Tierney Ray Hall, District 6250’s Global Scholar Reports from Oxford, U.K.

 

In addition to relieving my financial anxieties, the Rotary Global Grant Scholar experience has already provided me with new friends and new adventures.

 

“Michaelmas Term,” the first of three terms here at Oxford, began with introductions to my fellow Global Grant Scholars. This group includes students from Australia, Italy, Malawi, Germany, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, and locations across the US. We all received our official Thames Valley Rotary Scholar sweatshirt as well as a presentation on British culture and language (“Gloucester” is pronounced “Gloster,” “Magdalen” is pronounced “Maudlin,” and at Oxford and only at Oxford, the tea bag goes in prior to the hot water and milk, etc., etc.). Our host club then gave us each a list of the many trip opportunities we would be given over the course of the academic year.

 

We have since embarked on several of these activities. One misty mid-November day was spent weaving through the streets of Oxford as our host divulged the many layers of history to be found right under our feet. We spent one night in a nearby village getting to know Thames Valley Rotarians over cheese and wine as each scholar gave a quick speech of introduction and gratitude. Another day was spent at Windsor. We explored the castle, which was dripping with garland, gold and Christmas decor, and paid our respects to the late Queen Elisabeth II and Prince Philip before finishing with a lunch courtesy of the local Rotarians. I even had the pleasure of getting a tea and exploring Oxford with Cathy Statz, a Rotarian from Janesville visiting the area. 

 

There are still many trips to come, including a walk through bluebells in May, a volunteer trip to help clean the Thames, and the Rotary-organized world championship of Poohsticks. While Michaelmas was a wonderful introduction to Rotarians and peers alike, I cannot wait to see what Hilary Term (term two of three) has to bring. And I can’t wait to share it with you in a few months’ time!