Month: September 2017

It has been a hectic few days of preparation and packing, but in less than 24 hours I will be on a plane flying to England!

I think that the hardest part of this whole process has been saying goodbye to my puppies. They probably know that I’m leaving because they haven’t left my side for the last few days. A few of my friends have asked if I will try to smuggle the pups in my carry on. It is a fun idea, but an impractical one; there is a 70 pound weight limit on each suitcase and my dogs are quite chubby. It is either them or my clothes and books, and I am going to Oxford to study, so this time I should probably take the books.

Anyway, once I arrive and drop off my things, I leave again for a short 2 day trip to Germany for a cultural experience before the fresher week orientation festivities begin. It will be a busy few days, so I will write again about everything once I am back at Oxford and well-rested.   

On a side note, I am very excited for my long flight. I always get my best reading and thinking done while on planes.

I will miss you New York, but I’ll see you soon.

Henry

It’s hard to believe that in less than 3 weeks I will be arriving at Oxford. It all feels so surreal.

I had a nice summer consisting of teaching tennis, seeing old friends from high school, and reading books on Phenomenology. Philosophy is fun and practical. Speaking of  practicality, I also read a book on rock and roll in New York City in the 2000s and I briefly entertained the thought of dropping everything and becoming a rock star, but then I realized that I play no instruments and have absolutely no musical talent, so for at least the time being I will put that dream on hold. With all that being said, I am looking forward to going back to school.

As a young boy I briefly lived in London. I developed a strong love for the country and culture while also becoming a fanatic football (soccer) fan. I lived walking distance from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea F.C’s Stadium, and became a fan for life. I always knew that in some capacity I would want to return to England, so the opportunity to go to Oxford was one that I could not resist.

It will be tough to leave my friends at Holy Cross for the entire year, but I know that these next 9 or so months will be an amazing opportunity for me to grow as a person. I visited Holy Cross twice in the last 2 weeks, and I think that now I am ready to embark on my new adventure.

I am excited to meet new interesting and worldly people. I have already been in contact with a student mentor at Mansfield who will help me get settled once I arrive and he used the word “penultimate” in context over Facebook chat, and honestly that is really cool. I also bought 2 season tickets to the local soccer team Oxford United. They were ridiculously cheap and my parents say I can use that second ticket to help make new friends.

I think that this blog will help me reflect on every day spent at Mansfield, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you all. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.

Henry