October 5, 2023

Oxford University: Month 1

If you can believe it, I have been in Oxford for one month already! Time is flying by, and I have had a lot of adventures so far. Our Oxford University administrators informed us that we should get all our travels done in the first month because once the official term starts in October, we would be busy in the library. That’s all I needed to hear.

On my second weekend, I went to Brussels, Belgium where I ate amazing gluten-free Belgian foods. The fourth week was always a planned travel week. I had a few destinations in mind, but at the last minute I landed on Portugal. I went to Peniche to participate in a yoga retreat to have some rest and relaxation before the craziness of the term.

You have some insight into my first day at Oxford University and then my first week, but there are three more weeks to update you on!

Oxford University: Week 2

Technically, I kicked off my second week in Brussels, Belgium. However, when I returned to Oxford our Academic Director-led course was all about Vikings. We spent the week learning about the Vikings, Normans, and the Kingdom of England. To assist our learning, we took a few more field trips this week.

We went back to the Ashmolean Museum early in the week to view the 10^th century Alfred Jewel.

This is an image of the Alfred Jewel located at the Ashmolean Museum. This photo was taken by T during her study abroad program at the Oxford University.

On Thursday, we went to the Reading Museum to view their life-size copy of the Bayeaux Tapestry. The Bayeaux Tapestry chronicles the tale of the Norman conquest of England when William the Conqueror invaded and defeated King Harold Godwinson. In the late 19^th century, a group of Victorian embroiderers recreated the 70-metres long copy of the Tapestry that resides at the Reading Museum.

After the museum, a few of us went to see the Reading Abbey ruins. The 12^th century church was severely damaged in the 1643 Civil War. Since then, the ruins have been restored and has undergone major conservation work.

This is an image of the backside of the Abbey Ruins in Reading, England. This photo was taken by T during her study abroad program at the University of Oxford.

This is an image of the Abbey Ruins in Reading England. This photo was taken by T during her study abroad program at the University of Oxford.

Weekend in London

Friday

On Friday, we left Oxford for London to spend the weekend engaging in school-sponsored activities. Before the school activities commenced, I explored Kensington Park and Hyde Park!

This is an image of Queen Victoria's statute in front of Kensington Palace in London, England. This photo was taken by T during her study abroad program at the University of Oxford.

Friday night we went to the Garrick Theatre to see The Crown Jewels, a comedy play based on Colonel Blood’s attempt to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671. Overall, the play was okay. Some parts were funny, others not so much. However, it did remind me of all the times I went to the theatre with my late grandmother. That thought alone throughout the play helped me to enjoy the experience.

Saturday

Saturday, we spent the morning exploring Hampton Court Palace. I thoroughly enjoyed doing so. From the history lessons on its occupants to learning about how the hit Netflix series, Bridgerton is shot on the grounds, I soaked up every minute of it.

This is an image of Hampton Court Palace in Richmond, England. — asiastock

This is an image of T at the King's table in Hampton Court Palace.

Saturday evening, we did a Jack the Ripper walking tour in London. Honestly, it wasn’t for me, and I wish that it had been an optional activity. I was tired from walking around Hampton Court Palace, and I would’ve much preferred a nice dinner in London and an early night to get some rest.

Sunday

On Sunday morning, we went to the Mithraeum where we explored the Temple of Mithras. According to the museum’s website, the temple has been restored to capture the mystery and intrigue of the Roman cult of Mithras, who met on the site. We participated in the immersive experience which included haze, light, the sound of footsteps, and chanting that intended to transport us back to London AD 240.

This is an image of the Temple of Mithras at the Mithraeum in London, England. Photo taken by T during her weekend in London as she is studying abroad at the University of Oxford.

The Mithraeum concluded the required activities for the weekend. So, I ventured down to Brixton to go to the Black Cultural Archives, in part, to look for materials to help with my final project for this class, but to also be around Afro and Caribbean Londoners. There, I learned about the Black Parent’s Movement and England’s Barrel Children. The Archives also had this cool exhibit from a London-based photographer that captured popular R&B and Hip-Hop artists in the 90s.

This is an image of T in front of the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton, London, England.

Oxford University: Week 3

For the Director-led portion of the week, we did a lot of activities and spent a substantial amount of time on Roman churches and architecture. We toured Oxford Castle & Prison.

This is an image of Oxford Castle and Prison a large, partly ruined medieval castle on the western side of central Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. — Pawel Pajor – stock.adobe.com

This is an image of Oxford's skyline from the only surviving window at the Oxford Castle & Prison. This photo was taken by T during her study abroad program at the University of Oxford.

A Roman parish church in Oxfordshire.

This is an image of a Roman parish church in Oxford, England. This photo was taken by T during her study abroad program at the University of Oxford.

And, attempted to see another Roman church. I say attempted because after several train delays we couldn’t make it to the church. However, we had lunch at this cute Romanian restaurant. This was my first time eating Romanian food and it was so delicious!

I spent my evenings trying to come up with a plan for my travel week. I really wanted to go to Morocco, but with the recent earthquakes, I initially put my plans on hold. However, Moroccan officials have been encouraging tourism to help support the economy, so I started to plan a trip there anyways. But then I started thinking about the fact that I really needed some R&R before the term started.

A friend of mine recently did a yoga retreat in Portugal so I started my research with that perspective. There were so many options in Europe and North Africa, and it was hard to narrow down. However, I spotted one that offered a massage in the package, and well, if you know me, you know I’m a sucker for a massage.

I spent part of week 4 in Peniche, Portugal at the yoga retreat. If you want to read more about my experience at the yoga retreat in Peniche, Portugal click here.

Now, I’m back in Oxford getting ready to hit the books for the next 8 weeks or so! I’m looking forward to being inducted into the Bodleian Library and getting involved in Oxford’s societies and clubs. Stay tuned to hear how that goes.