GT JOHN H. MARTINSON HONORS PROGRAM- OXFORD STUDY ABROAD

~by Irene Yang

There are some moments in life that don’t just happen; they imprint themselves into your memory like a photograph. That’s what this summer has been for me. The Oxford Summer Study Abroad program has not only allowed me to experience academic growth, but it’s also given me emotional and personal revelations that I’ll carry with me for a long time.

From the cobblestone streets of Florence to the calm waters off the island of Lido, every destination brought its own story. What tied it all together was the deeper connection I felt to history, humanity, and myself. Below are two of the most meaningful “globally engaged” experiences I had this summer and my personal reflection on why Oxford was, without a doubt, the best summer of my life.

Lido, Venice

One of the most unforgettable moments from the travel portion of the program happened in Venice. Well, just a short ferry ride away on a narrow island called Lido.

After a day of lectures or museum visits, a group of us would board the ferry and head to the beach on the far side of the island. The beach wasn’t touristy or overly crowded. It was wide, open, and felt like it belonged to us. The moment we stepped onto the sand, it felt like all the intensity of learning, walking, and navigating new places melted away. We swam, played music on a speaker, watched the sun dip into the horizon, and laughed until the last light faded.

It reminded me of home, the beaches I grew up loving, and filled a gap I didn’t even know I was carrying during our travels. But even more than the peace it brought me, Lido was where our group bonded deeply. Something about watching the sunset together, sharing snacks, and walking back in damp clothes with sand in our shoes made us close. We went from classmates and co-travelers to true friends, and that wouldn’t have happened without Lido.

Reflecting on this experience, I realized how much space matters. Physical space and emotional space both play a huge role in how we experience things. That beach gave us both. I learned that moments of rest and shared joy are just as crucial to learning abroad as formal lectures. They provide the emotional energy and companionship to absorb everything else. My advice to anyone going on this program is to bring a digital camera and a speaker. You’ll want to remember these little moments and create more of them.

Michelangelo’s David

During our time in Florence, we visited the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze, where Michelangelo’s David stands.

We had studied David in our art history class earlier that week. I had taken notes, listened to the background about how Michelangelo carved him from a single block of marble, and how the sculpture was designed to portray a moment of intense focus just before the battle with Goliath. David is not shown as a calm victor, but as a tense, alert young man on the edge of action. Knowing this changed how I understood the piece.

But none of that prepared me for seeing it in person.

The sculpture is absolutely massive. It towers above, with every vein, muscle, and curve carved to perfection. I was frozen. I literally got goosebumps. For the first time, I felt the art rather than just looking at it. I understood what people mean when they say art can move you.

That moment changed the way I think about art and artists. It made me realize how much planning, imagination, and emotional depth goes into creating something like this. Michelangelo had to see that figure in the stone before he ever made a cut. He had to understand human anatomy, myth, politics, and psychology to express one fleeting moment in marble. That’s not just talent. That’s genius-level storytelling. It made me respect artists not just as skilled hands, but also as thinkers, philosophers, and engineers.

It’s hard to express how powerful it is to stand in front of something you’ve only seen in textbooks or slides. I learned that being physically present changes your perception completely. Seeing David in person gave me a connection to the past that no photo or video could offer.

Reflection

This Oxford Program was not just a summer abroad. It was an entire worldview shift. Every place we visited and every course we took added new layers to my understanding of the world.

The Art History and Music courses during the travel portions were deeply enriching. Seeing paintings and sculptures in their original context (standing in cathedrals where masses were once held, or in galleries where artists’ visions were realized) gave me a rare insight into how people in the past understood the world. It’s one thing to learn from a book, but another to walk the same streets as Dante, or stand where Bach once composed. Being physically in those places made the history come alive.

And then there was Oxford itself, a place I’ve dreamed of visiting for so long. Studying European Intellectual History at Oxford felt surreal. Sitting in centuries-old lecture halls and libraries, surrounded by students from all over the world, I often had moments where I paused and thought, “I can’t believe I’m really here.” It made me reflect more deeply on my life, my goals, and my place in the world.

This program reminded me that the world is big, complex, and shaped by countless people whose lives are now only stories, but whose legacies live on in architecture, literature, and ideas. It was overwhelming at times, but in the best possible way. It forced me to slow down, to think, to take it all in, and to realize how small yet connected we all are.

If you’re a student considering this program, here’s what I would say: Do it. Bring your curiosity, your patience, and your sense of wonder. You’ll come back changed in ways you didn’t expect.

Some final thoughts, this summer was more than just unforgettable. It was transformative. I came for the academics, but I leave with a richer sense of history, humanity, and friendship.

~by Dhruv Narang

Our Oxford Summer 2025 trip started not with a landmark or museum. It started in Philadelphia.

Basically almost the whole of group 2 missed our 50 minute layover in philadelphia as our flight from atlanta was delayed. Everyone was struggling and eventually they booked us into a hotel room, all exhausted. But the reality? That random 24-hour detour might’ve been the best thing that happened to us. It was a chance to get to know people before we even reached Europe, more importantly, it set the stage for what would be one of the closest groups in Oxford program history (everyone says it, and I’m pretty sure we mean it).

That travel hiccup also started a trend within me: when there was a vacuum, I filled it. When other people weren’t sure what to do or where to go, I planned, able to leverage my past European experiences in France, Spain, Italy, Turkey and the UK. When we needed to figure out where to eat, what to do, or how to spend our time, I took the lead. That started in Lisbon, but it didn’t stop there.

Lisbon: Taking the Lead from Day One

After Philly, we finally made it to Lisbon, tired, excited, and VERY behind schedule. Some had no idea how to start the day. It was our first day in europe and though everyone was exhausted, I opened Google Maps and said, “We’re exploring.”

That’s how I found myself becoming the unofficial group planner.

I took everyone (a group of about 20 of us) on the train toward the winding Alfama backstreets, then climbed aboard the famous Tram 28, squeezing in among tourists up hills so steep I couldn’t fathom why it didn’t tip over. I guided us to Time Out Market, where we sampled everything from risotto to char-grilled octopus to pastel de nata to some amazing drinks. That market served as a benchmark for the rest of the trip—a measure of day-one enchantment and squad camaraderie.

We ended the evening at a hilltop miradouro, watching the sunset blaze across the red roofs. That was just day 1 followed by a day of planned activities and a local full group 2 going out to a jazz club. 

Seville: The Rhythm of Leadership

I planned again in Seville, this time leading us to a local music festival we stumbled upon during a walk. This festival featured Spanish artists like Zahara and Rigoberta Bandini, which was a fantastic first delve into modern Spanish culture. 

The next few days were consecutive. I helped plan visits to the Setas de Sevilla, El Disparate (a fun tapas bar that was filled with locals), and then the Real Alcázar, a fairytale told in mosaic. With every outing, our group became more tight-knit. People trusted my recommendations, asked what was next, and followed behind me through unfamiliar cities as if we’d been traveling for years.

The flamenco show we watched was adrenaline-pure. Seeing it with the group I’d helped gather made it even more intense. These weren’t activities. They were experiences I had a part in shaping, and that made all the difference to me.

Madrid: Planning Meets Art, and Dinner Becomes Ritual

By Madrid, I had settled well and truly into my position, people started saying, “Ask Dhruv what we’re doing,” or, “Where are we going to eat tonight?” And I had an answer. Always.

We visited the Prado, and seeing The Garden of Earthly Delights, a painting we’d learned about in class, was like déjà vu in the best way. It was eerie and brilliant and more impactful because we were seeing it as a group of humans who now had more in common than a syllabus.

That night, I brought a crew to ISA at the Four Seasons, a modern 8-course dinner that was akin to performance art. The presentation was as beautiful as the food was innovative—beautifully crafted sushi, saffron sea bass, lime ice in hollowed-out fruit. The next day? We balanced it out with Takos al Pastor, maybe €2 a taco, no reservation, no frills. Both dinners were equally memorable in entirely different ways.

We were not just eating. We were bonding over meals. By now, meals had become our group’s reset button, time to slow down, reconnect, and laugh. 

Barcelona: The Tour Guide Era

I had visited Barcelona twice before, so I took it upon myself, naturally. I planned a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, Plaça Reial, the marina, and finally the beach. I knew where all the right turns were, where the views were best, and even where we could get shade when the sun got too intense.

That knowledge gave me confidence, and our group leaned into it. People started saying things like “Dhruv always knows where we’re going.” It wasn’t just helpful. It became part of our identity.

We visited Palau de la Música, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, and the Sagrada Familia, each featuring Gaudí’s bizarre brilliance. These were not buildings but architectural masterpieces. As someone who is fascinated by architecture, having designed multiple homes, 3 of which have been built in some form, and one of which drew on gaudi’s work, seeing these sights was amazing. 

And the boat trip, which I assisted in planning for the entire Oxford group. Sunset views, karaoke, dancing on deck. No one missed it, and no one wanted it to end. That night, we all said the same thing: we’re the tightest Oxford group the program ever saw. I think it’s because we didn’t simply visit places together, we traveled together, like a well-choreographed trip that I was subtly coordinating behind the scenes.

Paris: The Power of a Reservation

Septime, let’s talk about it.

Michelin-starred. Ultra-sustainable. Impossible to get into. And somehow… I was able to snag us a table. Making the reservation was incredibly hard and something I had planned since Seville. I picked this place due to its uniqueness and affordability (around 10$ a dish). Dining there was like time stood still.

Every dish, the charred carrot was smoky and sweet, likely paired with something acidic or nutty to highlight its depth. The tuna dish was delicate, probably seared or raw, showcasing freshness with umami-driven accents. The duck, served two ways, offered richness and contrast: a perfectly roasted cut alongside a lettuce wrap filled with confit or offal, balanced with pickled or herbal notes. Finally, the almond and asparagus plate was a springtime standout: soft, green, and nutty, capturing Septime’s signature restraint and elegance.

Later that week, we went to the Paris music festival, climbed up the Eiffel Tower, went on a Seine river cruise, visited Saint Chapelle, and saw the Basilica de Montmartre, watching the sunset over the city from there, listening to a street performer while eating pizza with friends. 

That’s the kind of week that’s perfect for Paris.

