Monday, April 27, 2009

Quinn - Spring 2009 - New Zealand #2

Hi Everyone!

I just got back from the South Island on a two-week vacation throughout our mid-trimester break! I will be updating my own blog with lots of documentary & pictures, so feel free to take a look.

quinnbo.wordpress.com

I hope the end of your semester goes well and good luck with your study abroad travel in the fall - feel free to ask me any questions!

Quinn

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Veronica - Spring 2009 - Oxford, England

I swore I was going to do more blog updates. But alas. It is almost the end of my Oxford experience and now I know how it feels to be half in and half out. I have one week left, a final paper and an essay exam and then I have to find some way to shove all of my stuff back into my suitcases and lug it to the airport and back home. But right now it is very hard to consider Elmhust home.
I would love to stay at Oxford and will regret leaving and probably cry the whole plane ride back, but I feel that once I get back to America I will collapse in bed and sleep for days on end. Once tutorials ended all of the Oxford students breathed a collective sigh of relief. But Integral began with 2 lectures 4 times a week and a field trip once a week for our remaining month left. We visited Hampton Court, Bath and Kenilworth Castle and Stratford-upon- Avon. It is more exhausting than it should be. Or maybe it is me. What Oxford has taught me is the importance of time and using it in the best way possible. I want to live my life the way I want to. This is my time and I will not waste it!
When I return I know I will be different. I'm not sure what is scarier... Everything changing or nothing changing. I know some things will change. I want time to stop moving and the world to stop turning just for a few hours. I have taken over a thousand photos since I've been here. So many memories, so difficult to live each day to the max.
Honestly, I am living my dreams right now. I couldn't be better. But once again, I am so exhausted. But I don't regret trying to live each day to my utmost, but my trip to Dublin last weekend pretty much wore me out. But I can definitely see the flip side to the problem of homesickness. When someone, myself, is blabbing on and on about how happy and fulfilled they are and how great their life is, I can see how that would get annoying very quickly to someone who is homesick.
I do think that the increased freedom here needs to be taken seriously, especially in the case of food and alcohol. People who are homesick can go overboard in both. I'm not saying its not okay to have a piece of chocolate cake if your feeling depressed, but moderation is key!
I would be happy to answer any queries!