Everything, Everyone, & Everywhere was Perfect

Introduction
My time in Oxford was incredible. I learned many valuable life lessons. It has flown by – I remember during the fall thinking about applying as soon as I could. I knew how magical this trip would be and it didn’t meet my expectations, it exceeded them. The friends I made will last a lifetime. I have not only learned more through academics here, but learned about my personality, spirituality, values, and skill sets. I am so grateful and thankful I had the opportunity to go on this study abroad journey, and I can’t wait to see where my next one takes me. I could not have asked for a better experience. Everyone, everything, and everywhere was absolutely perfect and I consider myself so blessed and lucky to be a part of it. Over my stay here, I learned three main lessons – growing in my faith, becoming more independent, and learning about new cultures. 

Growing in faith

On this trip, we have gone to a significant number of Churches. Some in London, some in Bath, and many in Oxford. In the first week of staying in Oxford, I had the amazing opportunity to take a tour of Christ Church college. 

After walking through the stunning dining hall with stained glass windows, we went into the church. I was so full of wonder. Whenever I go to a church that is as beautiful as this, it brings me closer to God.

•  I feel that the care, work, and talent put into making such a gorgeous palace all in honor of God is a beautiful honor and makes my own faith light up seeing works of others. It was interesting learning about the different perspectives on how they built it, and I am so blessed to have gotten the opportunity to walk those halls. 

Lastly, we went to a hidden chapel of St. Margaret from around the 12th century. We crossed a meadow full of horses, wildflowers, streams, leaves that were shining from the sunlight, and enjoyed other creatures such as elegant swans or peaceful cows. 

• We walked through a small graveyard on a small path to arrive at the chapel. It was quite old, with ancient stones and leaves growing up the sides. Upon entering, I found a simple, quiet, restful ambiance. Stained glass windows with beam lights of sun glowing on the pews, an old organ, and an old wooden cross. 
• I imagine that to be exactly what heaven is like. Very simple, but at the same time grand with the Lord’s love glowing through the rafters. I felt an immense amount of peace through that chapel and felt that God was walking right beside me. Everyone left the chapel, but I stayed back and knelt to pray. I talked to God and asked Him to protect everyone on the trip with me. 
• For them, no matter what religion or belief system, I prayed that they would know that they are loved, cared for, and supported by Him. After leaving, I walked alone and looked around at nature and had a spiritual awakening.

Since going on this trip, I have felt more close to God than ever before. Two years ago, after returning from Rome, I decided to convert to becoming Catholic. Since that day, I have felt more happiness and peace than ever in my whole life. 

• Last summer, I was going to church, starting bible studies, and growing with a community around me for support. Upon going to Salve Regina University for school, I felt a disconnect, as the majority of my friends were not religious in any way. I felt myself getting distant from God, and felt that I was not engaging enough with my faith.

 On this trip, in each church I have been in, I have felt more and more connected to the Lord. When we went to a service with Professor Sacco at the beginning of this trip, I felt myself daydreaming or thinking about other things. Now, I feel more connected to God than I ever have in my life. I talk with him every day. I am so very thankful that I have grown more in my faith.

Gaining Independence 

During this trip, I have also grown in my values. I have made amazing friendships this trip, and I have felt so close to everyone here. When I was meeting everyone, I was excited – but also very scared. I made friends quickly, and everything was going well, until the second night. I heard them all talking about going out to bars and nightclubs. I don’t drink – but furthermore, I really don’t like going out at night. Everyone was very supportive of me choosing to not go with them. I would go to restaurants with them, hang out in the common room until late at night, all the way up until they would leave for the clubs. 

• I still run and lift on my own, training for my sport. It can get lonely sometimes, but I feel strength in that it is something I get the opportunity to do on my own to grow. I have felt so much happier knowing that I can still be social and make amazing friends without rejecting my own personality. It has given me more confidence to be the person I am, while learning to love people for who they are as well.

In my own life, the more I have traveled, the more I have grown in confidence and in my true self. During this whole trip, I have continued to grow my empathy towards others. I have always felt a lot of empathy towards others, but I feel that by reading this book, and traveling more, I have grown increasingly. While I might not change what stage of life I am in, or my values, or nationality, I can accept others for where they are in life, their values, and their place of living.

Not only did I get closer with friends, but the environment as well. We went to London, Bath, explored more of Oxford, went to museums, concerts, had a group dinner, and much more. I branched out of my comfort zone, while enjoying myself more and more. I learned to balance class work with activity. I am overjoyed that I decided to go on this journey and I am excited to continue to see what adventures are in store for me next in my life. 

Learning of new cultures

I found that I have gained so much more empathy and perspective about other cultures than I had before coming on this trip. I decided to take classes on Eastern Religion and Literature of place. For these classes, I had to step out of what I knew and enter a new world of academia and have an open mind. I am so blessed to have taken these courses, because they have expanded my mind in so many ways, shapes, and forms. 

For my Eastern religion class, we went to the British museum. Dr. Moar gave us a tour of the Asian section, showing us statues of the Buddha and other artifacts that are central to Hinduism and Buddhism. I found it fascinating to learn about other religions.

•  I think it is so important to learn about other cultures to gain understanding about different people and their lives. Upon doing so, I try to put myself in others’ shoes to realize what it would be like to live a different life. I think that this can help me improve my empathy for others. 
• I had to write many research papers about gods and faiths that are different from my own, so it was a challenge for me to learn and understand other people’s paths of life. I gained insight about what other people find significant and what they value in their soul. This can help me relate to people who are different from me. 

For my literature of place class, we read many books that I had to push my mind to understand. Dr. Gomaa gave knowledgeable information about each book, teaching us new ideas in each chapter that us as students would not have known otherwise.

• We read many works that signified points of growth in my mind and my personality, such as Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo, and finally, Persuasion by Jane Austen. 
• For example, in Alice in wonderland, at the end of the book, Alice’s sister reflects on Alice’s adventures and  life, saying, “Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood… with the dream of Wonderland long ago” (97, Carroll).
•  Her sister is saying that while Alice grows up, she will never lose her experiences and love for life with childlike wonder. I think I need to remember that in my own life, these experiences I will hold with me wherever I go. We read other works as well that also signified points of growth in my mind and my personality as well, such as Girl, Woman, Other by  Bernardine Evaristo and Persuasion by Jane Austen. 

Conclusion

 I have made really good friends here that I will carry into next year. I have seen so many beautiful sights that I think I will have to make a memory book full of pictures, places, and moments I never wish to forget. From reading and learning to exploring and adventuring, this past month has been one of the best in my life. There are no words I can write to explain how amazed I am that I was able to go on this trip. This beautiful country and magical town have taught me beautiful lessons. I am never going to forget traveling to Wonderland, Narnia, The Shire, Jane Austen’s world, and heaven all at the same time. I have made lifetime connections on this journey, and I cannot wait to continue them at school next year. I have grown in confidence, wisdom, strength, and maturity. I have found that I can further my relationship with God no matter where I am. I have defended myself and worked on myself, but most importantly, listened more to others, thought more about others, and grown more respect for others. I cannot wait to look back on these reflections I have written and think back on this marvelous, divine adventure.