Belgium: Detours, Waffles, and a Beach I Didn’t Mean to Find

Our final travel portion stop in Brugge was quiet. But then I suggested a day trip to Ghent, and… well, things didn’t go according to plan.

We boarded the wrong train. Ended up at the beach. In Belgium. Completely unplanned, totally off-track, and of course, hilarious. Everyone just rolled with it. That’s kind of who we were by then: the type of group who could accidentally end up oceanside and still make it a core memory.

Eventually, we rerouted and made it to Ghent, which ended up being the true highlight of the Belgian leg. The canals, the medieval buildings, the vibe, it was vibrant in a way Brugge wasn’t. I was proud of pulling the plan back together even after a chaotic start. And naturally, we wrapped the day with Otto waffles, which I would book a flight back for tomorrow if I could.

Oxford, the adventure continues:

After that: the fun does not stop! We went to Wimbeldon, Jurassic Coast UK, Berlin and Hamburg, and Switzerland (2 weekends!, Zurich, Interlaken, Lucerne and Zermatt + accidentally ended up in Italy while skiing). Plus we saw 2 concerts: Lana Del Rey and Kendrick/SZA, buying last minute tickets to go for cheap! Plus we really enjoyed many nights out and the amazing group formal dinner. 

For Future HP Oxford Students:

If you’re reading this and deciding whether to apply, the answer is yes. It will be a life-changing experience. But know this: the best moments won’t be on the schedule. They’ll be the ones you create.

Say yes to things. Book the boat tour. Find the secret restaurant. Go to that concert. Be the person who finds the view that no one else finds.

~by Emma Lumpkin

I absolutely loved my time in the Oxford Program this summer! It’s hard to put into words just how much this experience has meant to me. As I look back on the past twelve weeks, I’m amazed by how much I’ve learned, how many places I’ve seen, and how many wonderful people I’ve met. This has truly been one of the most incredible and memorable experiences of my life.

Notable Global Experiences: Two of the most globally engaged experiences I had this summer were visiting the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria and attending the Vespers service at Heiligenkreuz Abbey just outside Vienna. These were very different moments, one filled with grief and reflection and the other with quiet beauty and awe, but both gave me a deeper sense of connection to history, to faith traditions, and to what it means to be human.

Visiting Mauthausen was deeply sobering. I’d studied the Holocaust in classes before, but standing in the actual place where people suffered and died brought everything into sharper focus. The silence at the site was heavy. Our group walked through the barracks, the roll call square, and the gas chamber, and I kept thinking about how terrifying it was that such horror can coexist with such plainness. What stuck with me most was the idea of memory as responsibility. That simply being there, learning, and carrying those stories forward matters. It wasn’t easy to process, but I’m glad we went. It taught me that global engagement isn’t always light or picturesque. Sometimes, it’s about being willing to look directly at what’s difficult and learning how to hold that weight respectfully.

The Vespers service at Heiligenkreuz Abbey offered something completely different, but just as powerful. We sat quietly as the monks sang ancient chants in Latin, and even though I didn’t understand the words, I felt incredibly at peace. The abbey itself has stood for centuries, and I kept thinking about how many people across generations had heard those same melodies in that same space. It reminded me that spiritual practice, music, and community are global languages, and that beauty can be found in stillness and tradition. I’ve never been part of a monastic or liturgical tradition myself, but I left feeling deeply moved and oddly hopeful.

Both of these experiences showed me that engaging globally doesn’t just mean trying new foods or visiting famous places. It’s also about sitting with discomfort, appreciating unfamiliar rituals, and letting those moments change the way you see the world.

What Made It Special: One of my favorite things about this program is how many different kinds of experiences I got to have. We started with a week of class in Atlanta to prepare, then spent five weeks traveling through Europe exploring new cities, visiting museums, going to concerts, and seeing historic monuments. After that, we spent six weeks in Oxford taking classes with Georgia Tech professors while living at Mansfield College. I loved the fast pace of the travel portion, but I also loved getting to slow down in Oxford, settle in, and really get to know the city. The contrast between the two parts of the summer made me feel like I got the best of both worlds.

Some things to consider:

This program is a marathon, not a sprint. The travel portion is intense. I was in Group 1, which meant we went to the most cities with the least time to settle in between. I loved how much we saw, but I also had to learn to balance all the extra activities with time to rest and recharge. You can’t do everything, and that’s okay.

The people on this program make it special. I made some really close friends, and I loved how quickly we built strong bonds. That said, you don’t have to do everything with the same people all the time. It’s okay to branch out and do stuff with different people. Some of my favorite memories came from spontaneous decisions or getting to expand my friend group even more.

Also, take pictures. Lots of them. You think you’ll remember everything, but the days start to blur together before you even arrive in Oxford. I made short little recap videos each night, and I’m so glad I did. A travel journal is also a great idea, even if you just write a sentence or two each day. It helps you process what you’re seeing and lets you look back on the small things that made the trip feel personal and real.

If a city is known for something, try it, even if it’s not what you’d normally go for. One of my favorite memories from the whole summer was going to a traditional beer garden in Munich with friends. I don’t like beer, but the atmosphere, the music, and the giant pretzels made it so much fun. We only left because it started hailing on us! Being willing to step out of my comfort zone led to so many moments like that, and I’m really grateful I didn’t let hesitation hold me back.

A quick tip: if you can sleep on a bus or plane, you will thrive. There are a lot of early mornings and long travel days, especially in the Group 1 schedule. Learning how to nap in motion is a game changer.

If you’re someone who usually avoids classes like art or music, don’t worry. I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy those subjects either, but getting to see paintings in person or hear live orchestras in historic venues changed everything. There’s something about experiencing the material right in front of you that makes it way more engaging, even if it’s outside your usual academic interests.

The Oxford Program is amazing, but it’s also a lot. Twelve weeks is a long time to be away from home, and there will probably be moments when you feel a little homesick. That’s completely normal. I definitely missed my family (and my pets) more than I expected, but what helped was how supportive and kind everyone on the program was. You’re surrounded by people going through the same thing, and it’s always okay to call home, send a quick text, or scroll through your pet photo album if you need a boost.

It’s helpful to budget beyond the program cost. There are extra expenses like meals, museum tickets (during your free time), weekend trips during the Oxford portion, souvenirs, and more. It’s all worth it, but it’s good to plan ahead.

Make the most of your time in Oxford too. Go punting on the river, visit the free museums, wander through the college courtyards, or get lost in Blackwell’s while looking through all the books. There’s something about the pace of the city that invites you to slow down and soak it all in.

Once you’re settled in Oxford, you’ll have three-day weekends most weeks, which are perfect for extra travel if you’re up for it. I spent one weekend visiting Stonehenge and Wales with my family, another at Disneyland Paris with a friend I met on the trip, and another meeting up with friends from a different study abroad program in Venice. It’s a great chance to explore even more and make unforgettable memories with people you care about.

Closing Thoughts: This summer challenged me in all the best ways. I grew academically, emotionally, and personally, and I feel like I’m returning to campus with a much broader view of the world and my place in it. It pushed me, but it also gave me so much joy, confidence, and perspective. If you’re even considering the Oxford Program, I can’t recommend it enough. Just be ready to learn, grow, and lean into the experience. Say yes to new things, take time to reflect, and enjoy every second you can! You’ll come away with far more than you expect.

Additional Photos:

~by Kylee Lange

“The memory” from my trip was a boat tour my friends and I took in Paris. We headed to the Eiffel Tower as the sun was setting, and saw an amazing view of the tower and the sky. During the tour, the sun set in its entirety and we experienced Paris at night. People on the docks and streets were waving at the people on the boat, creating an overall friendly atmosphere. On the tour we passed by multiple monuments and wi--

tnessed them at night with the shining lights, which were not as bright and prominent as they are in many American cities. When we neared the Eiffel Tower again, the lights on the tower were powered on with an occasional sparkle effect happening. Paris was the first city we visited on this trip and somewhere I have wanted to visit for many years, so this experience was extra special for me. Was the experience very tourist-y? Yes. But sometimes you need to embrace being a tourist, while still being respectful to the city and its citizens, and visit the tourist attractions. The Paris boat tour was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for years to come.

“Speed-running cities is not as fun as it seems.” This sentence may not make a lot of sense or even be something that everyone agrees with, but it was a lesson that I learned. Sometimes, when you are in a city, it is hard to fight the urge to attempt to do everything, especially when the program first begins. Yes, it is fun to visit museums, monuments, tourist attractions, and the unique stores and restaurants, but attempting to cram everything into one day, or maybe two, becomes very stressful and might even be impossible. In the beginning of the travel portion, my friends and I wanted to fill every second of the day with something, focusing on quantity instead of quality. When we started to take our time in cities and give each location we truly wanted to visit enough time to enjoy it in its entirety, we found that we had more fun. While both experiences were so much fun, we found that visiting one castle and exploring Munich on foot was more enjoyable than having class for four hours, visiting a museum, visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, and then going on a boat tour by the Eiffel Tower; yes, we did this all in one day and immediately crashed in our hotel room afterwards. The Oxford Program is a marathon and not a sprint (something one of my friends would often say) and tiring oneself out in the first few days is not the smartest decision. The best piece of advice I can offer someone considering this program is to learn how you enjoy spending time while traveling and to find the right people to travel with, even if they change or alternate.

I will forever be grateful to myself that I decided to participate in the Oxford program. I had this idea of what the program was going to be and what I would experience just to watch all these ideas shattered into pieces in the first city. No one can predict what the Oxford program will be like for each Tech member, because the program offers everyone a significant amount of freedom to shape their own experiences. 

The aforementioned freedom is one of my favorite characteristics of this program. During the travel portion, there will be moments to explore the cities you are visiting, and there are not many restrictions on how to spend your free moments, so long as you are safe, it is legal, and you are on time for required excursions and concerts. I have many fond memories of navigating cities with Google and Apple maps with friends, searching for ways to spend our time before visiting museums or after class. Without this freedom, there would have been parts of the cities and countries we visited that I would never have seen.

Another reason I personally enjoyed my time in the Oxford program was the amount of time I had available to spend with friends. One of my personal favorite memories of the trip was a late night snack run after a concert. After a concert in Munich, a group of us saw this small convenience store - think a gas station without the gas part - that was still open, and we all popped in to see what they had. It was about 10pm and about 12 of us crowded into this poor man’s store to buy cheap ice cream bars. The ice cream was nothing special, in fact, most of the selection could have been purchased in the U.S. The fun part was walking back to the hotel, seeing the city at night, and laughing and talking with everyone while in our fancy concert outfits. 

