Writing is something you have to make time for. I know this. What I didn’t know is how easy it is to make time for writing when you’re doing things like homework and laundry all the time…it’s much harder to make time in between traveling, eating out, and sightseeing. During the five weeks I was… Continue reading Writing Abroad
Category: The Traveling Fantasist
Below are all of the existing posts in my travel blog series “The Traveling Fantasist.” During my time abroad in July 2015, I’ll be blogging about various events and ideas that come to mind when I’m studying abroad in Oxford. Follow my blog to get all the latest updates!
Harry Potter Pilgrimage
I have to say, there’s no better trip for Harry Potter fan than the one I just took (and I mean this in the most objective way possible). In the past five weeks, I’ve eaten breakfast and dinner in the Great Hall at Christ Church (the Inspiration for the Hogwarts Great Hall), stumbled across rooms… Continue reading Harry Potter Pilgrimage
Appreciating Oxford
Sometimes, when you’re frantically trying to write papers or study for tests, it’s easy to forget that you’re in another country. It’s something I’ve had to remind myself of many times over the past four weeks, when I’ve realized I’m becoming complacent or am complaining about what I’m doing. While I do care about my… Continue reading Appreciating Oxford
Cliffs of Dover
Yesterday my roommate and I were talking about the limited amount of time we have left in Oxford, and since we don’t have class on Wednesdays, decided to plan a day trip to Dover. Since we have first class BritRail passes, the trip really isn’t costing us anything, and we knew it would be worth… Continue reading Cliffs of Dover
For the love of Paris
Today I finally made it to Paris. It’s been almost exactly four years since I’ve been here, and I’ve spent most of those four years dreaming about coming back. I spent the day just wandering around and enjoying the city, getting familiar with the metro, and scoping out places I’d like to return to. (I… Continue reading For the love of Paris
The Lake District: A 24-hour Adventure
This weekend was an adventure. In addition to figuring out how to make a five hour trip up to the Lake District (it included three different trains and a bus), we went on two different hikes and visited William Wordsworth’s home – all within about 24 hours. We left Oxford at 9:30 Saturday morning, and made… Continue reading The Lake District: A 24-hour Adventure
A Day in Christ Church
I’ve been in Oxford for about two days now, and I’m still constantly astounded by the beauty of the university and the city. Our train from Wales came in around 4 on Saturday, and the streets were flooded with tourists. It was a shock seeing it so busy, since none of us really thought… Continue reading A Day in Christ Church
Walking: A Thoreau Effort
(First, let me just say that you’d all better appreciate that pun.) Since coming to the UK, I’ve walked at least ten thousand more steps than usual. On Wednesday, we decided to walk back to Swansea University (where we’re staying in Wales) because our professor told us it was about a mile. It ended up… Continue reading Walking: A Thoreau Effort
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and some other forms of transportation)
In the past 24 hours, I’ve traveled by car, plane, train, bus, and foot a distance of approximately 5280 miles. Over the course of the day I slowly made my way from Texas to the UK, despite the obstacles of canceled flights, equipment malfunctions, and late trains. Of course, after traveling for 24 hours… Continue reading Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and some other forms of transportation)
Why Re-Reading is Worth it
“Harry had never been to London before.” One of my study abroad courses is called “Harry Potter and the English Fantasy Tradition.” Most of the people I tell this either don’t believe me, or think that it’s a thinly veiled excuse to read Harry Potter and pretend I’m taking a class. The truth is, I… Continue reading Why Re-Reading is Worth it