The Oxford Experience - Overview of the First Week

Entering the college (can you see the flowers already there, it's beautiful)

 So I decided that overall if I kept writing like I did, I’d have one heck of a long blog to post at the end of the month (since there’s absolutely no wifi). But basically it’s been a wild and exhilarating week (what with Germany’s win #bless and what not), therefore I really hope you guys will keep in mind the fact that it’s around 12:30 and I’ve just been woken up by 2 fire alarms in the middle of the night (both of which were false alarms).

The meadow

Oxford the city in general

Ashmolean museum

Friends i’ve made at the midsummer’s night dream street play

And just for my lovely high school friends, i’ll throw in a bit about summer program dorm struggles

So we’re starting off with Port Meadows (as I believe it’s called). The place embodies England  and the UK in one picture I swear to god, I’m not even joking; it was complete with a green vast field of endlessness and little shepherding dogs standing still amidst the swaying grass. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a place to kick back and enjoy the sunny weather during the summer, because not only is the area good for hiking, but there’s a little pond near the back where you can go rowing, punting, or even swimming with the ducks. It’s honestly such a cute little place, but it’s most definitely not a place to have a picnic if you’re as scared of bugs and other little insects as I am. But note, that if you do go to this meadow (which I highly recommend going to for a summer swim or hike), then remember to take a blanket to sit on!

Isn't this college just beautiful? (Side Note: This isn't where I stayed)

This can be found in part of the exit of the Christ Church Tours (I'll tell you about it later)

Throughout the week, I’ve had to walk to my classes (which are in another one of the Oxford colleges, Corpus Christi), and with a little bit of the city I’ve seen so far, I figured I might as well write about what I’ve seen. The city itself is the most beautiful city I’ve seen in so long; the entire city is filled with intricate carvings and designs, and quaint little buildings and cafes. The city was hustling and bustling with thousands of people trying to find their way to work or simply to visit tourist places in the city, and it was a contrasting experience to the daily life here in the suburbs where I live. Instead of quiet streets, with only a few people out at a time, the streets were loud and reasonably crowded, with people hanging around the bus stops waiting for the ever famous UK buses. But remember, while in the UK in general, be extremely careful when crossing the streets because pedestrians don’t have the right of way here. I remember the administrators from our program reminding us to “be careful on the streets” but I carelessly disregarded them, thinking, I mean how bad could it actually be? Well, now I know that the streets here are horrible. You have to actually RUN across the street and J-walk at all times because no matter how close you are to said car or bus, they still keep driving with no intention of stopping. The only thing that prevents you from an accident on the street is yourself. But despite this (and almost getting run over by a motorcycle), the city was so striking and different to look at that I could barely take my eyes off of the buildings. Every college that I’d seen was so ancient and castle-like from the exterior and well-taken care of inside that it felt a little bit surreal entering and exiting. I mean, obviously I’m the princess of Pembroke College, but seriously, everything just blew me away. Even from the moment I entered the city, my face was plastered against the bus window eagerly looking at all the beautiful architecture that’s lasted for so long.

Featuring really cool hat.

Tried to imitate the pose, did it work?

In Oxford there are 2 very well known museums: the Ashmolean Museum and the Modern Art Museum (which I have yet to attend). Along with a friend, I went exploring the museum and all the beautiful artwork showcased within it ranging from Greek and Roman sculptures to actual mummies (learning about the process of mummification was so cool) to the ancient paintings and sculptures from India, China and Japan. Although personally I find museums tolerable (I neither love museums nor hate them), I still think it was a memorable experience heading out to the Ashmolean and enjoying some of the works that are there. I especially loved the paintings from China and Japan because personally those have always been my favorites and have blown me away with the beautiful calligraphy and fantastic nature scenes. But I swear the coolest part was the x-ray of the baby that was mummified; learning about the ancient Egyptian traditions and the materials placed INSIDE of the tombs was probably the coolest part of the Ashmolean.

#tryingtofindmyman

In Oxford, Shakespeare is a really big deal, to put it lightly; Oxford was where Shakespeare stayed when he was traveling from his home in Stratford-Upon-Avon and London; this is why there are multiple Shakespeare plays performed outside in the open (obviously you still have to buy tickets, but still). Naturally, because it’s my first week in the United Kingdom, it’s practically essential to go watch some Shakespeare play, and so with a group of my friends, we headed out to the famous A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And can I just say, it was SO worth it. It was worth the cold and the long walk there; the entire night I was in stitches, laughing with the actors and at the play. Before coming here, I was neutral about Shakespeare’s works, neither loving nor hating them.  But after, I swear I’ve realized how much of a genius Shakespeare was; the actors’ interpretations of the characters were perfect. Never have I enjoyed a play so much, so whenever you go to Oxford, it’s an ABSOLUTE MUST to watch one of the Oxford Shakespeare Company’s plays! I’m sure they’re all equally amazing! But not only was the play amazing, but it was actually held in the Oxford Castle (which ironically was actually a prison)! The location is beautiful (for lack of any other words to describe it) and it’s got some really great (but also pricey) restaurants nearby, so I’d suggest going to see them! But I really wished I’d brought a jacket, because it gets cold, and if I haven’t already mentioned, the weather here is SO bipolar, I can’t even begin to describe it.

the lovely bed (with a spring that pokes me in the back)

Now for the million dollar question, that all my friends have been asking me when I’ve talked to them this week... how’s the dorm? And honestly, I actually really like my dorm. In comparison to some of my friends, who have super small little rooms, my room is reasonably big and it’s got a nice closet. The only thing I absolutely hate are the bathrooms, which were shared by practically everyone in the one building. You think they’d make more, but nope only 3 toilets were necessary. However, although I don’t have the best view and even though I don’t have a bathroom in my room, the people in my staircase were so kind and I couldn’t have asked for better friends on the floor to run to and share clothes with. Even with the small showers and cramped bathrooms, the actual college as a whole was on another level. With the spacious chapel quad, and the stained glass windows of the dining hall that looked like something straight out of Harry Potter, Pembroke was utterly beautiful. Granted, it wasn’t as great as some of the other colleges, but even after a week it still holds a special place in my heart and mind.

THE WORLD CUP GERMANY I'M SO PROUD

Although this week’s blog post is a little bit choppy and scatterbrained, I think I really like it, because it’s got all the important highlights of the week written down, and even though it’s hectic, it accurately describes my first experiences in this brand new city (brand new to me at least). My entire week’s been a little crazy what with the jet lag, the new classes, the new friends I’m making, and the excitement for what’s about to come next.

Until next time, I’ll leave you with this!