For anyone considering applying to the program, I would highly encourage them to do so. I personally did it the summer between my first and second year - which I personally believe is the best time to do so - and I encourage anyone who wants to see a significant amount of Europe in a relatively short period of time. However, to be completely open about this program, it is expensive. There are the advertised program costs, the extra meals (you will be paying for a large number of your own meals), any souvenirs, and the cost for weekend trips and visiting any attraction, site, or museum not included in the program. This is not meant to scare off anyone interested in applying, only to ensure that anyone interested is aware of the costs of the program beforehand. 

Random Pieces of Advice 

Bring a water bottle around when you can, water can be hard to find and will not be free

You want distilled, still, or tap water at restaurants, if they ask, because you might end up with sparkling water instead

Always have small bills on you for bathrooms

Google translate and maps are your friends

You do not need to do everything with the same group of people for the entire trip

Record your memories - take photos, journal, do something so you can remember this trip

Very specific advice: If you have curly hair and like American curly hair care brands, bring enough products to last the entire program because the selection, even at Oxford, is very limited

Some Photos

~by Jalyn Fisher

During my time in the Oxford Program, I participated in several experiences that deeply engaged me with global history, culture, and human stories. Some of the most impactful experiences were visiting the concentration camps and exploring iconic cultural landmarks, such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. These moments were eye-opening and incredibly meaningful, shaping my perspective on history, humanity, and my role in the world.

One of the most powerful experiences I had was visiting the concentration camps. These sites stand as haunting reminders of one of the darkest chapters in human history, the Holocaust. Walking through the camps, seeing the barracks, the gas chambers, and the grounds where unimaginable atrocities occurred brought history out of textbooks and into reality. It was a moment filled with a mix of sadness, shock, and reflection.

Standing where so many innocent people suffered and died made me realize how important it is to remember and honor their stories. It reinforced for me the dangers of hatred, intolerance, and blind obedience to destructive ideologies. The experience taught me that history is not just about facts and dates but about real people and the consequences of collective human actions.

Reflecting on this visit, I feel a stronger sense of responsibility to speak out against injustice and to advocate for human rights. The concentration camps are a global symbol that the world must never forget what can happen when prejudice and dehumanization are allowed to grow unchecked.

Another globally engaging experience was spending time in Paris visiting the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. The Louvre, with its vast and diverse collection of art spanning centuries, gave me a profound appreciation for the power of art and culture to connect people across time and geography. Walking through the galleries, I was struck by the stories each piece told of different societies, beliefs, and human creativity.

The Louvre felt like a conversation across generations and cultures, reminding me that art is a universal language that reflects both our differences and our shared humanity. It encouraged me to be more curious and open about perspectives outside my cultural background.

In contrast, the Eiffel Tower represented human ingenuity and modern cultural symbolism. I felt a deep sense of awe at what humans can build and achieve. The tower is more than a tourist attraction; it’s a symbol of progress, creativity, and the spirit of innovation. Also, it’s massive. There is nothing that could have prepared me for how big it is.

These experiences helped me see culture not just as history but as a living force that shapes identities and worldviews. They also made me realize the importance of preserving cultural heritage while embracing new ideas.

While these global sites and histories were impactful, what made the Oxford Program truly special for me was traveling alongside a close group of friends. Sharing every part of this journey, from navigating unfamiliar cities and exploring museums to late-night conversations and meals, created a deep bond that enhanced my overall experience.

Having friends around gave me a sense of safety and encouragement, making it easier to immerse myself in new environments and cultural experiences. We learned from each other’s perspectives, challenged one another to think critically, and found joy in the small moments together. This taught me the invaluable role that community plays in travel and learning.

In many ways, the relationships I built with my friends became the lens through which I experienced the world during the program. I learned that travel is not just about the places you visit but about the people you share those moments with. The friendships made the good times better and the challenging moments more manageable.

Looking back at the Oxford Program as a whole, it was one of the most transformative experiences I have had so far. It combined academic learning with cultural immersion and personal growth in a way that few other opportunities can match.

What stood out most to me was the well-maintained balance between structured academic learning and the freedom to explore. The lectures and classes challenged me intellectually, pushing me to think critically about history, culture, and global issues. At the same time, the excursions and free time allowed me to experience these lessons firsthand, making them tangible and real.

I especially appreciated the program’s focus on global engagement, not just learning facts but encountering history, culture, and social justice issues in person. This approach made the learning more profound and meaningful.

The program encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. Whether it was trying new foods, navigating public transportation in foreign cities, or engaging in conversations with people from different backgrounds, I grew in confidence and independence.

For any HP students thinking about applying, I have some advice that could help make your experience smoother and more enjoyable:

Pack for All Weather: The weather can be unpredictable, ranging from hot days to chilly evenings, especially depending on the locations visited. Bring layers and be prepared for both extremes to stay comfortable throughout the program.

Be Open and Make Friends: One of the best parts of the program is the people you meet. Be open to forming new friendships—you never know who you might end up spending time with or learning from. These connections can significantly enrich your experience.

Have Fun and Don’t Stress About Classes: While academics are important, remember the program is also about exploration and growth. Don’t worry too much about classes or perfection; enjoy the journey and make memories. Balancing learning with enjoyment is key to a fulfilling experience.

In conclusion, the Oxford Program was a life-changing opportunity. It allowed me to engage with history and culture on a global scale, broadened my perspective, and taught me lessons that extend far beyond the classroom. The friendships I formed, the places I visited, and the lessons I learned will stay with me for a lifetime.

~by Samuel Barnett

This summer I have had the extreme fortune of participating in the Georgia Tech Oxford Program, during which I’ve listened to world class musicians, tried new local cuisine, and gazed upon exquisite art and architecture. As someone with a passion for urban development, I was ecstatic that my first stop would be in Barcelona, Spain. That first evening, a small group of us decided to climb one of the many hills tucked in and around the city. Prior to embarking on this program, I was worried about getting to know new people; as I gazed over terracotta rooftops towards the Balearic Sea, I had no idea just how close I’d become with those around me.

One of my favorite class experiences was receiving a guided tour of the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, a behemoth church which has been under construction for nearly 150 years. Designed by legendary local architect Antoni Gaudí, the church is nothing short of extraordinary; the exterior is full of intricate figures and detailing, the top adorned with gigantic gothic revival spires. Despite its immense exterior, the interior somehow feels even more vast; in true Gaudí fashion, the interior defies any traditional architectural categorization, with its tree-like supports and chromatic stained-glass windows.

After seven days in Barcelona, we then headed towards Madrid, the capital of Spain, stopping overnight in one of the smaller cities, Zaragoza. Even though it was only one night, my crew was determined to still see the city; we eventually made way for El Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta, a large rectangular park with gorgeous landscaping and water features; people of all ages meandered along paths or sat in the benches and on the grass, some fanning themselves as if to brush away the last of the day’s heat. We eventually found a nice spot overlooking the long park into the rest of the city; with the fountain burbling below us and a light breeze weaving through the banisters, we watched as the sun fell, peeking behind buildings, slowly melting away.

Though each group had their own share of amazing cities and experiences, one unique aspect of the Spain/Portugal group was spending more time in each city. Personally, I enjoyed being able to savor each city and getting to know it just that little bit better, even if that meant visiting a fewer number of cities than other groups. That extra time afforded us many half days (and even some full days) to explore the city on our own; many of my favorite memories on this trip have come from wandering with a friend with no destination in mind. Albaicin, in Granada, was one such neighborhood through which two friends and I wandered along cobblestone streets up hilly terrain, coming across several “miradors” or viewpoints with superb views of the midsize city. One such mirador looked out towards “La Alhambra”, a massive Medieval palace and fortress with Moorish and Christian influences from its many occupations. On a wall adjacent to the mirador, a small piece of graffiti read:

Tengo la Alhambra en frente y solo te miro a ti.

I have the Alhambra in front of me and I only look at you.

Some may call it saccharine, but I loved this demonstration of feeling; even though this one was (likely) romantic, it reminded me that, more broadly, despite differences in language, culture, and government, many of us face similar joy, sadness, excitement, and, yes, love.

I saw and heard these emotions in numerous influential artworks and pieces of music. My favorite concert was a nighttime open-air historically informed performance (HIP) in the Palace of Charles V in the Alhambra complex. Under the direction of Jordi Savall, a legendary Spanish composer and director, Le Concert des Nations performed works by Vivaldi and Bach using techniques, instruments, and tuning mirroring those used during the time in which the pieces were originally composed (hence “historically informed”). As a musician myself, each of the concerts was excellent, but none quite so invigorating as this one; something about the combination of location and technique captured a sound and feeling unlike any I’ve experienced back in the States.

Anyone who has met me knows of my passion for the art of coffeemaking, so this trip to Europe has been nothing short of fascinating in that regard. I’ve visited easily over three dozen specialty coffee shops, each with unique character and quality – in fact, I’m currently writing from Common Ground in Oxford, sitting across the table from a friend who visited many of these same places with me. I never envisioned that my niche obsession would be appreciated, let alone shared, but introducing these new ways of appreciating coffee to my friends has been one of the unsung highlights of my travels. If you visit these same cities, here are my top spots: Bracafe, Barcelona; Syra Coffee, Madrid; La Finca, Granada; Muy Coffee, Seville; and Copenhagen Coffee Lab, Lisbon.

Though most of my group’s travel time was spent in Spain, the last city on our itinerary was Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. In many ways, it was a fitting last stop – a coastal bustling city reminiscent of our first stop in Barcelona. On one of the last days, we took a half-day trip to Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca), the westernmost point of continental Europe overlooking the Atlantic Ocean (Roca translates to “sea cliff”). Many of us ended up carefully descending the less steep side of one such cliff, eventually coming across a group of boulders; I sat atop one of these in silence, and with the cool morning breeze rushing around us, watched the waves batter at the cliffs below. You make so many amazing memories on this trip that scenes like these are opportunities to just be – and to think, whether back on those same memories, or perhaps something else, something personal. It’s important, in between the rush of it all, to not forget to make space for you.

