Day Twenty Four

The penultimate day on the Oxford Tradition 2011! It’s hard to believe that four weeks have almost passed.

The day unfolded with the penultimate major class taking up the morning followed by the last minor class in the afternoon. Shortly after the minor class, the Speech & Debate class held a debate in the famous Oxford Union Debate Chamber. The motion: Autocracy is Doomed in the Age of Facebook. A series of several impressive arguments gripped the spectating students and staff in the tense atmosphere of the chamber.

After dinner, the long-awaited performance of Shakespeare’s side-splitting comedy of Twelfth Night by the Drama class took place. The blood, sweat and tears produced by the long hours of rehearsal from Day One of the Oxford Tradition most certainly paid off. A truly masterful performance!

Tomorrow, we look forward to the banquet, the award ceremony and the Oxford Tradition Ball 2011, but not to the goodbyes.

Day Twenty-Four

Another day on Oxtrad dawned hot and sunny - fingers crossed this weather lasts till the end of the programme now!  Once again, Major and Minor classes were held outside, with picnics and punting galore to celebrate the final week. 

Celebrations went on this afternoon for the Art, Photography and Architecture classes in the form of the Oxford Tradition Exhibition.  The pieces on show were truly superb, resulting from a combination of hard work and true flair which manifested over the past month into a really brilliant display.

This evening, celebrations went on for another class in the form of the Creative Writing Showcase.  A brilliant mixture of poetry, non-fiction writing and storytelling kept the audience's rapt attention, with everyone startled by the intrigue and emotion filling many of the pieces.

As I write, the Journalism class are preparing to hand out Oxtrad's premiere magazine - the Monitor - a well researched and thoroughly entertaining read.  Don't forget to read your child's copy when they get home!

Guest Post: Third Student Op-Ed

The Oxford Tradition blog is pleased to feature the third Guest Op-Ed from our student journalist, Tatiana Esposito. 

OxTrad Talent Show:

Saturday night’s Oxford Tradition event featured the much-anticipated talent show, which had both students and staff showing off their musical, comedic, and literary capabilities.

Aislyn Flynn sang a rendition of Arms of an Angel beautifully and so full of vibrato that it could have been a professional performance. A majority of acts were musical, including the group that did a perfectly harmonized version of Hallelujah and a solo performance of Taylor the Latte Boy that mixed musical theater talent with humor. There were also a lot of guitars, which appeared in at least five songs both as solo acts with the musician singing along, or in a band setting.

However, the largely musical show was also peppered with acts of other kinds: juggling, a skit, and an incredible and relatable spoken word piece by Pate Sanders about having nostalgia for the innocence and ignorance of childhood, which required enviable skill and bravery. The wide-ranging talent that students at the program possess was beyond impressive, and the polish and professionalism with which the performances were carried out is a testament to them and their passions.

The entire night was a great opportunity forprogram participants to share their talents with new friends and show a side of themselves that very pleasantly surprised their major and minor colleagues—and their teachers. OxTrad 2011 definitely has got talent!

Day Twenty-Three

Students were treated to another round of fudge taste-talks today, after the last week's proved to be so popular! So, how is fudge made? There are a couple of stories floating around claiming to have the answer to this very important question. One suggests that an apprentice caramel maker was left stirring the pot while his boss was serving customers – but he didn’t know what he was doing, and the caramel became grainy and was ruined. However the customers loved it, and named it Fudge after the young apprentice. After today's session, OxTrad students are well-versed in fudge making and greatly enjoyed tasting the varieties made - including Oreo, Ginger, Chocolate and Maple.

Another jam session was also held, with a smaller number of students this time around, but with a fantastic sound produced by all! One of the definite highlights of the Talent Show last weekend was the blues showcase featuring AD Zahid, PA Michael, and student Scott. All three were leading this jam, and giving tips to students who attended.

This week is, of course, the final week of classes for the students. As such, many classes are showing off what they have worked so hard to learn over the past month. This has kicked off with the Law & Society class today presenting their case for judgement in a moot court… A moot court is a simulated court proceedings that includes participating in oral presentations to a judge and jury - and the jury in this case is the International Law class. Classmates and friends who came to support the budding lawyers were dazzled by some of the points made in oral arguments, and the students proved that a month is more than enough time to learn some hugely valuable lessons.

