Not since college have I had this much joy over bringing home a mismatched set of two forks, two knives, and two spoons. But we had been living for weeks sharing one spoon. Six utensils was a considerable upgrade. It is with great embarrassment that I share with you the story of how we came

We were invited to a garden party at the home of Oxford’s Vice Chancellor. Locals refer to him as the VC, it’s a similar position as a university president. In a town comprised mostly of the University, this is a powerful post to hold. I hope you are impressed because I am. It was fortunately

I had lunch with two women today. While that may not sound remarkable, it marks a milestone in life in Oxford and should be noted on calendars worldwide. After eight weeks with only husband as a companion, an hour of comfortable laughter and conversation with women is utopia. This happened because I joined an elite

At noon we received our keys to our flat at Ivydene (Ivy-Dean). Then we quickly prioritized life’s necessities to move in. We grabbed our work computers and a bottle of wine; the espresso machine would arrive that afternoon, having been ordered in anticipation a few days before. Clothes would move in over the next few

We have moved into our new flat. After six weeks and twelve different addresses, we are proud proper English lettors. The marathon moving spree, stumbling around town, suitcases in tow, allowed us a chance to get to discover hidden alleys, restaurants, and gain a sense of history here, but it also brought with it some

When I heard I was going to live in Oxford for two years I was prepared for a diet of sausages, fried fish with chips (fries), and buttery potato dishes. And to wash down this heart-stopping and hip-expanding diet, we’d have a choice of warm beer or Earl Gray tea. But as the days of

I’ve been spending my days alone and I’m finding myself desperate for conversation. In fact, I took up a lengthy debate with a park statue on the pros and cons of pigeon hunting. I’m embarrassed to say, I lost the debate but decided to join some social groups. My first group is Toastmasters. Toastmaster’s is

I’m told people are people the world around but my experiences so far are that showers are not all created equal. I’m not making a judgment on the entire country but I have experienced three showers in our college tour and I have yet to understand the logic behind their design. Our first experience with

We have a flat! After participating in our version of an Oxford tour of homes, we have started the process of renting. The decision was simple. We decided not to take the flat with the incredible view of the deer park because the landlord lived upstairs and requested we make no noise. She clarified this