As much fun as the travel portion may be, many welcome the change of pace during the latter half at Oxford. Here, you’ll have a more “standard” class structure; classes take place Monday through Thursday of each week, meaning you have ample time to travel to new and exciting destinations on weekends. Apart from exploring Oxford and taking several day trips to London, I also traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Both cities were amazing in their own regard; Edinburgh with its rich centuries-long history and winding cobblestone streets, and Amsterdam with its scenic canals and prolific bike infrastructure.

~by JP Turney      

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to participate in the Oxford study abroad program. I had never been to Europe or really out of the United States at all, so this would be a completely new experience for me. As part of Group 3 (aka the Italy Group), I would get the chance to travel to many cities in the country including Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice, as well cities in other countries such as Vienna, Leipzig, and Antwerp. While we were traveling around Europe, we would be taking two classes, History of Art and Architecture as well as Music and its Composers. I came in knowing that this would be a life changing experience, but I was still not prepared for all the things that I would see and experience on this trip.

 Our first stop after landing was Rome, which had a ton of incredible places to visit. For example, we went to see the Vatican Museum and Saint Peter’s Basilica, both of which showed the beauty and wealth of the catholic church and their artwork, as well as how big of an influence they were on Italian society. I even had the opportunity to experience a Catholic mass in the Pantheon, which gave me a chance to observe the religious life of the Italian people, as well as see one of the oldest places of worship for the Italian people going back to the ancient Romans.

We continued our journey through Italy by going to Florence, one of the biggest art hubs in all of Italy. We visited the Uffizi Gallery, seeing amazing paintings such as the Birth of Venus and Judith Beheading Holofernes from the renaissance period of Italy, demonstrating how truly incredible the art produced here during this time was. We also got to see more incredible Italian architecture, this time at the Pitti Palace which had incredible renaissance architecture as well as being an art gallery inside with even more art work inside. Throughout my experience in Rome and Florence I was able to see how much respect and importance Italians put on there past and have pride in how it shaped their country and cities into what they are today, which is a lesson that I will continue to take with during me this trip.

Afterwards we continued to Milian, which felt like a more modern city that still retained its historic roots with beautiful buildings such as the Dumomo di Milano and the Castello Sforzesco, as well as showing that it is a developed and modern city, as shown through a lot of modern buildings and having more modern art work such as the art present in the Museo del Novecento. Afterwards for our final Italian city we went to Venice, which had even more beautiful renaissance architecture and artwork in Venice such as the art galleries inside of the Doge’s palace and the grand structure of Saint Marco’s Cathedral. I would say one of the most interesting things about Venice is the unique structure of the city that can’t be found anywhere else due to it being built on the ocean, making the city a whole just as interesting as the individual locations, something that can be lost through the process of going from museum to museum.

After Venice we left Italy and went to the city of music, Vienna. We had been studying music throughout our trip so far, but it really came into focus once we got here. I got to visit the Museum of Music as well as visiting a local piano shop and Mozart’s house. The biggest thing we did though was attending an opera, “Salome”, in the Vienna State Opera house, which had beautiful architecture and was the perfect setting for this experience. It was the culmination of everything we had learned and seen so far in music. It had a large professional orchestra, Opera singers with beautiful voices, and a grand story, a demonstration of the power music has to bring stories to life and to connect people together through the emotions it evokes.

After Vienna we had quick visits to two more cities, Leipzig and Antwerp. In Leipzig we visited a few locations significant to music history such as the Bach Museum, while in Antwerp we had time to explore the city on our own while preparing for finals, which I took advantage of to cycle around the city and try out their food such as Belgian waffles. After this the first part of the program ended, and the second part of program began as we boarded the bus to drive to Oxford.

Once we got to Oxford, we had a day to explore oxford and prepare before we began our classes. Each of the classes I took were very interesting, with The History of Medieval England being particularly interesting as we are learning about history of the country we are studying in, talking about how the Norman invasions changed the landscape of the country or how the various succession wars affected the country and their traditions. This allowed me to engage with Oxford in a unique way that was still able to challenge me academically.

Oxford was a wonderful town to study in as well, with lots of interesting places to visit as almost every building here was built in medieval times or has architecture based on that time period. I had the opportunity to go on a walking tour around Oxford with David Gunnell, which was a wonderful way to learn more about the history of the town and visit some of the wonderful locations in the town. There was also plenty of free time during the week to explore around the city on our own, with some examples of neat places I visited being Oxford Prison and Castle, as well as Christ Church college.

While we were at Oxford, we were also free to travel and explore different places during our weekends, which is one of the best parts of the Oxford portion. I went to a variety of places on the weekends, but my biggest excursions where to Edinburgh and London. At Edinburgh there was lots of Scottish History which I explored through visiting the Edinburgh castle and viewed the beautiful scenery on the top of Arthur’s head, while at London I got to visit the London Bridge, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey just to name a few.

~by Phi Cai

When I committed to Georgia Tech just a little over a year ago, I had already been planning to go to Oxford. I had been accepted into the Oxford FYSA program, but ultimately declined to take my HP offer instead, since I found out I could do Oxford this summer. Over a year of anticipation later, here I am!

Coming into this trip, I had two goals: to make friends and to “tourist” as much as I could. Safe to say, I’ve accomplished those goals, but also ones I never sought to do. I am a naturally anxious person, so when during pre-departure, we got warnings from out group leader/professors that this trip would be very mentally taxing and that we would be stressed and disappointed due to plans being frequently changed, I was nervous. When I’m set out to do something, I get pretty determined to do so and do not like it when things don’t go smoothly.

Regardless, the travel portion went pretty much exactly according to the schedule (minus a few paintings we didn’t get to see). What I did not expect was for a massive personal conflict to unfold throughout all of that. What was probably the most distressing moment happened when I got some text messages while up at the Fortress Hohensalzburg during a few hours we had stopped in Salzburg. I cannot say that I wasn’t saddened and upset. But I had no time to dwell, as I ran, camera and all, the 1.2 miles down in 12 minutes to make role call for our Sound of Music tour. This was the one thing I was looking forward to (most of the trip I felt more come-as-it-goes to) and I wanted to enjoy it. I was already upset by the events, but also upset that I had to be upset at this time.

Maybe it was the music of one of my favorite shows, maybe the beautiful landscape around me, or maybe my run right before, but this was the first time in my life that I decided to use my determination as one to enjoy what I wanted to. I decided I wasn’t going to let this hamper my enjoyment of the tour and so I put my phone on airplane mode and temporarily pushed my thoughts out of my mind to listen to the songs that had started playing on the bus. Singing along to “My Favorite Things” with my friend next to me helped rest my anxieties, as Maria made a good point: “When the dog bites / When the bee stings / When I’m feeling sad / I simply remember my favorite things / and then I don’t feel / so bad!”

The tour was a great time, I had so much fun singing and dancing while seeing the beautiful sights of Vienna. When I had to come back to the reality of things, I felt calm, a lot calmer than I normally would be and calmer than I probably should’ve been. What happens happens, and I can truly only have control over my own actions, but also, now over my thoughts and emotions as well. Things in my life had kept happening throughout the rest of travel portion, but I am most likely only going to be able to travel around Europe once, so why let something that has already been done, something that can’t be reversed, hamper that?

When the external circumstances warned about during pre-departure eventually did happen (during my solo travels in Oxford), I was more prepared with this mindset.

The second weekend at Oxford, I had planned a trip up to the Lake District. Amongst the four train transfers, I ended up missing the last one. When I couldn’t get out at my station and the train started moving, I felt my heart rate rising and breathing shorten when the conductor told me I just had to get out at the next station (in half an hour) and get back on the train the other direction to ride back. I was already short on time, spending only that evening at Windermere, so losing over an hour of precious time scared me. But there was nothing I could do but live with it. Knowing this helped my heart and breathing it was what it was.

The next day, I went up and down Scafell Pike, but was waiting for the last bus when I saw a little piece of paper stuck at the bottom of the pole with the timetable, apologizing for the road closure causing the bus to not come to this station that weekend. The bus had taken me there to that stop in the morning, and the official app said it was coming, so I waited more, but accepted that it wasn’t coming. The station it said was the closest stop was an hour walk away, and because this was the last bus, there was no way I would make it in time. The nearest town was over two hours a walk away and the train station I had to get to was over 4.5 hour walk away (I would not be able to make the last train with that time). But I had no choice but to start walking down the empty, single lane path. In desperation, I started sticking out my thumb to the few passing cars. After being ignored, when one of them slowed down and rolled down the window, my heart filled with relief that they were going to help me. The old couple there continued to roll along, just staring and giving disapproving looks to me before picking up speed and driving off. I started to cry as reality set in; I wasn’t going to be able to make it to Llandudno, where my AirBnb was and had nowhere to spend the night. I hadn’t had any food to eat since the night before and had already done a 13-mile hike and was cold and exhausted (more mentally than physically) and had at least 2 more hours to go.

Just then, I got a call from my friend to make sure I was still alive and though we didn’t talk, something about having someone care brought back my determination. I could get to Snowdon tomorrow. Worst case scenario, I sleep in the train station, catch the first train tomorrow, which should still leave time to make the climb if I take the shortest trail. So I kept going.

Miraculously, I did make the last train (a car of 4 college-age guys stopped and let me hitchhike to the nearest town, where I then took a bus to the train station) and still did nearly end up homeless anyways, just in a different town, as the AirBnb owner said he would not let me in after 2am, which was a time I was just barely going to miss and stopped responding. On the train, a dad travelling from China with this 8-year-old son struck up a conversation with me, and I told me he was also about to be homeless the night as well, as their train had gotten delayed, so they missed the last connecting one. When I expressed sympathy, he waved it off, saying that it happens, and he was right. If I am homeless for a night, then so be it. My friend had spent a night alone in a much more questionable train station in France last year, surely being Wales at least was a massive upgrade.

~by Tanju Ozdemir 

As my time in Oxford and Europe comes to a close, I’ve had time to reflect on the many experiences I’ve had while studying abroad. As part of Group 1, we visited the most cities (Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Bruges) and countries (Denmark, Germany, Czechia, Austria, Belgium) of the 3 travel groups during the travel portion. (I haven’t even mentioned day trips and stopovers! ) It was a rewarding, exhausting and exciting experience all rolled into one, juggling travel classes, visiting concerts and museum visits while also experiencing the sights and sounds of Europe. 