The night ended with an outing to an Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest. Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated play revolves around protagonists who maintain fictitious personalities in order to escape their social obligations. This was shown in the beautiful surrounds of Wadham College, which is particularly apt given that the play itself is set in a garden! Unfortunately, the heavy downpour in the early evening and fairly constant drizzle through the rest of the night discouraged the majority of students from attending, but for those who braved the English summer weather, the play was enthusiastically received.

Day Twenty-Two

Another fantastic day on the Oxford Tradition.  Possibly the hottest day so far saw many Major and Minor classes held on the Quads of both Colleges – a brilliant start to the final week. 

After Minor classes, students were treated to a fantastic display of British cookery by professional chef Carri Forbes, learning how to make traditional British treats such as oatmeal and Eton Mess, and of course tasting a lot along the way!  Recipes were given out at the end of the workshop – so be sure to ask for a re-run back at home!

This evening, the founder of the Programme, Dr. Jim Basker,  gave a fantastic talk entitled ‘Samuel Johnson – Who is He and Why Do We Care?’.  Samuel Johnson - an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer – was a truly fascinating man, as well as a member of one of the Oxtrad colleges – Pembroke.  This talk was a great insight into his life and contribution to English literature; a brilliant end to a brilliant day!

Day Twenty-One

A day of incredible weather greeted the students on Sunday. It was an early start for some students, who played 3-a-side half-court basketball games with one of the Programme Deans, Cole. This was a very successful repeat of last week's basketball game, with the students very much enjoying the weather and the physical activity.

Mid-morning saw a number of activities. One of these was a tour of Oxford's famous Bodleian Library (link here): students were able to absorb the atmosphere of this venerable library were Oxford students study every day, and were also able to see where various Harry Potter segments were filmed! (One of the Bodleian rooms is the Hogwarts Infirmary).

One of our faculty led a watercolour painting session in the Christchurch Meadows; students were instructed in how to mix paint from tubes, the best way to hold a brush, various exercises to improve brush control, and were then able to take inspiration from the Meadows and nearby Isis River for their artworks.

This was the final week for a series of very successful and popular Coffee Concerts. Held in the historical Holywell Music Rooms, students were this week treated to Viv Mclean on piano and Kate Gould on cello, playing Beethoven Cello Sonata in A op. 69 and Shostakovich Cello Sonata in D. Kate Gould is a member of Olivier and London Bridge Ensembles, and Guest princiapal cello with both the Scottish and English Chamber Orchestras, and is a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. What a lovely way to start a Sunday morning!

At lunchtime, the programme founder, Dr. Jim Basker, gave a talk on "How Poetry Helped to End Slavery" - a subject upon which Dr. Basker is a world authority. All students who attended this fascinating talk left with a deeper understanding of the impact of American slave poetry both during that period and its reaches into the current period.

In the evening, we held a movie double-billing. After a request from the students, we started with a 'Chick Flick' - The Notebook resulted in many weepy eyes and bins full of tissue paper! The second movie was hosted by the Paris Connection faculty contacts, Liliana Worth and Enricco Cocchi. Amelie is an Oscar-nominated film about an ingénue in Paris who discovers love by helping the people around her - and the beautiful story and picturesque Paris neighbourhoods inspired not only the students going on to the Paris Connection.

OxTrad Photo!

Earlier in the program, a photo of all of the students attending OxTrad was taken by the Photography faculty member, James Howe.

Students are able to order prints of this photo by Wednesday, and it will make a great memory of the summer month!!

OxTrad 2011!

Day Twenty

After a morning of major classes, Day Twenty on the Oxford Tradition proved one of the most eventful so far. There were two walking tours of Oxford where students had the opportunity to explore the town of Oxford even further and learn more about its history and culture.

Other students went on a tour of the Oxford Castle, which has served time as a Royal Castle, from which the City and upper reaches of the Thames Valley were administered, as a centre of justice, and for several hundred years – a Gaol – hidden from the public view behind impenetrable 5 metre high stone walls. Its no wonder that the Castle is one of Oxford's premiere attractions.

In the afternoon, a talk was given by Dr Nick Black, formally a teacher of Molecular Medecine on the Oxford Tradition, entitled Life as a Junior Doctor. Dr Black spoke about the UK medical education system and the transition between high school life and doctor life. With several interesting, funny and sad stories, this was a truly inspiring talk, especially for those students interested in pursuing medecine as a career.

