Memories of Study Abroad in England

By Catherine Frerker

In July 2019, I completed the Honors at Oxford program at Brasenose College. Looking back on the trip as a senior, my month in England remains one of my most formative experiences in college. I could talk for hours about my adventures and the things I learned, but I want to focus on the activity that stands out most in my memory. It was not touring the Louvre, Versailles or Sainte-Chappelle on my weekend trip to France; nor was it spending time around Oxford’s museums and historical sites. It was not even the tutorial-style arts criticism course taught by Rhodes Scholar and OU graduate Andrea DenHoed, although that might have been my favorite class at OU. For one of our assignments, we had to stare at an artwork for 30 minutes before writing about it — I have never seen that many people asleep in a museum before.

However, my favorite activity of the trip was a little off the beaten path, literally. My friends and I took the train to the Cotswolds, a district in southern England known for its grassy hills, rustic towns, and agricultural fields open to the public for hiking. We lost our way wandering through wheat fields and sheep pastures because we all lost phone service. After hopping a fence and walking through a cow pasture, we accidentally stumbled upon Sezincote, a beautiful Indian-influenced mansion built in 1805 and hidden by acres of gardens. The afternoon felt magical.

Next, we trekked to Longborough, a small village nearby. I had traveled back in time — the narrow streets contained no pedestrians or cars, and when we went to lunch, the restaurant’s power had been shut off. I stepped back even further in time entering the parish church, St. James’. The small building was empty of visitors, giving a feeling of reverence that had been missing from the Paris cathedrals. Instead of viewing grand architecture among throngs of distracting tourists, my attention fell on smaller details — light shining through a limestone trefoil arch, a wooden panel with names of parish rectors since 1264, and a tomb carrying a knight with an effigy on top.

The history of England felt so tangible there. St. James’ was so well preserved I could almost imagine I was a parishioner in 1300. I remember my day in the Cotswolds so well because I experienced nature, history and culture in the “real” world, beyond a textbook, museum or commercialized tourist destination. I am grateful for the access that study abroad gave me to world-renowned academic opportunities and cultural centers, but I am also grateful that it changed my perspective on the world in deeper ways. The Cotswolds taught me the importance of exploring off the beaten path just for the joy of it, and it reminds me that history and culture can be found in unexpected places.

Catherine Frerker is a senior majoring in letters and psychology.