The Road Less Traveled

As I type this, the sun shines brightly outside of the glass door of my home. While the clock may say that it is 6:00pm, my tired eyes are not so sure. As with most trips, the day came yesterday when it was time to begin the long journey home. Getting up bright and early, a few of us loaded our luggage into the taxi and waved bye to Oxford.

My last night in Oxford.

As I reflect on the month I spent in Oxford, I am overwhelmed by the memories and experiences that I accumulated there. Reflecting on the academic aspects of the trip alone provide a deep trove to explore. Yet like a multiple layer cake, Oxford is so much more than academics. It is walking down a street where the first English translator of the Bible William Tyndale might have walked. It is sitting at a pub talking the night away with friends. It is ordering chips rather than French fries. Simply put, it is being rather than reading.

Overall, the opportunity Regent provided to spend a month in Oxford was amazing and one I will not forget. At least for me, Regent’s Oxford program this summer represented the road less traveled and my choosing it indeed has, “made all the difference.”

Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver

Just like it has for the past month, the sunlight began streaming through the windows of Abingdon House at 5am. Today would be like most Friday mornings, except that it would be our last day in class. Continuing on our study of the American Constitution, we examined Lincoln’s proposition that the relationship of the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution can be likened unto the proverb, “Apples of gold in settings of silver.” While time did not allow us to fully dive into the depth of this proposition of Lincoln’s, it was enough to provoke thought and reflection.

After class Thursday, a few of us visited the ancestral home of George Washington. While the house proved quite modest, it stood as a physical representation of how deeply intertwined the history of the United States is with history of England.

Ancestral home of George Washington.

Part of the group.

As evening approached today, people began to slip away to prepare themselves for the finale of the Oxford program, the Gala dinner. Served in Hertford’s great hall, the evening in many ways acts like a setting of silver surrounding several weeks of golden experiences. And without fail, the evening showed itself extraordinary as the ladies dazzled in their dresses and the men stood tall in their formal attire. It was an amazing night.

Before dinner.

.Just after the dinner

The Clarity of Differences

Having spent the last few days learning about the British Constitution, today we began to study the origins of the American Constitution. Today was also our first day of class with Dr. Morrison. Possessing such a detailed knowledge of American colonial history, Dr. Morrison took us step by step through the events in American history leading up to the writing of the Constitution.

In class with Dr. Morrison.

As we progressed through America’s past, not only could I see the continuation of British political traditions, I could also see the development of distinctly American traditions never seen before in the world. It is amazing how through examining the political traditions of others we can come to better appreciate our own political traditions.