I got to Columbus airport at two in the afternoon on Monday September 29. My flight was at 3:55 to JFK and then I left there at 8:55 for Heathrow. My parents and boyfriend came with me to say good-bye. We got my ticket and checked my luggage and then waited a while before I left through security. I exchanged some cash for British pounds in the airport while we waited. I left my family with a few tears in my eyes and a lot of butterflies in my stomach. The flight to JFK was fine and my next gate was easy to find. I waited there for my flight to Heathrow.
I arrived in London Heathrow airport around nine o’clock on Tuesday September 30 (England time). It was a bit weird because Monday practically didn’t exist for me. The fight was long but it was all right. I slept most of the time. I got into the country and then got my luggage fine and then I had no idea what to do. I wandered around looking for where I should catch the train and looking completely lost. Then a man in a yellow volunteer shirt came up to me and asked me if I needed help. I said yes I needed a train to Oxford. Then he said he was there to help students just arriving to the country find their way. I was so thankful I couldn’t even express my gratitude to him. He helped me carry my luggage, which was way too much for me to handle on my own. We went the main terminal by an airport tram and he led me to a station to buy my bus ticket.
At the bus station the ticket lady asked me if I wanted a one way or round trip ticket and I said only one way. I saw no point in buying a round trip ticket when I wouldn’t likely be returning for three months. Now I regret that decision. She did not explain the major benefits that I would have had if I bought a round trip ticket right there. The one way was 18 pounds. I later found out that round trip would have been 23 pounds and it would have given me three months to ride the bus up to 23 times. My suggestion would have been to have British pounds already and use them. Buy the round trip ticket from the bus driver to Oxford (not from the ticket lady). “Oh well” I though, “one lesson down.”
The nice man at the airport took me to the bus and helped me load my luggage and we said good-bye. I now regret not asking him his name and how he came about having that particular job. He was my lifesaver. He also gave me a guide to British culture. I read this on the 90-minute bus ride and found it very informative but also very dry. The information will be useful but it was a dull read. The bus had a few stops from the outskirts of Oxford all the way to the middle where the main bus depot is. I got off there because that is the easiest way to find a taxi (they sit at the bus depot and wait for passengers). As I was getting my stuff from my seat three other people were getting off the bus and one of them said, “are you guys with OSAP.” Yet again I was so lucky. I would now not have to figure out how to get my keys and find my flat alone. Yet another surprise awaited me outside the bus where five students were standing with a sign that said, “Welcome international students.” These, we found out, were students from the Christian student union there to help international students do just what we were afraid of. They helped us collect our luggage and we piled it under a bus stop cover because it was raining. Four of the British students sat with our luggage while the fifth walked with us two blocks to collect our housing packets and keys.
We then walked back to the bus depot and the students helped us into taxis. My housing is at Venneit Close while the other three OSAP students were in Jerico, so we parted ways. My taxi took me about two miles to my flat and dropped me off. The ride was only seven pounds.
I found my flat. It’s on the third floor, called the second floor here (it goes ground, first, second, third). Two of my flat-mates were already here, Andrea and Rebecca. I have a single room and they share a double room with a bathroom. There is a third room for our British flat-mate Andrew however he won’t move in until this weekend. We sat and talked for a while and then all three of us went to tackle the daunting task of unpacking. We had some trouble hooking up to the wireless Internet and the service is really bad. Hopefully we can get that fixed soon. After unpacking and hanging out for a while we heard someone moving in across the hall. It was a guy named Bill; he’s going to be living here until June.
At 4:30 we ventured out with a map from out welcome packet to find our way to the Chester house on George Street. It turned out to be a fairly quick walk. It turned out to be a fifteen-minute walk. We were headed there for the OSAP meet and greet party. We sat in the OSAP common area and chatted for a while and then moved across the street to a pub. It was really fun getting to know some other people in the program. While eating I sat with my roommates and Bill and another student, Vanessa, and a British man who is part of coordinating OSAP. We talked about politics and food and what there is to do in Oxford. He was a really nice guy but also very stereotypically British.
I had a sandwich that was good but pretty boring. Bill got a burger that turned out to be okay, but it wasn’t a good American burger, Andrea got jacket potatoes, these turned out to be slightly overcooked potato wedges. The food here s not what they’re known for and I can really see why. It’s bland and boring. At east there won’t be any need to spend a lot of money on good meals since I know none if it is a must try.
All of us were extremely tired because of jet lag and we headed back early. We met some other students living in the flats below us. They were really nice and I think we’ll all have some really good times together. They were headed to the pubs and invited us however we decided to get some sleep. When we got to our flat we decided we’d rather stay up late and go get some breakfast than wake up early and try to find some. After hanging out and getting on the internet and checking up with the people at home we headed out in search of a supermarket. The people downstairs told us that most everything closes at five or six so for actual shopping we were out of luck (it was almost nine) but they directed us to a convenience store where we could buy some essentials. We got muffins and English muffins butter and juice for breakfast. The food was surprisingly inexpensive.
We headed back to the flat to shower and get ready for bed. The shower turned out to be freezing cold; hopefully we can get that fixed quickly as well. Also Rebecca tried out her hair dryer, bad idea. She plugged it in and when we turned on the power (every outlet has its own switch to turn it off and on) it sparked and popped. We’re just going to go buy a British hair dryer tomorrow.
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