This project was a study abroad trip from June 24, 2018 until July 28, 2018, in Oxford, England. As students, we took the Law 5796 course at the University of Oxford, and with this we studied a variety of subjects, including Law and Society (Britain and U.S.) and Introduction to the Anglo-American Legal System.
This project allowed be to develop my capabilities as an independent person, which I found challenging and rewarding. I was forced out of my comfort zone, not just being away from most of my support systems but being across the ocean from them. I had to navigate, communicate, budget, and manage all my responsibilities mostly on my own, but also sometimes with the help of my new friends that I made on the trip.
I had many meaningful interactions with people on this trip, from new friends to professors. Everyone on this trip had an impact on my life, in one way or another. I learned a lot from my peers and my professors, not just academically but also so much more than that. I was able to learn from their experiences in life and make connections to my own. At the University, we had two professors, Dr. Kim Jordan from OSU and Dr. Christopher Whelan from Oxford, a tutor (mine was Nomfundo Ramalekana, Rhodes Scholar), and multiple guest speakers, many of whom were also professors at the University. It was an incredible experience to be taught by all of these people in such a different setting. Not only did we have regular classes in the morning, but also for our final paper, we had a series of tutorials for our final papers, the tutorial system being traditional at Oxford. Having the one-on-one tutorials with our tutors was, for lack of better words, super cool. My tutor Nomfundo was seemingly an expert in all things relating to human rights, and I was absolutely in awe with how knowledgeable she was. She really inspired me and refueled my love for human rights. I hope to someday work in that field, as a lawyer or in some other way.
We also went on many trips in the surrounding area which had a significant impact on me as well. We visited so many places of historical significance, and it was absolutely astounding to me. We visited castles and palaces, Parliament, and the Old Bailey. One of the most impactful experiences I had on this trip was when we had lunch at Middle Temple. I was awestruck the entire time, trying to take in all of it not just because we could not take pictures, but also because I knew I would never be able to do that again, and I was honored to have had that once in a lifetime experience. During the weeks we had there, we also had a 3-day weekend where we were able to go pretty much wherever we wanted. Myself and 9 others planned a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, and it was probably one of the best experiences of my life; I had so much fun on that trip, even though it was only three short days. We took a train from King’s Cross station, and stayed in an AirBnB apartment above some little local shops. One place there that we went to that I will never ever forget was a small underground pub called Whistlebinkies. It was recommended to us by a tour guide, when we went on a tour of Edinburgh’s underground. Initially, we were debating on whether we wanted to actually go in, as it was a 5 pound cover charge. After about 10 minutes outside on the sidewalk talking about it, the bouncer outside of the pub called us over and let us in for free, and looking back, I would have paid 20 pounds to go inside if I had known what it was going to be like. We went down this narrow flight of stairs, into a bar area. Moving farther in, there is a dance floor, and on stage, a live band playing Scottish music. It was so incredible, I am not even really sure how to put the experience in to words. All I know is that I forgot about everything else that I had going on, and just enjoyed that night to the fullest. We had many nights like that on our trip abroad, but this one was especially special. I could go on and on about my experiences on this trip, but I will leave it here.
I believe that this trip not only made me more confident in my abilities but also gave me a new found appreciation for travel. I have always loved traveling and wanted to explore the world, and I think that actually living abroad for a few weeks amplified that desire. Getting a taste of England and Scotland especially makes me want to explore those countries more, especially the Scottish Highlands which we did not get to go to, as well as Ireland and Wales. The most traveling that I had done on my own before was flying to and from Columbus and Philadelphia, and in all of my experiences travelling internationally, I had my parents. Because of this, I was nervous for my first time travelling alone internationally, especially since I was flying in and out of Heathrow, and it is such a large and busy airport. However, after going through that and being home, I feel like I could go almost anywhere on my own and manage perfectly fine (minus any potential language barriers). I have always been used to following rules and doing exactly what people tell me to, now I feel much more confident in being able to manage myself.
This trip was transformational in many ways. It changed my idea of myself, my interests, and my potential career prospects. I feel like I now have a better sense of who I am and who I want to be. If I could do the entire trip over again, I definitely would not change a thing.