Oxford trip: the ceremony

As we walked to the ceremony, we were confronted with the most stunning sunset I have seen in Oxford. It was so bright and vivid! All the gorgeous old sandstone and limestone buildings lit up in warm rich hues wherever the sun struck them... even as we fairly ran across the city to our event, I was snapping photos. The pictures don't do it justice. The whole western sky was heaped and layered in orange, pink, and purple- seemingly thrown open like a painted renaissance ceiling.  It was beautiful.

Me and Loretta

With friends who attended the ceremony to celebrate with us!

Outside the Sheldonian Theatre where the ceremony took place...

Receiving my certificate! 

Congratulations afterward from my classmate Max (who also received a certificate) and his wife, Fiona - both dear friends.

Oxford Trip: dinner at New College

The day I arrived in Oxford, I had a quick cup of tea with friends, freshened up, and ran out the door to catch the tail end of the Developing a Christian Mind conference for postgrads. I got there in time to attend a panel discussing theology and narrative/story, as well as to join a time of prayer in the chapel. We moved into a drinks reception (an Oxford staple) which is always interesting because of the opportunity to approach the presenters, discuss the talks with colleagues, and make new acquaintances. Afterward, we went through to dinner in the New College dining hall, which follows the stately style typical around the university: portrait laden spaces, grand arched ceilings, carved wood paneling, and glowing lamplight. The whole dinner event was lovely- typical of an Oxford college "formal hall"- and it was just nice to find myself so rapidly re-immersed in the ambient atmosphere, engaging conversations... and the food was amazing. I really enjoyed the meal- it was an excellent way to begin my trip!

You might be in Oxford if you have no less than eight pieces of silverware at your place setting... at the dinner of a Christian postgraduate conference. 

Oxford trip: happy to be together, no matter the weather

Despite unobliging weather, Loretta and I visited some favorite parks and bade spring welcome with a kind of giddy gratitude for the blessings in our life...no matter the weather.

Trip to Oxford

This past week I traveled back to Oxford to attend my academic certificate presentation ceremony. I stayed with a handful of my OCCA girlfriends and spent the majority of my time in conversation with classmates and friends at different cafes and pubs! It was a pretty grey week of weather, cool and unusually windy- however, my spirits could not be dampened. My friend Loretta and I still walked around our favorite parks running around in the springtime flowers... and happily, as the week wore on, the sun finally gave in and shined for us. It was perfectly lovely. I was an enormous blessing to be back there even for a short stay... I find the city inspiring, and my community there encouraging- I feel refreshed and renewed for my present season in Vancouver. 

pages upon pages

Still just reading and writing, day in and day out... with lots of coffee in between, of course. In good news, I passed my midterm exam in a history related class- so feeling encouraged by that. Now, having wrapped up several presentations, reports, and term papers,  I am working on my last essay for this term. It is a piece for my literature related class and I got to pic my topic... so I am enjoying this paper more than the others. I am quite happy to be holed up all day reading Dostoevsky and connecting it to a host of theological and philosophical themes! 

So if you inserted a cup of coffee into the above photo, and maybe a plate covered in toast crumbs, you would have an excellent portrait of how I spend the majority of my time:)