Cheese Chocolate and Jogging
The three things I have fallen in love with since I’ve been in Europe. I can’t seem to understand why or how, but being here sets new habits. I am proud of just one of my new-found joys -jogging. I never knew how peaceful and relaxing it could be to jog. Recently I have been going to Hyde Park at sunset and enjoying the beauty of the area with just me, myself and I(pod). It has become such a part of me; I will miss it dearly when I leave for Oxford tomorrow (Tuesday 03/10/11). Rumor has it however, that Oxford has beautiful green space where I can implement my jogging skills, so that is definitely something I look forward to, unlike the course load. Speaking of course load, while academia deserves its own entire blog post, I will quickly hint that things have been tough and show no signs of looking up any time soon. On the bright side, I have been showing signs of stepping up, so that is always good.
It’s been three weeks since I came to London and knowing that it is all coming to an end on Tuesday is bittersweet. Bitter because I got so accustomed to the underground, the environment and the luxuries in Chelsea are definitely something I can get used to. It felt so good to finally know where I am going, and how to get there, despite the numerous times I got lost jogging. It is an even greater feeling to have the fire of ambition I see in everybody else’s eye as they drag briefcases or click their heels up and down the tube station (Tube is what they call subway, FYI) reflected in my own. I will miss looking out my window into the eye of London and not be able to make two subway stops without landing at a touristic site; from the Buckingham palace on the Victoria line, to the billboards of Trafalgar Square.
The sweet part of it all is that while my mates have been in school for the last month and a half, my classes haven’t started at Oxford yet and I am beyond ready to get the ball rolling. You may be wondering “then what did she mean in the first paragraph about things being tough” and so here is your answer. During the last three weeks, we the students of the Oxford program have been taking a tutorial (class) at the IES center. This counts for 3 of the 15 credits we will achieve during this trip abroad. The tutorial is taught by a lecturer and has a maximum of about 3 students, so it is very intimate. This is also a gradual grooming into the UK educational system that will hopefully help us adjust in Oxford. With that said, I cannot wait to be in the college environment again. I can’t wait to be the busy bee I love to be, involved with several organizations, living on campus, meeting locals and just being able to mentally establish myself to the proper mindset. This is a school I read about in books and saw clips of in movies, but never in a million years would have ever imagined myself attending, whether it be for a day or a semester. 
In between my mixed emotions on leaving London, a set of emotions I am certain about, are those I feel towards my Alma Mater. I miss Penn State. Some Penn Staters in the program and I went to see the PSU v. Alabama game at a pub in London and it was amazing. There were PSU alumni from classes dating back to the 90’s all together under one roof; watching, chatting, cheering. There was an instant bond of talks of THON, Old main lawn, Artsfest. The alumni relying on us as current students to bring in the latest scoop and as they listened, you could see the nostalgia translating through their eyes. I realized I have something they want; I attend Penn State. What a beautiful thing to be part of such greatness. The experience made me want to get so much more out of my final semester when I return. 
Location: London, Oxford