The two travel portion classes we took were Musicians & Their Music and History of Art II.

Musicians & Their Music covered a whole lot of compositions starting from the Mediaeval period and ending at the 20th century. We listened to a wide range of music from Gregorian chants to Bebop Jazz. I really appreciate how the class exposed me to different musical genres and musicians beyond ones I already knew, broadening my musical horizons. One example of this that sticks out to me is when we learned about Johannes Brahms and his compositions. Though he’s a titan of orchestral music, I knew very little about him and his work. However, that changed at a concert in Berlin, where Hungarian Dance No. 4 was performed. I was enraptured by the performance and the piece! To me, it had the perfect mix of drama, instrumentation and emotion. The composition was stuck in my head for days afterwards, and led me to listen to the rest of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, giving me a newfound love for his music. 

Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 4 

I had a similar experience in History of Art II, where we covered art from antiquity all the way to the early 20th century (and a lot about chairs sup. One artist in particular that I grew to appreciate was Caspar David Friedrich. Before taking this class, I only really knew him as that one artist whose painting was used in Minecraft. During the course of the class I got to see his paintings in Hamburg and Berlin while also getting to learn more about his work, style and the hidden meaning behind it. Seeing Wanderer above the Sea of Fog in person in Hamburg was incredible. We learned about the concept of the sublime in nature (how intimidating and monumental nature can be to people) and how the painting captured this idea, but when standing there in front of it, you could really feel it and I felt the same way looking at his other works while in Berlin. It inspired me to look into his life and his influences, which ultimately gave me a better understanding and appreciation of his art. 

It’d take a while to write about all the cities we visited so I’ll try and keep it brief.

Copenhagen: Lovely city, very walkable and good public transit but a bit pricey 

Hamburg: Very historic (lots of maritime history), has some unique attractions (check out the Miniature Wonderland)

Berlin: Unique, historic, vibrant city with a lot of contrast still between East and West (I really liked the computer games museum) 

Prague: Everything is really cheap, Old town is aesthetically pleasing, but can quickly get flooded with tourists

Munich: My favourite city, great mix of historic and modern attractions and just a very vibrant place all around (Do not miss out on visiting HofBrauhaus for a traditional Bavarian Experience!)

Salzburg: Small city with lots of musical history surrounding Mozart and the Sound of Music, great nature right next door in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps. 

Vienna: Very interesting place if you’re into history, art and music. It can get fairly hot due to the lack of green spaces 

Bruges: Old town is quaint, but it does quickly get flooded with tourists and things are pricey. 

Two aspects of my study abroad program I really liked were trying different foods and enjoying the natural scenery.

I got to try a lot (and I mean a lot) of food, but I’ve picked out 2 of the best and 2 of the strangest examples of food I tried while travelling. I had the pleasure of trying Cambodian food for the first time while in Copenhagen of all places, and it was fantastic. The dish consisted of a white fish stewed in coconut milk with bamboo shoots and various other vegetables served alongside white rice, all cooked to perfection. It was very flavorful and aromatic.

Cambodian Fish Stew and Rice

Another great dish I had was Cheese Spaetzle, a southern German dish similar to mac n cheese consisting of egg noodles and emmental cheese topped with fried onion, while in Vienna. Savory, rich and delicious!

Cheese Spaetzle 

Two of the strangest dishes I had were a Bismarck herring sandwich (pickled herring, purple onion and lettuce) in Hamburg and Jellied Eels (boiled eels encased in gelatine) with Pie, mash and liquor (a green parsley sauce) in London. The herring was pretty vinegary and had a bit of chew to it, and the jellied eels taste like white fish encased in jello. The pie and mash was pretty good, and the parsley liquor added a nice freshness to everything. I’ll say that these dishes tasted better than they looked (for the most part.) and it was interesting getting to try traditional, historic food from these places. 

Bismarck Herring sandwich

Jellied Eels with Pie and Mash

My first experience with beautiful natural scenery on this trip came when a day trip from Salzburg was organised to hike up the Kehlstein Mountain to the Eagle’s Nest in Southern Bavaria. Though a moderately challenging hike, the effort was well worth it as the views from the Bavarian Alps were incredible. It was a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the cities we visited. 

Kehlstein Mountain, Germany

This hike inspired me to look for more natural scenery to view while based in Oxford, which led me to travel in search of natural wonders. The views I managed to see are ones I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. I would highly recommend visiting rural Scotland and Ireland. Though often harder to get to (public transport isn’t the greatest compared to continental Europe), it’s well worth the effort.

Wicklow Mountains, Ireland

Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

Scottish Highlands

Loch Ness, Scotland

My advice to anyone who’s thinking of applying: Do it. I can say with confidence that this has been a highlight of my Georgia Tech experience, and that what I saw, learned and otherwise experienced has helped me grow as a person. Since the travel groups are pretty small, you’ll get to know some people really well and form close friendships. Regarding travel advice, I’ve listed a few points below:

Make plans in advance (especially for flights), but also be flexible

Time will fly by fast so make the most of every moment

Keep up with classes, but also travel around while in Oxford (especially if your schedule can accommodate day trips!) 

Try new things and meet new people

~by David Sparks

Joining the Oxford Summer Study Abroad Program was much more impactful than I would have ever anticipated! Reflecting back on the previous 12 weeks, it almost seems impossible to fit all I have experienced into such a seemingly short period of time. I have become closer to this group of once-strangers than I ever would have guessed, and this program has taught me things about myself I otherwise might not have discovered. I took the opportunity of joining Group 2, which traveled through Spain and Portugal. In total, we visited 6 cities: Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid, Granada, Seville, and Lisbon, over our 5-week travel portion. This was my first time ever stepping foot in Europe, and it was all very new to most of us! We visited iconic museums, listened to timeless musical pieces, ate incredible food, and I even got to practice some more of my Spanish (which I thought I’d never use again beyond high school). There are so many things to unpack here, but I’ll try my best to sum up the main points!

Before our travels began, we attended classes in Atlanta on campus for one full week. During this pre-departure portion, I got to meet the people I would be spending the rest of my eventful summer with, and kept busy cramming lots of music and art history! After 5 days of classes, we took our first midterms on Saturday, and by Sunday we were off to Barcelona, Spain!

Once we landed in Barcelona, we were all eager to go out and explore! We dumped our things off at the hotel and took to the streets, wandering to see what was around us. I still vividly remember this, as it was the first time we were truly independent on this trip. This was when I realized how much fun this trip would be, since our huge group of students began cutting up and having a great time, brimming with excitement. In our 7 days in Barcelona, some memorable places we visited were the CaixaForum, the Basilica Church of Santa Maria del Mar, the Picasso Museum, Palau de la Musica, and, of course, La Sagrada Familia. My favorite event was the first concert, since the concert hall was absolutely the most beautiful venue I have ever seen, and the piano concerto blew my mind. I cherish Barcelona as my favorite destination, because it was just the beginning of a huge adventure, and meeting my new friends while sharing experiences with them was so exciting.

Our one-night-stop in Zaragoza was the shortest of all our cities, but nonetheless, we had a good time, seeing a location most tourists typically would not visit. We toured the Aljaferia Palace the day we arrived, and left by the next morning, on our way to our next big city- Madrid!

Madrid was jam-packed with activities, destinations, and amazing food! We visited the Queen Sofia Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, and the Prado Museum. Seeing the art and witnessing first-hand what we learned in class was so interesting to me! My favorite of the 8 days we spent in Madrid was a day trip to El Escorial, which had one of the biggest and most beautiful monasteries I’ve ever seen! Additionally, at the time we were in Madrid, Real Madrid won the Champions League Final 2-0 over Dortmund! Watching the game within the city was an incredible experience, and made me feel very connected with the culture of Madrid, especially when everyone took to the streets, celebrating triumphantly in the middle of the night! We even went to the stadium the next day to see the trophy celebration, and I’ve never been in an environment so energetic and interconnected as that arena!

Our next adventure was in Granada where we would spend the next 6 days. Our time exploring was mainly at La Alhambra, which we went to on 3 different occasions since there is so much to discover at this historical site. The Alhambra is an incredible ancient fortress, containing the Generalife, Museo de Bellas Artes, and the Palace of Charles V! On top of these planned group tours, I went on a day-trip to hike with my friends, and spent a lot of time studying for our second round of midterms, which were on the last day in Granada.

Our last stop in Spain was Seville, which was where we watched an incredible opera, Nabucco. This was my first ever opera, and it was by far the best first experience I could ask for. The entire performance was so strange, interesting, and thought-provoking that I still reflect back to it, and wish I could relive it. We got front-row seats to a fantastic Flamenco dance, which once again taught me so much about Spanish culture. 

Our final destination, Lisbon, was a fantastic way to end the travel portion. Our last concert was, as usual, very entertaining, and contained my favorite piece ever, Ravel’s Bolero. We visited the magnificent Jeronimyte Monastery, ate mouth-watering Portuguese food (which I miss already), and visited an intriguing modern art museum, which actually changed my previously negative feelings about the art style to appreciate it more. 

The travel portion simply contained too many stories to tell in only one blog post, but I think if you were to take away one thing, it was this: every single day contained something new. New foods tried, new Spanish words learned, new locations visited, new art appreciated, new music analyzed, new memories made, you get the jist. We played pickup basketball with random kids in Barcelona. We played hide-and-seek in an ancient castle in Zaragoza. We celebrated with Real Madrid fans in the streets of Madrid like they were family. We stayed up late at night, cracking jokes and laughing instead of studying in Granada. We got scammed by Uber in Sevilla (don’t recommend, still made good memories from it though). We hiked along the westernmost edge of continental Europe in Portugal, and even one of us dropped our phone off a cliff! (wasn’t me).

The travel portion contained so many fun memories and stories to tell, but we were just halfway there by the time we landed in London. The next 6 weeks in Oxford would prove just as exciting! Meeting with the other two travel groups was great, with all of us telling others our individual stories of our adventures from all around Europe, and getting to know one another through classes and the great meals at the beautiful Mansfield College dining hall. Finally settling down into my own room felt amazing, and the accommodations in our dorms were so nice. We had the opportunity to travel on our 3-day weekends, and I ended up going to Athens, London, Paris and Dublin with my friends! 

