<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} span.st {mso-style-name:st;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 49.7pt; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1

ABSTRACT

A beautiful flowing piece of pink satin fabric with a few taints made by challenging tutorials, cold weather, instability at Penn State and a financial tank on E would describe week 5 at Oxford. I am writing this (the old school way) on my train back from Paris, where I spent the weekend completely astounded by all the beauty compressed into a single city.But coming back from my vie en rose, it dawned on me that I was coming back to bedlam. The essays, the studying, the overwhelmingly large textbooks I occasionally comprehend and the unwelcome visit of bees in my room were all awaiting me. And before I got to the complaining, I realized how much of a blessing in fact it is. If you don’t take away from anything I just typed, remember this: focus on the bigger picture.

                                                       ***

A beautiful flowing piece of pink satin fabric with a few taints made by challenging tutorials, cold weather, instability at Penn State and a financial tank on E would describe week 5 at Oxford. But while life has not been painted in a constant shade of rosy pink, the minor distortions are not worth complaining about. So let’s focus on the positives. Under this category falls the simple notion that it is WEEK 6 ALREADY! I don’t know how to feel about this. Just 3 more weeks and it’s all over; the experience that took me months to prepare for will be over. I really miss my family and Penn State, but I’m not sure I am ready to leave all the wonderful things, people and places I have encountered here, FOR (possibly) EVER! O.o . I’m honestly not even sure if Penn State will have the same vibe and warmth when I get back. Things have changed, people have changed, how easy will it be for me to squeeze back into a comfortable place upon my return? At the same time, no matter the vibe, it is my Alma Mater and something about it just draws me back, so I am ready to go….kind of…I don’t know if I am ready to leave this close and convenient location on the globe that gives me direct access to a myriad  of cultures.

I am writing this (the old school way) on my train back from Paris, where I spent the weekend completely astounded by all the beauty compressed into a single city. On more than one occasion, songs by �dith Piaf, or La M�me Piaf (the little Sparrow) as some may now her, played softly in the background like a soundtrack to my dreamy perfect French experience. Fortunately, over the summer, (as if I knew) I had watched her autobiography, La Vie En Rose, from which I cleverly borrowed the title of this entry and named after one of her most popular songs. You may have come across her song Je ne Regrette Rien that was featured in the movie Inception apparently (I am yet to watch the movie). Anyway, putting aside the tips of the French culture, it was such an amazing experience. Going to the Louvre Museum I must say was one of the most meaningful things I have ever done. As a child in Africa several years ago, staring at a picture in a book of this beautiful mysterious place in the world I never imagined ever having the chance to live out the experience and with patience and perseverance, when I least expected it, I was at this place, soaking in the breathtaking beauty. In addition to that, I visited the Eiffel tower and went to the 2^nd floor (the top was closed), L’arc de Triomphe de l’�toile, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Walked along the Champs–�lys�es and ate crepes. Something about all the monuments makes you feel so small and not necessarily insignificant, but a part of something so much bigger than yourself- this world. The buildings, especially the arc, are so large, so concrete, so strong and make you seem so fragile, delicate and protected almost. I would definitely recommend the trip for anyone on the fence about.

But coming back from my vie en rose, it dawned on me that I was coming back to bedlam. The essays, the studying, the overwhelmingly large textbooks I occasionally comprehend and the unwelcome visit of bees in my room were all awaiting me. And before I got to the complaining, I realized how much of a blessing in fact it is. Education in this world is a privilege and most definitely Oxford is a great one. I realized the opportunity to travel ANYWHERE on a weekend, in a safe country, with change in my pocket, food to eat and friends for company is a blessing. I was always taught to count my blessings and the moral of the story, or I guess this entry would be to count yours. Many of us are saddened by recent happening at Penn State and by excessive homework, perhaps sick relatives and I am pretty sure we are not living la vie en rose. In fact, so few of us are meanwhile we can all be.

If you don’t take away from anything I just typed, remember this: focus on the bigger picture. Every week (sometimes twice a week, when I have 2 tutorials) I stress over my essay. I focus on the word count, the structure, the argument and then I have to stop and think about the purpose of all this. I look at the bigger picture. I have 12 essays in total for one semester’s worth of grades out of 8 semesters total. I want to graduate with good grades because I want to go to law school, get a good job, start a family, etc. 20 years from now will I even remember this day? Is it worth stressing so much on or should I just relax, finish it and prepare better for the next one? Some may argue the contrary and while philosophies on life are subjective, a common denominator for most is that at the end of this rollercoaster we call life, we all want to be able to look back at all our deeds and experiences and think je ne regrette rien.

Location: Paris, France