Week Seventeen: Professional

As my final week in Oxford arrived, so did final exams and many goodbyes.  As i sit writing this at the beach in Alabama I think back to the past months and how quickly they have went by and how amazing my time has been.

The last week of term saw the entire student population of Ole Miss study hard as finals where all that we had left to get through before our summer would begin.  Alot of students had 6 or more finals but luckily for myself and Sarah we only had two during finals week, and one we had taken the week before.  The final we took early was simply 30 multiple choice questions which was fairly straight forward.  Another one was a multiple choice paper made up of questions from old multiple choice tests we had taken earlier in the semester.  Thankfully we had been given our old papers to study off so the questions where oddly familiar!

Our third final was an online multiple choice test which I was able to take from the comfort of my own home, yet this still turned out to be the most difficult test, with strangely worded questions and some questions that you thought there could have been more than one answer too!  However all three tests where relatively problem free, and I was extremely happy come 5 o’clock Tuesday when all my finals where complete.

The rest of the week was spent relaxing by the pool and spending time with friends before we all had to go our separate ways.  I also had to start packing up my room into two suitcases, which was incredibly difficult!  Leaving my room in University Trials was really odd, as this had become my home for the past four months and a lot of good memories surround this campus.

The goodbyes started on Friday morning as Sarah left with her boyfriend Darren to return to Northern Ireland.  Even though I knew I would see her sooner than the rest of my friends I had to leave I was still slightly teary eyed.

The rest of my friends left at various stages over the weekend to start their travelling, or too return to their home countries or towns.  I knew this weekend was never going to be easy but it really is horrible having to say goodbye to people who have been part of your life for so long!  Some of them I may never see again, and some I know I will, but its safe to say that I have definitely made some life long friends during my time at Oxford

I am currently at my friend Ava’s beach house in Alabama where I will stay for a while before I do a bit more travelling and the take the long journey back home.  It will be lovely to see my family and friends again however I am truly gutted that my time here has ended to quickly ad I wound advise EVERYONE to experience study abroad at some stage in their lives.  You learn so much, meet so many amazing people and have some incredibly memorable experiences.

Week Sixteen: Cultural

One of my close american friends, Steph, is from Fort Worth, Texas, and this weekend she was kind enough to invite us to stay with her.  I had such an idea in my head of what Texas would be like.  Hot of course, but also full of cowboys, ranch's, and cactus.  Thankfully Texas totally lived up to my expectations!


On Friday evening when we arrive Steph took us to Cowboy which was definitely one of the highlights of my trip! I was totally blown away by this street in the middle of a city which was full of cowboys and bikers, horses and bulls!  The road was cobbled and their where cowboy shops and saloons the whole way along it! I was totally awe struck to see a place like this actually existed, and wasn't just a far fetched idea!  We spend Friday evening walking around the shops and looking around the worlds largest Honky Tonk, where there was plenty of country music and line dancing!  This was definitely a night I would not forget!

The next day we drove around the modern day downtown of Fort Worth, where we got to do some shopping, and visit the beautiful Water Gardens in the middle of the city!  On a scorning hot day is was bliss to sit under the trees in the water gardens beside the beautiful water features.  It truly was an amazing site to see.


We also went to visit Fort Worth's beautiful Botanic Gardens, where we saw the usual rose gardens and beautiful trees and lakes, along with the very unusual cactus garden! Saturday was a wonderful relaxing day as we got to see some of the nature and man made sites of Fort Worth.


As always I was also very excited to try Texan food, and was pleasantly surprised when I tried Texan BBQ beef for the first time, as normally I'm not that fond of beef.  However this food was gorgeous, and was made even nicer by the old Texan restaurant we where eating in.





On Sunday we drove into Dallas and went for a walk around the city, I also got to see the spot where President JFK was shot, and the building where his assassin stood, which was really rather chilling.


As the weekend came to an end and we started the nine hour drive back to Oxford, and finals, I realised that I had eventually found the place that I want to move to, Fort Worth, Texas.

Week Fifteen: Cultural

Every year in Oxford the 'Double Decker' Arts Festival takes place.  This is an opportunity for local artists and musicians to showcase their talents, and for local restaurants to make a lot of money!


As the weekend approached the people of Oxford made preparations for Double Decker, and on Friday and Saturday the square was blocked off from traffic as the festival took place, and floods of students and their families flooded in to witness or participate in the event.

On Friday night local bands played on a large stage in the centre of the square, followed by 'Iron and Wine' who were headlining this years event.  There was such a good atmosphere in the square of Friday night as so many people pilled into the square to see the bands.  However the atmosphere was even better on Saturday when all the stalls and food carts arrived!


The entire square was covered in stalls selling paintings, sculptures, clothes, quilts, jewellery and almost anything creative imaginable.  I really loved seeing so much local art work, and it was a fantastic opportunity for local artists to advertise, and for mothers who made crafts on the side to make some money.  Almost every restaurant in Oxford also had a food cart and I tried my first ever Snow Cone! 


On Sunday I went to Memphis to visit my Aunt and Uncle as they had came over for a holiday, and they took me to Graceland.  A place I had been desperate to go to since I found out I was going to Ole Miss.  I was able to tour Elvis' house, his trophy room, his cars, his private jet (called the Lisa Marie) and visit many more Elvis exhibits.  I was absolutely astounded as I was the place where he lived, and sadly his grave, which was covered in flowers.  It was also incredible to see what fellow Musicians had said about him, from Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake, to Bon Jovi, Trisha Yearwood and Joan Jett.  He was truly respected by Musicians from all era's and genres and he truly did change the future of Music, and especially the future of Music in Memphis.

Graceland was definitely a wonderful cultural experience as Elvis was such a big part of American history, and of the history of the South.  Music is such an important part of Southern Culture, as you can see by the Music filled weekend I had.  This weekend was the perfect opportunity for me to experience what music and art means to the people of the south and their culture.