Wow did that creep up on me! This time in Oxford has flown by. That's partly because of the classes and work, I'm sure, but none of it has been drudgery. Our classroom is more of a parlour, complete with curtains that match the wallpaper and comfy chairs. It would seem like that would make it harder to concentrate, but I really think it helps. The homework has been perfectly manageable- I only have 1 journal and 2 exams to go!
How great it's been here though! After class, or even in between, I can walk down to City Centre and find some magic. One day, I was going to pick up my tickets for Harry Potter. However, the cinema wasn't open yet, so I figured I'd find a place to sit and read a while. Starting to search, I found instead a market going on! How exciting. With a nonchalant gait I began to stroll up, down, and around the aisles, stopping at all the sections with books of course. Then I found it. A 1845 copy of Milton's works. Yep, I kinda flipped. I got it, and am now the proud owner of such a book, pocket-sized, readable, and so smell-worthy.
Another adventure, just yesterday, was thus: We had a birthday in our group, so some of us went to go get tea in Port Meadow. To get there, we walked through this great expanse of field, with horses and cows actually in the field with us. Or, I suppose, we were in the field with them, since they were there first. Then the path took us across two bridges and by the water, under a canopy of trees. To get to the tea place, we had to dive into a secreted pathway, replete with trellis arches. The trees and other growth were so close to us and so closely knit that it was dark mid-afternoon, but it was the darkness that accompanies mystery. Coming out, we found The Perch, our restaurant. After delicious tea and even better laughter, some of our group left, but some of us continued on. Where did we go? Berry picking of course. We got raspberries, and blackberries, stained hands and smiles. It felt so normal. It's just the sort of thing I would do at home, so it made me feel like less of a tourist, and more like I just belong. I could forget, too, that I was in a city.
So what's next? My last full day in Oxford is Wednesday, so I shall be racing around until then. I plan on going punting this weekend, finding Tolkien's house and grave, and going to the Ashmolean. Thursday we head to Bath, hopefully stopping along the way at Hay-on-Wye and Tintern Abbey. Friday will be a full day in Bath, where hopefully I can get some tea. Saturday is Tintagel and Sunday is Salisbury. Monday, I will be coming back! The odd part is, we leave somewhere around 5:30pm on Monday, and get in at 8pm on Monday. I know it's because of the time zone change, but it still seems a bit funny to me. See you soon!!
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