Oh, Nostalgia

My friend Adrie, who studied with me in Oxford, and attends Hendrix with me, recently posted this Buzzfeed article on my Facebook page featuring scenes in Oxford.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/dianabruk/photos-that-prove-oxford-is-an-awe-inspiring-wonderland

Obviously we were both overcome with nostalgia, and it prompted me to dig up this blog again. As I sit in my apartment in Conway, AR, waiting to go to class, I thought I'd take a moment to reflect. In my favorite form (lists), here are a few things I am missing from wonderful Oxford:

1. PUBS: what else would I put first? No matter how much I might enjoy karaoke nights at Zaza, it does not compare to the pub-crawls I ventured on in Oxford. How could it when there is no Strongbow on tap that comes in pints?! I miss those nights that involved marking off 3-4 pubs from the list before venturing home and stopping at the KFC on Cornmarket Street to get a Supercharger Sandwich. Classier pub-ventures included pints with my professor after our tutorial. Both situations: I miss!
2. British accents: what else would I put second? But more specifically, listening to professors with British accents. I really could have sat on the couch across from Professor Barry and listened to him talk for days. It also helped that we were talking about Tolkien.
3. Which makes me think of #3: writing papers on Lord of the Rings…for school! I'm totally satisfied with my tutorial subjects…even though I never failed to stay up past midnight the nights before my tutorials working on my papers. I'd make toast, fix some tea, chat with friends back home (it was only noon there), and the next day I'd struggle with the printer, but each paper was something I felt proud of.
4. G&D's ice-cream (even though it was freezing outside). And (insert all other food here).
5. Excursions with Penelope and Francis (our English mum and dad). These were true to the statement that "the journey can be just as fun as the destination"…or something like that? Penelope would pack us "sustenence" (usually a candy bar), and we'd pile into cars and wince as cars flew past us on the wrong side of the road. Thrilling!
6. Saying, "Cheers" instead of "Goodbye."
7. Nights that involved us staying in because it was simply too cold (and we were simply too wimpy). However these nights were some of my favorites: watching terrible movies, browsing Pinterest, eating cake made in mugs, not changing out of pajamas for 24 hours…
8. Walking: along the canal, to the store, in search of food, on tours led by Francis, getting lost...
9. Receiving mail: snail mail is powerful when the occasional homesickness strikes, but actually just in general! Currently my Hendrix box has cobwebs in it.
10. That one time we made Thanksgiving dinner and Francis and I had this exchange:
Francis: "What exactly are we celebrating? Your country getting rid of us?"
Me: "Oh no, of course not…..that's the fourth of July!"

I could go on and on, but won't because I need to go to class. I left off how I miss the friends I made (cause that's cheesy and DUHHH) and I definitely could have elaborated on my affinity for tea time, or Barry's chevron sweater.

Well, this was fun!