Later in the evening, the Oxford Tradition's famous Coffe House Talent Show was held, where students had the opportunity to showcase their various talents for all to admire. Singers, dancers, musicans, poets, jugglers and many more took to the stage in front of their peers and teachers - each act was truly spectacular!

Day Nineteen

Another great day on the Oxford Tradition!  Following the Major and the Minor, the students had the opportunity to hear two very different, yet equally fascinating, speakers. 

This afternoon, we were joined by David Benedictus, the author of 25 books, who has most recently written the newest volume of the classic Winnie the Pooh series, Return to the Hundred Acre Wood. He has been widely involved in film and television as a director and producer, working with the BBC and Francis Ford Coppola. As Commissioning Editor for Drama at Channel 4 in the UK, he won an International Emmy for Porterhouse Blue, the comical tale of a fictitious Cambridge college.   David entertained the students with tales from his literary career - a truly compelling talk. 

Our evening speaker was Dr. Tim Benbow, former teacher of War in World History and expert in military affairs.  His discussed the issues involved in the fight against terror in the 21st century, weaving skillful insight with compelling interaction and stories.  A truly great night enjoyed by all!

Guest Post: Third Student Op-Ed

As every Oxford Tradition participant knows, choosing a major and minor is full of indecision as you wade through the overwhelming number of options, each equally enticing. Thursday’s “Weekday Weekender” offered a day to explore two new courses for an hour each and get a taste for what fellow students are experiencing on a daily basis. The entire day was about plunging head first into new experiences. In Literature and Psychology, the class was immersed in ideas of economic, social, and racial oppression during discussions about writings by Franz Fanon.  We listened to a poem in Creole dialect that was set to music and that spoke of the double consciousness of the racially oppressed. The other incredible part of the day was the two hours I spent weeding, composting, and harvesting in an urban community garden. This was just one of many community service options for the afternoon and it left me and my peers feeling rewarded after hard work in the hot sun, which was a refreshing change from the academic portion of the day. After learning about a plethora of crops and getting to take home a head of lettuce and rainbow chard, working in the garden shed as much light on a new subject as the Weekday Weekender.

Day Eighteen

Thursday 28^th July, also known as the Weekday Weekender… what a day for the Oxford Tradition! 

After a late start this morning, and a traditional English fry-up in both colleges, students swapped major classes for the day.  Each was given the opportunity to try out two Major classes that have aroused their interest over the past weeks – imagine a Physicist in Literature & the Fantastic, or a Creative Writer in Maths & Engineering.  By all accounts, the morning was greatly enjoyed by both students and faculty alike, with many of the teachers reporting the high levels of enthusiasm amongst their new students, with plenty of requests for extra work and accompanying reading lists. 

This afternoon was another great break from the norm, jam-packed with Service Activities to give students the opportunity to escape the ‘normal’ tourist trail and experience a very different flavour of Oxford.  Not only was this afternoon a great way to bolster college applications with something a little bit different, it was also truly worthwhile and greatly enjoyed by all participants. 

The Service opportunities on offer were all so exciting and diverse that it was a struggle for many students to choose how to fill their time!  In the brilliant sunshine, some got stuck into urban farming with the organisation OxGrow, helping to transform two unloved tennis courts right in the heart of the city into an organic, sustainable and truly local food garden. 

Meanwhile, another group of students set off to the Oxford Food Bank, an organisation that collects good quality fresh produce from supermarkets and wholesalers and delivers it for free to local charities such as mental health groups and children’s drop-in centres.  Our students were given an enlightening talk about food waste and charity, and then helped to sort the food for delivery to various organisations around the city. 

Whilst some students were off at the Energy Bank and OxGrow, others were busy in the colleges themselves.  A fascinating energy debate, led by sustainability experts, was enthusiastically greeted by students and faculty alike, in particular the Physics and International Business classes.  At the same time, others were baking sweet treats using national recipes for a cake sale this afternoon for the local charity, Helen & Douglas House (we raised over £100 – good work everyone!), writing letters to severely ill children through the charity Postpals, buying canned foods for the Community Emergency Food Bank, and knitting blankets for premature babies with our ‘X-treme Knitting’ club!  What a busy afternoon! 

