College is a time to become familiar with the world around you, to understand the perspective of others who are vastly different from yourself, and to learn more about your own identity, your purpose, and your goals. After spending the last four months on a pilgrimage abroad I can say with confidence that I have become both more self-aware and more culturally aware.
When my study abroad journey in Oxford began, I had several goals in mind for personal and spiritual growth during this time. I planned to spend these months pushing myself out of my comfort zone and exploring the world around me in ways I have not been able to before. From learning to use public transportation and read a bus schedule to traveling for weeks at a time with only what I could fit in a small backpack, I am a much more confident independent traveler and learner. There were a number of situations where I had to think quickly and adapt to the circumstances- like when I had to call an ambulance in Italy where I do not speak the language or when we ended up on a snow-covered mountain in Scotland without even a scarf or hat. I grew in my faith during this time and tried out several different churches from cathedrals to tiny house churches with barely twenty pews. Worshiping here in Oxford was an extremely moving experience- I was struck by the magnitude of God and the transcendence of faith and religion.
The Honors travel grant enabled me to travel to Scotland, France, Italy, and Croatia this semester. I learned little bits of each language so I could call taxis and order food- learning to live in countries where I was in the minority for the first time. While in each country there were a few experiences that were particularly moving to me that I wanted to write about. In Scotland, we visited the town of Loch Ness, known for its sightings of the mythical and infamous Loch Ness monster. While I did not see Nessie, it was a moment for me I will never forget- having heard about that very lake my whole life. In France, as I walked through the Louvre I was moved to tears upon seeing famous paintings I had seen online my entire life. I remember how shocked I felt one moment when I had stopped walking to look at a painting I admired, and upon looking at the description it read Claude Monet. When we arrived in Positano, Italy I felt as if I had arrived in heaven. The view of the coastline meeting the cliffs dotted with colorful homes is genuinely the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. ACU study abroad allowed me to see the world in ways I never have. I saw some of the most beautiful places in the world, learned about the place literature’s most famous poets come from, and surprised myself as I pushed and challenged myself in new ways.
Featured Photo: In this photo, I am in the Cairngorms, a national park in the Highlands of Scotland. I am making peanut butter sandwiches for my friends and I while balancing on a log on the edge of the mountain. Just after this photo was taken we had to high tail it off the mountain because it started hailing on us!
This is the Colosseum with my friend Aidyn beneath it. Surprisingly, this is not the Roman Colosseum, but the one in Croatia! I loved visiting Pula, Croatia a place I had never heard of before traveling to Europe and learning about its Roman influences.
Over spring break we also got to visit France! Here I am in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower. We laid on our jackets under the tower and watched it sparkle.
We took a week long class trip to the Lake District- possibly one of my favorite trips! We hiked a fell called Helm Crag with our English professor, Kieron Winn. I adored his class and much of the Lakes Trip was devoted to learning about poet William Wordsworth and his ties in the Lakes.
In this photo, my friend and I are soaking in the picturesque town of Positano on the Amalfi coast! We enjoyed that day on the beach and stayed in a villa on the cliff behind us.