The Slow Goodbye

It is hard to believe. One week from today, Tara and I will be back in Abilene. The last week has felt like the beginning of a goodbye to our Study Abroad home. It’s a slow goodbye, to be sure. There are still essays to grade, a final walk to Oxford city centre, and a few days left to savor the last remnants of life away from the familiarity of Abilene. Last night Tara and I enjoyed our last trip to Blenheim Palace, which has quickly become one of our favorite places to visit just outside of Oxford. Future study abroad students: don’t miss Blenheim! Especially for the Fall students, the close of your semester overlaps with the “Christmas at Blenheim” celebration. In addition to a lovely Christmas market outside the main entrance to the palace, the grounds includes an amazing Christmas light display that has to be seen to be believed. Neither pictures nor video truly capture the magnificence of the display, though I did try.

Inside the palace was a cheesy-but-impressive decorative scheme built around a “Kingdom of the Snow Princess” living story. Tara and I have season passes to Blenheim, so we were able to visit this display for free before 3:45 PM. The entire experience was a relaxing, albeit cold, visit that will send us from this semester with one more happy memory.

With the end of the semester fast approaching, Tara and I have plans afoot for the next several days. Tonight Tara and I are going to the Evensong service at Christchurch. Tomorrow I am leading a small group of our students on a short Thames River ramble from Oxford to Abingdon. This 9.5 mile leg was the one I first experienced 10 years ago that inspired my 185 mile ramble this semester. This will be my third time to complete this leg, and my first with students. It’s supposed to be cold tomorrow–below freezing through the morning hours–so we’ll be bundling up for the journey. On Monday our entire group will be heading to The Perch in Binsey for a final group meal. Tuesday is cleaning and packing day at the house. Our flight from Heathrow leaves mid-morning London time on Wednesday. We should be at DFW mid-afternoon Texas time.

This semester has been a fabulous one in so many ways. While I will miss being in Oxford, I would be lying if I said that I am not ready to be back in Abilene. Coming here, I didn’t realize just how much I would miss my kids and family back in Abilene. This semester began with visions of a semester rambling around Oxford. It ends with visions of Tara and me walking through the door to our house into the warm, welcoming presence of our kids who cannot wait for us to be home.