As a reward for all their hard work, the students were treated to a traditional afternoon tea on Oriel’s Third Quad this afternoon - the scones, clotted cream and tea went down VERY well!  This was followed by a fascinating panel discussion about Volunteering and Service, with members of the oxtrad faculty and admin discussing their experiences of volunteering worldwide, and inspiring the students also to get involved (we hope!). 

To polish off such a busy day, another group of students enjoyed Antony & Cleopatra this evening, again in the stunning setting of the Said Business School Amphitheatre.  An exotic setting, enticing storylines and enthralling characterisation wowed the students once again, and was a brilliant end to a brilliant day. 

Day Seventeen

I’m writing this as I watch a gleeful group of students learning how to ceilidh dance – the traditional folk music and dance of Scotland. This historically illustrious dance (similar to barn dancing) is still popular in Scotland today, used as a means of facilitating festivities of all kinds. With a four-piece live band and a caller, the students are being guided through a series of dance sequences  with fantastic results and smiles all around!

 

Students learning to ceilidh dance, Copyright OxTrad

Earlier today, auditions for Saturday’s talent show were held. The high levels of quality displayed by all of the students that tried out suggests that the talent show itself will be hotly contested this weekend; the Activities Directors were impressed by everything from classical Indian dancing to viola recitals, from self-composed guitar ballads to duo juggling.  Our major concern is how to fit in all of the fantastic students we encountered in the 2 hours we have available for the show... OxTrad students keep surprising us with their hidden talents.

It seemed that today was a day for display of non-academic skills, as students were treated to a cooking workshop by one of OxTrad’s adjunct faculty members. This workshop encompassed a history of British foods as well as a demonstration of cooking methods and quintessential British delicacies. Both those who are avid cooks and those who haven’t spent much time in a kitchen were enthralled by the sophistication of a cuisine that is usually written off as a simple pie-and-chips fare.

OxTrad participants have been lucky over the past week with a fantastic sunny spell, which is always a treat in the unpredictable English summer. We’re hoping it will last through to the weekend – the final full weekend that the students have to spend in Oxford...

Day Sixteen

One of the busier days for OxTrad - and that's saying something!

The afternoon started with some sizzling Latin music with a Salsa class taught by one of Oxford's premier salsa instructor duos - the approximately 200 students attending were instructed in the basic steps and patterns, and had a fun, social time with their friends.

There were a multitude of events in the evening. 200 students were able to enjoy a fabulous night of Shakespeare with Antony & Cleopatra at an outside venue in Oxford's Said Business School. Creation Theatre (link here) specialise in performing in venues that are not traditional theatres, and this evening did not disappoint, with students enthralled by the passion, warfare, and tragedy of this brilliant production.

Those more interested in classical music were treated to a performance by the Adderbury Ensemble, an ensemble formed in 1986 by a number of Britain's finest young musicians that has since grown from performances organised in the idyllic village of Adderbury in North Oxfordshire to concerts in the atmospheric Sheldonian Theatre. They performed Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin, Corelli's Concerto Grosso, Handel's Concerto Grosso, and Marcello's Oboe Concerto, with solist Alun Darbyshire.

All of the OxTrad Quest winners received their prizes tonight - the first prize winners travelled to London to watch the West End production, Jersey Boys, and were also treated to an Italian dinner in Soho. The second prize winners were taught how to punt at the Cherwell Boat House, an iconic Oxford punt station and restaurant on the banks of the River Cherwell. Established in 1904, the family-run Boathouse now has over 80 handmade punts in the water, and is a picturesque spot for an alfresco dinner, to which the students were treated after punting. The third prize winners were also taken out for dinner, to the restaurant of prominent and award-winning English chef, Jamie Oliver - Jamie's Italian. All in all, a fantastic evening of food and entertainment for the students who got the highest marks in the Quest from the first weekend of the programme.

Students at Cherwell Boathouse, Copyright OxTrad

Day Fifteen

The first day of the third week of the Oxford Tradition was certainly jam-packed with excitement.  After Major and Minor classes, many of which were taken outside to make the most of the glorious sunshine, the students were able to enjoy a full programme of activities for the rest of the day.  

At 4.30pm, Tony Benn - politician, former Cabinet Minister and current President of the Stop the War Coalition - spoke in the inspirational setting of the Oxford Union Debate Chamber. Benn is, undeniably, one of the most high-profile speakers on the Oxtrad programme; indeed, his speeches on a number of topics are famed for their interest and insight.  Benn spoke about the political and social relationship between the US and the UK - a particularly pertinent subject for our programme - and was very well received by students and faculty alike.  

