Today was a busy day full of fun and laughter! We woke up and took a bus to Oxford. Upon arrival, we had a tour of the city and it was very interesting to learn that there are 39 colleges in Oxford! Oxford is known as the sites of filming for the famous Alice and Wonderland and Harry Potter series. It was really cool to just be walking around in the city and imagining that this is where it took place!

After walking around for a bit, we went for a tour at Christ Church. It is a very pretty college and it was really cool to learn more about the history of the university! The thing that intrigued me the most about this was the Great Hall. This was where many scenes from Harry Potter was filmed, and it felt like I was walking into the movie. I absolutely loved it. My two cats are named Ron and Ginny- who are siblings- and named after the Harry Potter series! Growing up, I would watch Harry Potter marathon movie series all the time. It was a great childhood memory that I hold dear to my heart, as I have spent lots of time bonding over it with family and friends. Overall, I loved all the Harry Potter settings today!

After touring Christ Church, we got a very good lunch and shopped for a bit! It was fun to walk around and explore more in the town. After, we took a short bus ride to Blenheim Palace.

Blenheim Palace is known as the home of the first Duke of Marlborough. He earned the palace after great accomplishments in the war and received money to build this palace for his great work. It is also known as the birthplace of Winston Churchill. He was born here by chance when his mother went into labor early. Winston Churchill is revered to be a great war leader who helped to inspire resistance against Nazi Germany in World War II. He is also known for a great speech to inspire others. “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat (the Oxford comma is the comma that comes before the and! There is a debate if it should be included or not).” Churchill was buried here on the grounds of Blenheim Palace. We did not have the chance to go but it is interesting to note that his body was buried at the site of his birthplace.

After walking around the palace, we explored the grounds outside! We first saw the rose gardens, which no roses were blooming yet but it was cool to see. We then went to the Walled Gardens, and on the way there we saw lots of sheep! There were not bothered by our presence and it was cool to see them as we were passing by. In the Walled Gardens, there was a maze! We successfully completed the maze, I am happy to say. It took us about 20 minutes and only got lost a few times (okay maybe more like four times). Lastly, we went to the butterfly garden, where butterflies were enclosed in a greenhouse to thrive in. It was a very hot climate, which allows the butterflies to fly around in, but I could not stay for long as I got overheated quickly. Walking back to the palace and bus, we stopped to get ice cream and that was probably the best part of my day. Ice cream always make me happy!

Back in Birmingham, we grabbed a quick dinner and packed up our things. Tomorrow we are departing for London at an early time and staying the night there! We will be exploring London during the day and seeing Mamma Mia at night. I am so excited!

This is most likely my last blog of the Plus3 UK Healthcare and Education trip. It has been an amazing trip and I am so grateful for the friendships that I have made, knowledge that I have gained, and values that I will translate into my career as a mental health nurse. Thank you!

Cheers,

Mary