From Britain to Boston

Today was our last day in Oxford.

At the moment, I feel at a loss for concluding words. So much has happened in such a short time, and I am coming away from this experience with a full heart. I am sure it will take the next few weeks to thoroughly process the past two months. All I can say for now is that I am so grateful. Grateful to God,  to Summit, to Oxford, and to all the wonderful people I've met along the journey.

"In a way all of us at Oxford knew, knew as an undercurrent in our minds, that it wouldn't last for ever. Lew and Mary Ann expressed it one night by saying: 'This, you know, is a time of taking in--taking in friendship, conversation, gaiety, wisdom, knowledge, beauty, holiness--and later, well, there'll be a time of giving out.' Later, when we were scattered about the world. Now we must store up the strength, the riches, all that Oxford had given us, to sustain us after. She stood there, Oxford, like a mother to us, all with her hands heaped with riches. We could take what we would."

-A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56594.A_Severe_Mercy)

On another note, things I look forward to in America:

-laundry that takes less than 24 hours
-towel racks
-fabric softeners
-having a car
-Target
-customer service (apparently that doesn't exist here)
-having a freezer
-ice cubes
-not having to share a mini-fridge with 4 girls
-pedestrian manners (or at least, lack of confusion as to which side of the road one is to walk on)
-a working vacuum
-a proper mattress
-London fogs (believe it or not, they don't have these here)
-libraries where you can actually check out your books
-FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Turl Street Kitchen

Today I said goodbye to one of my favorite spots in Oxford: Turl Street Kitchen. This was the location for many afternoons of reading and writing, my first meeting with my tutor, many beautiful conversations, post-card writing sessions, travel planning, and journaling...As well as the subject of many of my "photos-of-the-day":

Until Next Time..

Today was our last session at Lane House. Of all the places I've been to in England, this has become one of my favorites. The hospitality of the entire Bywater family really made their house a home-away-home for all of us students. I will always remember with fondness all the pun wars, the pots of coffee and digestives that got us through our 4-8 hour sessions (depending on the day), family dinners, backyard games, s’more sessions… the list goes on and on. I have truly grown to appreciate and respect the awesome group of people I have gotten to spend this whole summer with. But as Kevin told us tonight, we are not allowed to say goodbye; only "until next time..."

Tradition, Tradition!

That’s a Fiddler on the Roof reference, for those of you who didn’t catch it. As one of my flat mates said to the rest of us,  “Living with you guys is like living in a musical!” We frequently burst into song in the flat here at 87 Venneit Close.

Something I will miss here in England is the strong sense of tradition. Evensong, afternoon tea, double decker busses, even walks in the rain….maybe not so much the fish and chips since I’m not a huge seafood fan.

Today we had our last afternoon tea as flat-mates and went to the posh Randolf Hotel for high tea! It was our final ladies' outing and celebration of a marvelous summer term.