After dinner, the students were treated to yet another fantastic speaker in Helen Chapman, a top London lawyer.  For those interested in a career in law, or simply current affairs in general, Helen's talk was very insightful, whilst also full of humorous anecdotes enjoyed by a captivated audience.  

The day ended with a showing of the film Syriana, a thriller focussed on petroleum politics.  This subject is clearly highly salient in the current global climate, making for a great film enjoyed by all (George Cloony and Matt Damon certainly helped as well...).  

Guest Post: Second Student Op-Ed

The Oxford Tradition blog is pleased to feature the second Guest Op-Ed from our student journalist, Tatiana Esposito. We will be featuring writing from Tatiana, a student studying Journalism as her minor, a few more times over the rest of the programme.

Karaoke:


Singing in the shower is one thing, but this Sunday night dozens of students from the Oxford Tradition got up and sang in front of their friends and classmates. The karaoke was bettered only by the presence of Dr. Richard Grayson who, dressed in an oversized polo and a doo-rag, doubled as the night’s MC.

The set list ran the gamut from Kesha to Bon Jovi to an a capella rendition of Lonely Island’s Lazy Sunday. Victoria Carbol nabbed first prize for her outstanding version of Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now, followed closely by a version of Sexy Back that would have made Justin Timberlake jealous.

However, more impressive than the wide-ranging talent was the bravery each performer displayed. Whether a soloist or a group of five friends, whatever each was lacking in rhythm, they made up for many times over in courage.

Day Fourteen

Today was another action-packed day for the Oxford Tradition, which came hand in hand with perhaps the best weather the program has seen so far.

The day began with an introductory session of fencing at the Iffley Road Sports Complex, which proved to be so popular that we hope to hold another session next weekend. There was also an informal game of half-court basketball at the Pembroke Sports Ground, which turned out to be a great way for students and staff to integrate outside of class.

In the late morning, a relaxing yoga session was held at Oriel for those looking for a less active means of exercise for the day. Meanwhile, some students went to another show in the Oxford Coffee Concert series at the Hollywell Music Rooms. The concert today was performed by the talented Heath String Quartet, who played two of Beethoven's Opi.

Immediately after lunch, the final rounds of last week's 6-a-side football tournament were held. The gripping semi-finals and finals saw The Real Life Players emerge as winners, followed closely by runners-up Team Canada and Team Africa in second and third places respectively.

Pembroke-Oriel Sports Challenge - Volleyball Practice

Copyright OxTrad

Later on that afternoon the Pembroke-Oriel Sports Challenge was held, involving matches in 11-a-side football, touch rugby and volleyball. Although Pembroke managed to snatch a last minute win in touch rugby, Oriel were simply too strong in both football and volleyball, and so claimed overall victory for the Sports Challenge. For students who were not keen to get involved with the competitive sports, there were informal games of tennis, basketball and frizbee, as well as a bouncy castle for those looking let out the 10 year-old inside them.

Tori Carbol: OxTrad Idol 2011

Copyright OxTrad

After dinner, OxTrad hosted its famous karaoke night entitled OxTrad Idol 2011. Those who were brave enough put themselves on stage and sung in front of a large audience and four intimidating judges (OxTrad members of staff). Altough there were many great performances, the angelic voice of Tori Carbol stole the hearts of the judges, earning her the title of OxTrad Idol 2011.

A sport and music filled Sunday to end the second week of the Oxford Tradition 2011. It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through the program!

Guest Post: Student Op-Ed

The Oxford Tradition blog is pleased to feature the first Guest Op-Ed from our student journalist, Tatiana Esposito. We will be featuring writing from Tatiana, a student studying Journalism as her minor, a few more times over the rest of the programme.


London:

Buckingham Palace. Big Ben. Topshop. Although Friday morning’s trip to London held the promise of all these things, the activity that most stood out was a visit to the Hunterian Museum. Named after scientist John Hunter, the Hunterian Museum focuses mainly on surgery, both of the past and of the present. It featured shelves laden with ancient bones, half a human face floating in a jar, and syphilis-addled skulls, all of which created a fascinatingly horror movie-like atmosphere. One exhibit featured an array of nightmarish surgical tools of the past, which included rusty saws and a curved, scythe-like knife. The highlight of the museum was watching taped surgeries of everything from a knee replacement to a high-risk removal of a benign brain tumour.

