Last week at Oxford University :-(

It is amazing to think that this is my last week at Oxford University. The time has gone by so fast and I have learned so much. Today during my tutorial with John Dowling, I handed in my last paper about the trades of the world (with only one more to go) and we spent our two-hour tutorial talking about China and his opportunities to meet important political people of Poland, Burma, the UK, Italy and Canada throughout his life. John always has my attention during our tutorials and the time passes so fast.
What shocked me was at the end of our tutorial today, John took my hand, looked me straight in the eye and said, "You, my dear, I have shown to you culture. Now it is your turn to use it for the future..." John worked for the foreign services a while back and has commented to me about how my open mind to understanding culture has made my papers great, but he has never been so forward as today to tell me that I should join the foreign services. Once he said I should join, he quickly added, "well you need to think of all the implications with it, like if you have a boyfriend or would want to take the risk of going into a dangerous country." I understood what he meant, but it did leave me thinking about it. Who knows...
Prior to my meeting with John, I went to a girls' breakfast at St. Ebbe's church. I have been attending a college Bible study at this church and have gotten close with the ladies in my group. They are all so sweet and I fit right in with them.
After my tutorial with John, I went to New College to eat lunch in the bell tower because we had such a sun today. It was so beautiful and I could see all of Oxford and the suburbs. It is really hard to think that my time in Oxford is almost over. Next week I have a break, then after that I start my Summit Intensive course for three weeks. During the intensive I will have to study but I will not be able to study in the Radcliffe Camera anymore. I am going to miss it.
On a positive note, my roommate from Minneapolis, Renee, is coming to visit me for my week break! I am so excited to see a familiar American face and spend time with her showing her around Oxford (I like being a tour guide ;) ) Renee arrives this Thursday and I will show her around and we will dine at Christ Church! It will be a formal dinner and this dinning room has been made famous recently with Harry Potter as the Hogwart's dinning room. Friday she will spend her time with me in my last tutorial and the Summit group meeting from 2-6pm. On Saturday we will tour the rest of Oxford, Sunday we will head to London until Tuesday when we will leave for Amsterdam and meet up with my long-time friend from Germany, Berenike! From there we will spend a couple days in Amsterdam. Thanks to my tutorial with John, I actually know the history of Amsterdam so it will be great to be there. Later the three of us will make our way to Copenhagen for several days and then make our way back to London, leaving Berenike to make her way to Germany.  I am so excited to see the two of them.
The day after Renee leaves, Diana (my sister) and Callie (my best friend) are coming to visit as well! I will not get to spend all my time with them because I will be in the Summit Intensive at that point, but I am excited to see them as well. Once again, I get to play tour guide!
*Please pray for safe travels for all of them!*
This past weekend I went to the Spring Regatta rowing race with one of my friends from the Bible study, Felicia. The race was of the different colleges of Oxford competing against one another Along the River Thames each college had their own boat house, music playing, grills going and were selling random foods and drinks. The race is odd in how a college can win. The point of the race is to bump the boat in front of you to knock them out of the race. When you  get bumped, you have to row the rest of the distance but win nothing. The race takes about several days and can last for quite some time. I only went on Saturday, which was the last day of the competition. All I can say is I usually run a route that goes by the boat houses and I have never seen the river or the boat houses so lively.
Speaking of running, I started running last week for several days, but I am in no shape like before. I have been having minor muscle problems, but my friend from Oconomowoc, Robert Hannon, has been good to me and is giving me tips and stretches to get back into perfect shape, once again. Sorry to say this, but I am only 22 and I feel like sometimes my body acts like it is older than that (I wont say an "old" age, so I do not hurt anyone's feelings).
I have not talked about one of the things enjoying doing here, and that is eating!
My diet here is nothing like the one I had when I studied abroad in Spain. Here a high portion of my diet (as of last week, I am trying to cut down) was yogurt, many kinds of cheese, chocolate, tea, bread and broccoli (trying to get my greens). The yogurt, cheese, tea and chocolate is amazing compared to the US. I have been gaining some weight, but hey, it is a part of the experience of being abroad ;) 
With this said, I must leave you until next week, or maybe the next.