Hello, everyone!
I’ve safely arrived at Oxford University and I’m all set to dive into everything this incredible place has to offer. It’s hard to believe that after more than three years of planning and anticipation, I’m finally here.
This journey began yesterday, June 27th, when I boarded my flight to London Gatwick Airport. During the flight, they served both dinner and breakfast, along with plenty of refreshments. They also handed out pillows and blankets, making it easy to get comfortable. The plane was far from full, so I had lots of space to stretch out. The crew was fantastic—truly five-star service. I managed to sleep through most of the flight, only waking up for some turbulence and meal times. That was perfect, considering you lose five hours instantly when you cross the pond.
For dinner, I had chicken tikka masala (the unofficial national dish of England). The tray came loaded: chicken with rice, water, bread, butter, cheese, crackers, a corn and bean salad with feta, and a slice of New York style cheesecake. They also offered tea with milk and sugar, which was a nice touch. Everything was flavorful, especially the chicken. Breakfast was an egg bagel sandwich with Swiss cheese and dijonnaise, plus coffee with milk and sugar. The dijonnaise gave the sandwich a pleasant kick.
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| Taking off! |
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| Chicken Tikka Masala |
Once we landed, customs and baggage claim were a breeze, maybe 15 minutes total. The UK doesn’t rely on many border agents anymore; you just go to an e-gate, scan your passport, let it snap your photo, and that’s it, you’re in. After grabbing my bag, I worked out how to get bus tickets. A bit of fiddling with my phone and the kiosks, and I had a ticket from Gatwick to Gloucester Green in Oxford. The ride was about three hours with stops at Heathrow and a few smaller towns before finally arriving.
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| Some of the countryside |
When I reached Oxford, I checked into my college. After dragging my luggage through the building and up the stairs, I made it to my room and found my roommate, Connor. We’ve been good friends since high school, so it’s comforting to experience this whole new adventure with someone familiar. One thing that immediately stood out: no air conditioning in the room, which is pretty standard across Europe. Since I was overheated from hauling bags upstairs, Connor and I quickly agreed we needed a fan.
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| My bedroom, one angle |
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| My bedroom, another angle |
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| Common area, one angle |
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| Common area, another angle with my room door open |
We set out on some errands and picked up essentials. Tesco had laundry detergent and cases of drinks, and we found a fan at John Lewis & Partners inside the massive Westgate shopping mall. It was also the perfect chance to wander the city and admire Oxford’s breathtaking architecture.
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| A cat guarding the door |
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| The gardens of Exeter College |
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| Sheldonian Theatre |
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| Clarendon Building |
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| Radcliffe Camera |
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| Radcliffe Camera, with a chapel |
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| The intersection of Turl Street and Ship Street |
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| Turl Street |
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| Jesus College courtyard |
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| Exeter College courtyard |
After our shopping trip, we came back, showered, and had dinner in the Jesus College dining hall. I also got to chat with the program director and my professors about all the exciting things ahead. Dinner itself was simple: a zucchini and squash salad with bell peppers and mozzarella balls, some fruit, pastries, a pre-made prawn and mayo sandwich on malted bread, cheese and onion crisps, and fizzy water. It was a light, quick meal to cap off a busy couple of days.
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| Inside Jesus College dining hall |
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| My meal |
Later that evening, we checked out one of the local pubs, The Four Candles - JD Wetherspoon. They had a fun mix of drinks that my group tried, including cider, an Indian saffron ale, Guinness, and Blue Lagoon.
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| The pub |
And that wrapped up the night! Check back soon to see how my matriculation into the program goes.
