My Time In An English Garden

Growing up I never imagined I would have the opportunity to travel outside of the USA, let alone move to a new country to attend a University in England surrounded by an English Garden. Given my track record in school, it's safe to say nobody in my life pictured me going to a serious university, let alone graduate school....in England. Now don't get me wrong, there were semesters here and there where I excelled and did well but for the most part, there was just too much going on at home for most of my childhood for school to be my focus. At least, at that age, maturity level and perspective, it seemed like too much. So imagine the surprise of everyone around me when I announced, at the end of my senior year of college, that I had been accepted to a Graduate program at The University of Exeter in freaking England!

By the time I was finishing up my senior year, I was desperate to get out of Texas. To move somewhere nobody knew me and start a whole new life where nothing from my past could find me (that's something you still believe is possible in your 20's) and live the life of excitement and peace I'd been dreaming of. So when by happenstance, I met a professor from a university in England while I was doing my senior field school, it didn't take me long to work up the courage to start asking questions and figure out everything I needed to do to get accepted to that school! I couldn't believe my luck! The only reason I'd even meet this professor was because the Gault School of Archaeological Research happened to move their program to my University during my final year and he was in town doing some work with them. To me, at that time, it seemed like all the stars were aligning and my grand adventure was finally beginning.

Now in full disclosure, like a lot of Americans, I tend to romanticize all things European and England was going to be no different for me. Before I even got on the plane I was day dreaming of the countryside, the gardens, the old libraries filled with dust covered books of ancient knowledge, where I would uncover some long forgotten text of treasures and of course, when and where I would meet my very own Mr. Darcy. And my goodness did Exeter and the English countryside deliver.

Exeter is located in the County of Devon in southwest England, right next to Cornwall and stretches along the English Channel. Devon its self encompasses picturesque medieval towns, sandy beaches, mystical moorland and towering cliffs along the Exmoor coast. It is truly beautiful. And the Exeter campus is just freaking amazing (I was obviously not a literature major). It is actually a registered Botanical garden and is widely considered the most beautiful university campus in all of the UK.

It didn't take me long to realize not everyday could be a fantasy, in fact my school work took up much more of my time than I had anticipated, I ended up having to leave a few of the extracurricular clubs I'd joined, including the Out of Doors Club. That one had naturally, been my favorite. I had been so looking forward to making friends with other people who enjoyed the same outdoor activities I did. I'm all for not waiting for other people to get onboard before you get out there and start living your life or doing the things you like to do. I've spent many a day hiking, camping and traveling on my own and having a great time. It's strengthened me and made me a more capable person. But I had really been looking forward to this. Like most other things in England, I had romanticized the shit out of it. And to be honest, I was tired of doing all these things alone.

Time moved on, as it tends to do and I began to meet people and find my way around this new place. I signed up to be a student volunteer doing excavations at a site that pre dated the year 1298. I was invited to spend New Year's Eve with my neighbor and her family in London where I saw Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Kew Gardens. I'd made it out to one of my bucket list items while in England, Dartmoor National Park. And the romance... there had been plenty of romance. Now, not the finding my own Mr. Darcy kind of romance, but romance nonetheless. I'd found the romance I'd been dreaming of back in Texas before I ever stepped foot in England. I found it in my daily walks along the River Exe, day trips to the seaside with friends, stopping to buy flowers on my way home from the market and having lunch on the lawn of the 12th century Exeter Cathedral, surrounded by buildings Shakespeare himself has seen with his own two eyes. I found it reading texts and maps from the medieval period doing research for my dissertation and I'd 100% found it in afternoon teas filled with scones and clotted cream and jam.

I will always be someone who romanticizes the outdoors. It is something in all its shapes, and colors and smells and sounds that moves me to my core. I am still beyond belief that I was able to have this experience in England and beyond grateful for the opportunity it provided me to keep learning and expanding my perspective on life and All The Things I love.