxford to finish settling in.

Such a nice way to be officially welcomed to the country!

England!

I am finally here! Over the last couple days, I've been staying with John, my wonderful Rotary counselor, and his wife, Gyl, in their beautiful cottage in Kirtlington. We drove around the countryside, ate in an English pub, and attended Bicester Rotary Meeting (John's home club), where everyone was so welcoming.

On Wednesday, with the Bicester Club, we spent a fabulous day in London: a special tour of Parliament and meeting with Bicester's MP, a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theater, and dinner on the 8th floor of the Oxo Tour overlooking the city skyline. I was so impressed by the history and traditions of Parliament, and the play was absolutely hilarious (I cried from laughter). It was an incredibly memorable day, and I feel so fortunate to have been a part of the trip. Gyl said that many Britons will never do these things, and I did them in my second day! And, I have even been somewhere the queen hasn't (she is not allowed to enter the House of Commons)!

Today, I moved into my small but nice college accommodations. And tomorrow all the Rotary students leave for Link Weekend in Birmingham (a sort of orientation for all the students in the UK and Ireland)!

Welcome to my blog!

Hi everyone. This blog is about my year as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at the University of Oxford, England, where I will be reading for a Masters in African Studies. I leave in exactly one week! Thanks to all of my friends and family for their support. I'll miss you all, but I look forward to sharing my experiences!