By Makeda Loney
Contributing Writer
After an entire semester of anticipation, the day finally came. School was out, and summer shined its golden rays on me. The season greeted me with opportunities and excitement. Along with 29 other Bonnies (both graduate and undergraduate), my summer adventure awaited me in beautiful Oxford, England.
The thought of traveling more than 3,000 miles away from home was nerve wracking, but the experience was one that cannot be replaced. I can honestly say this past summer was the best summer I have ever had, and I am extremely happy I got to spend it with some truly extraordinary people.
I arrived in England knowing the London 2012 Olympics would be taking place at the same time we were studying in Oxford, but I didn’t think we would have a chance to actually see the Olympic Torch. However, our tutors provided us with tickets to the Torch Relay, as well as tickets to an Olympic soccer match.
The Olympic Torch Relay was amazing. We walked through the beautiful city of Oxford to get to South Park, where there were games to play like rugby, fencing and even quidditch. There were sideshows to watch as well as the main event.
As we shouted along with the rest of Oxford, we fit right in. There were fans beating drums, throwing little batons, dancing on stage and live music to enjoy before the torch made its way through the street.
When the torch finally arrived, I was touched to see an older Olympic athlete in a wheelchair cross the stage to hand it off. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to see again. I am extremely happy to say I had the chance to do so in the first place.
The weekend before we left Oxford, we traveled into Cardiff, Wales to watch an Olympic soccer match between Great Britain and Korea. To us, it was a chance to break out face paint and don British flags to be a part of the Olympic atmosphere.
Competition was greater than ever in our group since one of our Bonnies hailed from South Korea. (Congratulations to you and your country, Tony Lee). Twelve of us stayed in a hostel the night before the game before joining the other 70,000 people at the match.
The crowd roared with every score, and the continuous wave grew louder each time it came around. There wasn’t a dull moment that night.
This summer was the summer that I smiled the most and will cherish the rest of my life.
Thank you to the Francis E. Kelley Oxford Program and the staff, especially Brother Basil Valente and Father David Blake. Without them, I wouldn’t have been part of such an amazing experience, and I wouldn’t have the amazing new friends that I have now.
loneymb10@bonaventure.edu