~by Ethan CordeiroReflecting on a summer filled with lifelong memories and incredible cultural exposure has been a fun exercise, and it reminds me of just how impactful my Oxford Program experience will be on my life and worldview going forward.

Immediately upon landing in Rome, Italy for the start of the travel portion, I felt immersed in a lifestyle with an entirely different pace from what I’m used to in the United States. At cafés, I saw businessmen casually paging through files with breathtaking Roman and Renaissance architecture behind them. I noticed how sacred the process of enjoying, not just eating, a meal is to the Italian people. And I discovered that wine does go with everything (if you pick the right one). 

While acclimating to the undoubtedly more relaxed Italian lifestyle, we took in some of the most beautiful Western art and architecture ever created. My visit to the Vatican revealed not only the dedication and skill of the artists that built the holy city, but the equally strong fervor of visiting worshippers from around the world. I was lucky enough to attend a mass said by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, and it was unlike anything I’ve experienced. Watching thousands of people of all ages, ethnicities, and linguistic backgrounds pray and sing in unison was breathtaking. A highlight of Roman art for me was the Galleria Borghese, where we took in the work of the Borghese family’s most famous artistic clients, including Bernini, Caravaggio, and Canova. The image below shows the ceiling of the first gallery, covered by a stunning fresco of The Apotheosis of Romulus by Rossi.

Our exploration of Italian Renaissance art ramped up in Florence, where we visited the Uffizi gallery, where we saw several famous works by the likes of Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Titian. The city’s relatively small size and walkability made it easy for us to explore a blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture on foot as well.

Interspersed with our visits to museums and cultural sites, my friends and I took several day trips to explore Italy’s natural beauty. Below is a photo from our 4-mile hike at the Lake Como Greenway, where we took in the serene mountainous landscape, strolled through quaint villages, and even jumped into the glassy turquoise water.

The most impactful cultural experience I had with visual art on this trip was at the Venice Biennale, a cultural exhibition with pavilions exhibiting art from across the world. The theme of the Biennale was “Foreigners Everywhere,” and it was fascinating to see how different countries’ artists approached this theme. The German exhibit (pictured below) included multi-modal depictions of futuristic and apocalyptic scenes and was one of my favorite pavilions. The art confronted viewers with questions about humanity’s shared future – blurring national and political boundaries in the process. This take on the “Foreigners Everywhere” theme contrasted with the Dutch exhibit. The pavilion had sculptures created by the descendants of African slaves depicting the alienation and exploitation their ancestors faced. My time at the Biennale reinforced my perception of Venice as a center of culture, both for Europe and the world at large. The exhibit invited artists from all walks of life to portray what the concept of an “outsider” means to them and presented each of these interpretations as equal. I found this pluralistic approach to culture very moving.

Upon leaving Venice, our tour bus traversed the foothills of the Alps before arriving in Vienna, which was by far my favorite stop on our European tour. I felt as though each new street I turned onto housed some stunning building I couldn’t help but stop and stare at. The metro system was efficient, the locals were friendly, and the bratwurst was exquisite. What I’ll remember most from my visit, though, were our incredible musical experiences.

For our Composers and their Music class, we visited the Vienna State Opera for a performance of Richard Strauss’ Salome, which was eccentric (to say the least) but very technically impressive. The following night, my friends and I scored discounted tickets to Swan Lake, also at the opera house. The performance floored me. Hearing Tchaikovsky’s iconic music brought to life with spectacular dancing was a treat, and I was amazed at how completely I understood the story despite ballets having no dialogue. This performance represented the pinnacle of theatrical art, and my experience seeing it will forever stick with me. I gained an appreciation for how complex ballet is, since a performance involves dozens of skilled professionals—from dancers to choreographers to stagehands to musicians—working in concert to assemble the show. Below is an image of the curtain call for the two lead dancers; needless to say, the crowd was on its feet in rapturous applause for this moment!

Even after Swan Lake, I wasn’t done with incredible music in Vienna. The following night, I visited a jazz club where a band led by Dana Gillespie was performing. Gillespie was a prominent collaborator of many famous artists, (including Elton John, David Bowie, and Jimmy Page) while leading a successful solo career in folk pop and blues. After the show, Gillespie approached me after seeing my Georgia Tech t-shirt and explained that she played a gig at Tech in the 70s. This launched a conversation about her career, involvement with Bowie, and extensive connections to India (my family’s country of origin). This interaction was both unexpected and very interesting; I’ll swear by Vienna jazz bars for celebrity run-ins in the future! 

As the travel portion of our trip came to a close, my friends and I took a day trip from Antwerp to Brussels, where a highlight of my visit was a tour of the European Parliament. During the tour, we learned about the parliament’s function and its interactions with other organs of the European Union. As a geopolitics nerd, I was ecstatic to explore the physical home of European democracy. Though the inner workings of the EU are very complex, the information I learned on the tour taught me how this complexity balances power within the union and ensures that EU law meets every citizen’s needs. My favorite part of the tour was seeing the Parliament Hemicycle (pictured below), where representatives from all 27 member states meet to debate and vote on policy.

I continued to seek out new cultural experiences while in residence at Oxford, both by exploring the city and through weekend travels. Perhaps my favorite trip was to Barcelona, where I spent plenty of time with Antoni Gaudí’s architecture. His bio-inspired designs were unlike anything I’d seen before and brought immense character to the churches, homes, and parks I saw. Below is a picture of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família’s interior, where Gaudí combines traditional elements of Catholic church design—stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings—with elements showcasing his reverence for the natural world, particularly the use of columns that resemble tree trunks. Gaudí’s incredible attention to detail was evident in all his work; I was amazed at how his singular vision for the Sagrada Família was so clear that builders continued following it decades after his passing.

~by Jacob Hayes

This summer, I had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in the Oxford Study Abroad. The program offered me a chance to not only immerse myself in the spectacular academic environment of Oxford but also to travel across Europe, exploring cities like Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, Vienna, Leipzig, Antwerp, London, Budapest, Brussels, and Edinburgh. Each destination added a unique dimension to my learning experience, making this summer truly unforgettable. 

One of the most impactful experiences of my summer was studying the History of Art in Florence and Rome. These cities, known for their rich artistic heritage, served as open-air museums where every corner revealed a masterpiece.

In Florence, we visited museums that were focused on the Renaissance period. Visiting the Uffizi Gallery and seeing works by Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci in person was awe-inspiring. Standing in front of Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus,” I could appreciate the delicate brushwork and vibrant colors in a way that no textbook image could convey. Our professor taught us about the artistic techniques and historical contexts that made these works so revolutionary. This hands-on learning experience deepened my understanding of the Renaissance’s impact on Western art and culture.

Rome offered a different but equally enriching experience. The city’s blend of ancient and Renaissance art provided a comprehensive view of its artistic evolution. Visiting the Vatican Museums and marveling at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling was a highlight. The intricate details and sheer scale of the frescoes was spectacular to me. Additionally, exploring the ruins of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum took my breath away. To be able to see the spectacular engineering that went into building these megastructures 2000 years ago was impressive. These experiences taught me the importance of context in art history, showing how cultural, political, and social factors shape artistic expression.

From these experiences, I learned to appreciate the interconnectedness of art and history. Seeing the progression of artistic styles and techniques across different periods and regions underscored the importance of preserving cultural heritage. This realization has inspired me to advocate for art conservation and to continue exploring the ways in which art reflects and influences society.

Another globally engaged experience that stood out was studying Music’s Composers in Vienna and Leipzig. As a music enthusiast, visiting these cities was a once in a lifetime experience. In Vienna, known as the “City of Music,” we delved into the lives and works of classical composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss.

Attending a concert at the Vienna Opera House, where we enjoyed performances of compositions by Strauss, was an unforgettable experience. The acoustics of the venue and the precision of the orchestra brought the music to life in a way that recordings never could. Our studies included visits to the homes and museums of these composers, where we learned about their personal lives, inspirations, and the historical contexts in which they composed their masterpieces. This immersive approach provided a deeper understanding of their contributions to classical music and their enduring legacy.

Leipzig, the city where Felix ​​Mendelssohn spent much of his life, offered a different but equally enriching experience. Visiting the Mendelssohn- Haus Museum gave me a profound appreciation for his work. We also explored the city’s rich musical heritage, which included connections to other composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Richard Wagner.

These musical experiences highlighted the power of music as a universal language that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries. They taught me to appreciate the cultural heritage and the enduring legacy of great composers. This experience also emphasized the importance of cultural exchange and the role of the arts in fostering global understanding and connection.

The second half of the program at Oxford was equally enriching, albeit in a different way. The academic rigor combined with the freedom to explore my interests made the Oxford Study Abroad Program everything I had hoped for and more.

Studying the History of Medieval England provided a fascinating glimpse into a pivotal period of history. We examined primary sources and I was able to visit historical sites like the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. These visits helped bring the material to life, providing a tangible connection to the events and figures we studied. Our discussions covered topics such as the Norman Conquest, the development of the English legal system, and the cultural changes of the medieval period. This course deepened my understanding of how historical events shape modern society.

One of the aspects I liked best about the Oxford Program was the sense of community among the participants. We came from diverse backgrounds and had varied interests, but our shared experiences in the program created strong bonds. Whether we were studying together, exploring the streets of Oxford, or traveling to different European cities, the camaraderie was always present. This support system made the experience even more enriching and enjoyable.

One piece of advice I would give to future Honors Program students considering the Oxford Study Abroad is to embrace every opportunity to step out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s engaging in challenging academic discussions, trying new foods, or exploring unfamiliar cities, these experiences will contribute to your personal and academic growth. The program offers a unique blend of rigorous academics and cultural immersion that is unlike anything else. Take full advantage of it, and you will come away with not only a deeper understanding of your field of study but also a greater appreciation for the world around you.

My summer with the Oxford Study Abroad Program was a journey of discovery and growth. Through globally engaged classroom discussions and cultural immersions in cities like Rome, Vienna, and Leipzig, I gained a deeper understanding of the world and my place in it. The overall experience was transformative, providing me with academic challenges, cultural insights, and lifelong friendships. I encourage any student considering the program to seize the opportunity and immerse themselves fully in this extraordinary adventure. The lessons learned and the memories made will stay with you for a lifetime, shaping your perspective and enriching your future endeavors.

~by Michael Rascher Hectic, stunning, exhausting, and endlessly rewarding. My summer at GT Oxford was marked by incredible experiences that I will treasure for a lifetime. The friends I made, the foods I ate, the places I traveled to, and the views I saw were all spectacular. Despite how draining some days became, I truly wouldn’t trade a single one for anything else in the world.

As a member of the Italy travel group, I started my adventures in Rome where I quickly became immersed in the unimaginable amount of history and culture that it has to offer. Our first event together was a tour of the Vatican that ended in the Sistine Chapel! Truly an awe-inspiring space that encouraged wonder at how Michelangelo was able to skillfully paint such a beautiful fresco on the ceiling of a building over 500 years ago. It was also satisfying to connect bits of trivia I had learned from the pre-departure courses to what I was actually seeing in front of my face. My favorite part was seeing several depictions of scenes from the Biblical book of Genesis, especially The Creation of Adam. I’m thankful that I had some background knowledge from these courses so that I could further appreciate what I was viewing in the Vatican, as well as each of the following museums I visited later on the trip.

One of the best features of traveling with GT Oxford was that I got a free day in almost every city to go wherever I wished. On my free day in Florence, I traveled with a group of my friends to Cinque Terre, a gorgeous collection of five colorful coastal Italian cities. We had a short train layover in Pisa for about 20 minutes, and I was eager to quickly visit the Tower of Pisa but my friends urged me that it was still a mile away from the station. Taking this as a challenge, I grabbed a buddy of mine, hopped off the train as soon as it stopped, sprinted to the Tower, snapped a few pictures, and made it back just in time for our next train! It was well worth the effort to see an iconic piece of Italian architecture.

On my next free day in Milan, I took another trip with my friends to Lake Como which was absolutely spectacular. We spent the day hiking around the lake and swimming in the surroundings of beautiful mountain scenery. I would definitely recommend this as a destination for anyone traveling abroad next summer. The architecture was amazing and the views even more so. I even caught a glimpse of the villa where they filmed the Naboo lake house scenes in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, a rewarding pilgrimage for my younger self.

In Vienna, my day trip took me into the Austrian Alps where I hiked in the Rax mountain range, another incredibly rewarding experience.

Now as a distance runner, it’s been a goal of mine for years to run a full marathon. To my amazement, there just so happened to be a festival hosting a race in Belgium on our free day. While the fast pace of travel leading up to our stay in Antwerp left me with only a handful of opportunities for long training runs, I was still determined to compete and finish. So, I took a train with a couple buddies to the small town of Torhout and was immediately shocked at how many people had gathered there in the middle of nowhere to celebrate the Night of Flanders. The town was absolutely bustling and the environment was electric. After embracing the Flemish traditions and enjoying the festivities for a short while, the race began and I was off! Although it became incredibly difficult near the end, I successfully crossed the finish line (in excruciating pain) and completed my very first marathon as my friends cheered me on. Our spur-of-the-moment adventure resulted in one of my most memorable experiences of the entire trip.

Then, after arriving in Mansfield College and settling into my new home for the next six weeks, I was greeted by resident expert tour guide David Gunnell for an HP-exclusive walking tour of Oxford. He was so entertaining and contained a remarkable depth of knowledge surrounding the history of the city with corresponding literature and movie references. The tour was an enjoyable and informative blur that left me filled with wonder at the immense amount of culture contained in and produced by Oxford over the centuries. I developed a further appreciation for the city’s scholarly works in the classroom while learning from my professor in HTS 3032, Modern European Intellectual History. After reading a variety of influential letters and publishings, I can understand how important Oxford – and England as a whole – was in the development of progressive and forward-thinking ideologies. Together, these experiences opened my eyes to a thoughtful, academic world beneath the lovely facades of Oxford architecture.

One of my most memorable experiences in Oxford was visiting other colleges on Open Days, another opportunity I’d highly recommend. As I walked around the city with a friend, we got to tour the Bodleian’s Duke Humfrey’s Library and Christ Church’s dining hall – both incredibly famous Harry Potter filming locations – for free.

Weekends during GT Oxford were another huge highlight of the program. On the first weekend, I took a train to London with a group of friends and we met up with some more friends from the GT Europe program. It was incredible to see so many important landmarks and buildings in such a condensed area. I enjoyed it so much that I’m even going back to London on my last weekend to experience more.

The following week, I traveled to Dublin and Galway City in Ireland to do some hikes and visit the Guinness Storehouse.

Perhaps my favorite weekend was a vacation trip to the Spanish island of Mallorca with a small group of friends. We toured a family-owned orchard and I got to taste the best orange I’ve ever had in my entire life. After spending plenty of time on the beach, we finished the day with some paella. The next day, we had tapas for lunch and then went snorkeling and saw an incredible variety of sea life! The island was beautiful, and even the view out of our Airbnb window was stunning.

Another phenomenal weekend trip took me to Switzerland where I got to hike in the beauty of the Swiss Alps and swim in crystal-clear water. One surprising thing I got to do while staying in Basel was float down the Rhine River directly through the city center. The water was clean enough and the weather was warm enough that there were literally hundreds and hundreds of people gathered for a swim.

~by Malachi Joseph

During my first year at Georgia Tech, I really wanted to get some of advice as to how to make my college experience as enjoyable as possible. When I asked my upperclassmen and some alumni about this, almost all of them said that the number one thing that they regret not being able to do in college was study abroad. With that in mind, I made the decision that I was not going to make that same mistake, and I ended up having one of the best summers of my life.

Out of all of the museums, churches, castles, and other architectural works that I have seen while traveling abroad, none of them come close to the Chartres Notre Dame Cathedral in terms of mesmerizing me. There could be some bias here, though, because this was the very first church I got to visit since being in Europe, but I still regard it as the best. I have yet to see anything as impressive as Chartres, and I do not think I ever will, so I feel more than obligated to speak on it. Looking at the outside the first time was really coo, especially because I am a Christian myself, so I was able to understand most of the references. For example, there were depictions of the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Old Testament Kings and Queens, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders spoken about in Revelation, the Virgin Mary, and, of course, Christ. The moment that really took my breath away, though, was when I walked inside. The architect of Chartres Cathedral (unknown) wanted to recreate the Holy City New Jerusalem, and they sure did a great job. It genuinely felt like I was transported into another dimension. I was speechless. The stained-glass windows were so colorful and beautiful. There was an array of stone images depicting the full life of Christ that I found so fascinating. There was an amazing sculpture on the altar behind a golden crucifix that looks as if only the great Michelangelo would be able to create. It was quite the experience, to say the least. What was also great about Chartres is that it gave me a great understanding of what Gothic architecture is supposed to look at, which was a big topic in our Art History class. Features such as Gothic arches, flying buttresses, bifurcated windows, and spires can all be seen on the cathedral. I do not think those details would have been imprinted into my mind as much if I had not gotten to see such a grand example.

During the travel portion, my favorite city that we got to visit has to be Venice, Italy. Venice is a city like no other, which I got to learn very quickly. To get to the city in the first place, we all had to take a ferry, including the bus. When I got to the top of the ship and looked out, I saw, not cars, but countless boats, big and small, taking people where they need to be. Already it felt like I was going to see some things that would never be found in America, which got me excited. Once we touched land, we got to go into the main part of the city the next day. It was extremely crowded, but I was not even upset at that because of how amazing it was. Possibly the most notable structure in Venice would be Saint Mark’s Basilica. I did not get the chance to see the inside, however the exterior was so grand, it was hard to not look at it. Something that is special about Venice is how tight the roads can get. Since there are little to no cars, essentially all of the roads are for pedestrians, which means they can get away with making pathways that go through two super close buildings. Let’s just say I got real up close and personal with a lot of people because of it. It is also ridiculously easy to get lost in Venice. On one occasion, my group had a lot of time to ourselves before we had to go to our next location for class, so me and my group of friends decided that we were going to try to purposefully get lost and see what happens. I kid you not, it took maybe two minutes for us to achieve that goal, and we did not know where we were for a long while. Although it sounds scary, I highly recommend it. It was so fun to just walk around without any plans or references and just take in the city. What I took away from not only Venice, but each European city I got to visit is that you really have to adapt to the culture and customs of other countries if you want to be a traveler. When it comes to public transportation, you cannot expect the boat system to function the same way Uber or the Marta would back home. Sometimes Google Maps is not going to be as accurate as it is back home. You will not be able to get food at any hour of the day like you would back home. These things were a bit difficult to conform to as an American, but I was grateful for it in the end, because now I know what I should expect when traveling in the future: nothing that I am used to.

I chose to do the Oxford Summer Program because I knew that I would have the opportunity to see so much of the world and experience an abundance of different kinds of people, languages, art, food, and cultures in general. If anyone is interested in doing this program, I would say that it is absolutely worth it. It is a privilege that I got to be able to see so many countries at such an early stage of my life, especially since I had peers my age to enjoy it with. I can also come back home with all the unique stories and knowledge that I accumulated and share it with my friends and family. Although it was just a taste, it is one that will forever be engraved in my memory.

~by Arya Tadepalli

Deciding to apply for the Oxford Summer Study Abroad program might be one of the best decisions I have made in college. Not only did I learn a lot about the world and was able to embrace different cultures, I also learned a lot about myself along the way as cheesy as that sounds.

I was part of Group 2 (the best group) and our itinerary was as follows: we took a flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam, Netherlands and then another flight to land in our first city Berlin, Germany. From Berlin we bussed to Leipzig, Germany stopping at Wittenberg on the way for lunch. After Leipzig we bussed to Prague, Czech Republic and stopped at Dresden, Germany for lunch. After Prague we went to Vienna, Austria stopping at Brno, Czech Republic on the way. From Vienna we stopped at a cute cabin hotel in the Alps for lunch before going to Lido right outside of Venice, Italy. From Venice we went to Rome, Italy with a quick stop at an Autogrill.

Side note: I am a huuuuuuuuge dog person and every time I saw a dog on this trip I would always squeal and point and say “DOG!” much to the embarrassment of anyone around me. At this Autogrill stop, which is basically what truck stops are called in Italy, I saw this beautiful German Shepherd. I had seen many dogs on the trip, but even with my two years of learning German in school I was not comfortable enough to go up to the dog owner to ask to pet their dog. However, something came over me when I saw this German Shepherd and people speak a lot more english in Italy so I just went up to the owner right before getting on the bus and asked to pet their dog. When they said yes I just started the usual small talk asking what their dog’s name is and how old they are etc. The owner said their dog’s name was Arya!! I then asked the owner how they spelled that name and they said, “A. R. Gamma. A.” I got so excited I said, “Wait! That is my name!” and I even pulled out my drivers license and pointed to my name to show the exact same spelling. Apparently in Italy, they do not have the letter Y so we got over the language barrier by gesturing the letters. Here is a picture of Arya squared.

Going back to the itinerary, when we were in Rome we went to the Vatican City for a day. Then, after Rome, we stopped at Montepulciano in Tuscany for lunch before continuing to Florence, Italy. Florence was the longest city of the travel portion for us and our schedule made it so that we had a half day for independent activities where a majority of us visiting the leaning tower of Pisa and an entire day for independent activities where many of us went to Monterosso in Cinque Terre for the day. From Florence we spent a night in Chamonix, France before leaving for Paris, France the next day. Paris was our last city of the travel portion so we ferried to Oxford, UK after.

I was not sure if I would enjoy the travel portion classes as much because I am more of an outdoorsy person instead of a gallery person, but I now realize those two are not mutually exclusive. I had such a great time learning about the art pieces and artists and then going to the gallery the very same day and seeing the original works of art in person. We went to a variety of famous galleries all over Europe from the Louvre in Paris to the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries in Florence to the Gemaldegalerie in Germany, they were all such cool experiences. The music class was just as fun because we would learn about different aspects of music and then go to a concert in a few cities. There were a variety of concerts that we went to. Our first concert was in Berlin where we saw the Berliner Philharmoniker perform the Turangalila Symphony which is a modern piece. Our second concert was at the National Theatre in Prague where we watched the Czech National Ballet and the National Theatre Orchestra present a spectacular performance of the “Onegin” Ballet which is a more Romantic piece. Our third concert was at the Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna where we watched the Schloss Schönbrunn Orchestra play Mozart, Haydn, J. Strauss, O. Strauss, and Lehár pieces which are more part of the Classical time period. The fourth concert was in the San Vidal Church in Venice, Italy where the Venetian Interpreters played Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons as well as Vivalid’s violin concerto and cello concerto. The last concert was in the Sunset underground part of the Sunset/Sunside Club in Paris, France where Larry Crockett and the Funky Cherokees performed jazz. Each gallery and concert made me appreciate the arts so much more and the talent and dedication that goes into every brush stroke or bow movement.

This trip also opened my eyes to how oblivious American tourists are, especially on public transportation. We are generally the biggest and loudest group, pretty clumsy especially the first day we are in the city, tend to hold people up the most when getting on or off buses and trains, and do not stay to the right side of the escalator to let people pass on the left. But we learned from our mistakes and tried to amend them later on in the travel portion. I mostly learned that I like traveling in smaller groups though. One of my friends and I had a plan to watch the sunrise in every city we traveled to and those were genuinely some of my favorite memories from the trip because it would usually just be the two of us planning where to watch the sunrise and traveling public transportation to get there and enjoy the views. This started during the very first city in Berlin when we ran from our hotel to the Brandenburg Gate for some pretty views.

Leipzig was the only city that we missed. In Prague we watched the sunrise from the Charles bridge. In Vienna we started near the Prater amusement park and walked around the city watching the sun rise. In Venice we watched the sunrise from the beach our hotel was right next to. In Florence we watched the sunrise from a park near our hotel. In Chamonix we hiked at 3AM up the French Alps near Mont Blanc doing a bunch of switchbacks below the Ski Lift that was shut off for the night.

In Paris my sunrise buddy fell asleep on me, but I was determined to maintain the streak especially since Paris was our last city of the travel portion so I mustered up the courage to travel Paris public transportation on my own at 5AM and I went to the Trocadero Square. This was a huge milestone for me because I had never traveled on my own before other than a few city exploration walks in well lit populated places and this experience was a culmination of all the tricks I had learned during traveling and Paris is notorious for pickpocketing so I had to be aware of my surroundings at all times.

I was able to apply everything I learned to my weekend trips I took during the Oxford portion. The first weekend we were told to stay in Oxford so I explored the town. The second weekend I went to Dublin. The third weekend I went to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Brugge. The fourth weekend I went to Wales and London, and the fifth weekend I went to Edinburgh. My favorite place during the Oxford portion was actually a 30 minute walk from Mansfield college and is called Port Meadow. I made it a point to go there every Sunday right after dinner to see the wild horses and cows and enjoy the sunset. It was such a magical place for me especially when the horses would come up to you to be petted because it made me feel like the chosen one.

~by Riley Fecker

Two overarching goals govern my life: the first is to learn as much about the world as I can; the second is to travel that world. I chose the Oxford Study Abroad program because I believed it would allow me to work towards both of these goals at once. This program has been a dream come true, and I can wholeheartedly say that it has allowed me to start on my journey of fulfilling these goals.

Our first stop was Paris, and to be completely honest, I had little hope for the city, thinking it a mere tourist attraction, and ranking it very low on my list of cities I wanted to see. It was Paris however, that completely blew my mind and took my breath away, single-handedly making me realize the beauty that the world, and its people could exhibit if they only tried. It was Paris, where I walked by the bank of the River Seine at night and took in the friends, families, and acquaintances, sharing a bottle of wine, or a cigarette beside the river, faces brightly lit with interest and laughter at whatever conversation was had. Not a single phone could be seen. These were simply people, reveling in the moment at hand.

It was Paris, where we climbed to the top of the only hill in Paris, Montemarte, to watch the sunset. There were hundreds of people around us, enjoying the end of their day, talking and laughing. What seemed to be a couple, danced a jig behind a bush just uphill of us, and a street performer juggled a soccer ball between his feet, arms, and head, to the delight of the children below him. A biker gang rode past, to the cheers of all the people around us. Locks (declaring love) littered the fences around us. I remember thinking, this is what it feels like to study abroad. Those moments when you feel like the people around you, and yourself are sharing a moment of significance.

It was that same hill, that we crested to reach Sacre-Coeur Basilica. Entering this church was a truly ethereal experience, you pass from the loud, bustling of a happy crowd outside, to complete and reverent silence. As I walked through the church, I realized something. The reverent respect in this church was not in accordance with any rule, any thought that you were supposed to be quiet and respectful. It was there because people wanted it to be, they chose within themselves to respect what was around them.

There is something beautiful about the culture of France, and the stark contrast I saw in it from the United States. Here, people stopped to chat with each other on the street, every person we met loved their jobs, and children walked to school through the city alone. It was truly a beautiful experience, which showed me a number of things I thought I would never see. The first, was the realization that even in a digital age, we are not all attached to our devices, we can enjoy each other’s company in real-time. The second was that respect, kindness, and enthusiasm for other people, is a concept not so few and far between among the general population, as it may sometimes seem in the United States

Throughout our journey, we encountered more of this culture, and more moments of absolute, ethereal beauty. From the snow capped mountains, rivers, lakes, and pine trees, of Chamonix, to the crowded, narrow streets of Venice, we experienced a mix of landscapes and culture that only the luckiest people get to experience. In Venice, we actually stayed on the island of Lido, adjacent to the main island. One morning, we ventured out to a fruit stand to buy strawberries. However, we couldn’t quite come up with the cash between us. The vendor assured us that it was fine, and we could take them today, and pay him tomorrow. This culture of trust is very prevalent across Europe, and many times we were upheld to a trust system to pay the amount. This was very different to us then in the US. This program abroad has quite literally, restored my faith in humanity.

By far the most beautiful place on our trip was Cinque Terra. The whole group went on a free day the faculty gave to us, and I was able to hike across the cliffs to two different cities. The trails were absolutely gorgeous, and the views out on the towns were unreal. We also passed a few locals going about their days, trying to get from town to town. There were houses hidden up in the hillside beyond gates, and acres of gardens terraced along the slope. At one point, towards the end of the day, we passed an older man handing out free watermelon at the top of a particularly steep slope. Exhausted, and winded, we were incredibly grateful. We surmised that it was the end of the day, and he would have no other choice than to throw them out, however, there was still the thought of giving it to others. A continued exhibition of a culture of kindness and anti-wastefulness.

Munich was another interesting city, not for its beauty, but for the things we got to do there. Germany has a large culture around beer gardens, so we went to one. The sight after dusk is insane. What seems like thousands of people gather at picnic tables to enjoy a (very large) beer with their friends and family. As we walked through, we saw business suits, teenagers, college kids; we were pressed to find seats in the very large expanse of picnic tables.

In Prague, we stumbled upon a peacock garden. As someone who has only ever caught a glimpse of one at a zoo, the opportunity to get up close enough to take a selfie with them blew my mind. We were also lucky enough to witness their mating rituals.

Something I will never forget, and a height of global engagement was seeing the Don Giovanni opera, by Mozart, in Prague. I have never had any interest in going to an opera, and I thought I would struggle to even sit through the whole thing. In stark contrast, I was riveted on my feet for the whole performance, straining my neck to get a better view, completely absorbed in the moment of mental, emotional, and physical engagement. This experience gave me a much more advanced respect for the arts than I had previously had (as the whole program did), and persuaded me to continue to see performances like this back in the states.

Of course, I can’t forget Oxford, an amazing experience at the end of an amazing journey. From punting on the River Cherwell with friends, to walking down Cornmarket street in search of a bite to eat, to a walk in the quiet serenity of Christ Church Meadow and surrounding area, Oxford quite literally had something for everyone. I will never forget the spontaneous trips to London, the Hozier concert in Birmingham (with seats you could never dream of in the US), and driving through the Cotswolds and Bath with my parents.

A highlight of my experience in Oxford, was the opportunity to obtain a Bodleian card, which gave me access to all of the libraries across campus. To walk into the vast expanse of libraries, and browse the shelves, is a realization in how little we as people know, or even know that we can know. This was an eye-opening experience for me, and has both renewed my thirst for knowledge, and made me realize how catastrophic an entirely digitalized library is to our creativity and curiosity.