This exhibit, which caters only to a specific audience, was made even more enjoyable by having the opportunity to experience it with my classmates. It is not often that I get to share my interests in medicine with other people who have an equally great passion for it. As we all crowded around the small screen to watch highly trained surgeons burr holes in the patient’s skull, no one winced or looked away in horror, but instead peered closer with excitement as we viewed what our future might hold.

Later on in the trip we left our majors and split off into tour groups. Mine was scheduled to go to the Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London, but after 40 minutes of fast-paced walking, time constraints limited our viewing time of these great monuments. However, the London excursion was not made great by trips to famous landmarks, but by rare opportunities I would not have had if I had gone to London without the Oxford Tradition. It was both an educationally enhancing experience and one that solidified new friendships within the program.

Day Thirteen

What a beautiful day for the start of the weekend! After the excitement of the London trip, Saturday started with a bang, with sunny skies and students going back to their 9am Major classes. Lunchtime brought the programme photo - the one chance that OxTrad has to get all of the students in a single photograph! James Howe, the faculty member who teaches the photography class, masterfully gathered all 400-odd students into an Oriel quad for a photo that will prove to be a great memory for everyone.

A steamer trip on The Isis (what Oxfordians called the Thames River) filled the afternoon; this is one of the highlights of the program, being a traditional trip on a steamer boat down the river. This round-trip between Oxford and Abingdon is one of the most popular services - it starts by Christ Church Meadows and goes through the picturesque market town of Abingdon. The journey passes through beautiful countryside with highlights including the Oxford University intercollegiate regatta course and the magnificent Nuneham House.

The day ended with another hugely successful bop, or dance. The theme for this week was 'Under the Sea' - and with decorations and costumes ranging from pirates to snorkelers, from fish to mermaids, and from seaweed to waves, the students didn't hold back from 2 hours of non-stop dancing!

Tomorrow we move onto a day of sports, so we hope all the students are resting up for a day of Oriel VS Pembroke friendly competition!

London

Perhaps the most exciting day of the program so far dawned bright and sunny, and eight coaches full of students, bubbling with anticipation, set off to... London!

Students spent this morning with their Major classes visiting attractions relevant to their curriculum; Drama, for example, went to the National Theatre and observed street performers in Covent Garden, whilst Medical Science toured the Huntarian Museum of Surgery, and Literature & the Fantastic travelled to King's Cross Station in search of Platform Nine and Three Quarters! From all accounts these trips were truly fascinating and really brought to life much of the previous week's teaching.

After lunch, students were given the opportunity to go on walking tours around the city, choosing from a myriad of exciting options including 'Greatest Hits of London' (led by none other than the Director, Michael McKinley, himself), the British Museum and St. Paul's Cathedral & the Tower of London. These fantastic walks allowed students to explore the parts of London most interesting to them, whilst also providing innumerable photo opportunities and brilliant memories.

Following free time and a much needed dinner, both students and faculty boarded the coaches back to Oxford, exhausted yet buzzing following a great day, and ready for, if possible, an even busier weekend- think fencing, boat trips, a dance night, yoga, karaoke and the big Pembroke-Oriel sports' challenge, and you'll come somewhere close to imagining what's in store!

Day 11

The first half of Day 11 on the Oxford Tradition proved to be studious, with major and minor classes occupying the students until mid-afternoon.

At 4.30pm, an riveting talk, entitled Cops and Constables: Policing in the US and the UK, was given by ex-Activities Director for the Oxford Tradition Adam Allen, who is currently serving as an NYPD officer. The talk included several exciting stories from Adam's personal journey in becoming an officer in the City Wide Task Force of the NYPD, as well as an insight into the differences of law enforcement in the US and the UK.

After a barbeque dinner on the college lawns, a talk was given by Dr. Chris Sangwin, Director of Admissions for Mathematics at the University of Birmingham. Dr. Sangwin's talk, titled How Round is Your Circle?, scraped the surface of his personal research on the geometry of shapes that prove to be extremely useful in modern engineering. A truly fascinating talk with mind-boggling problems and fun experiments!

Another group of OxTrad students went to Shakespeare's MacBeth, performed by the Oxford Theatre Guild at the beautiful gardens of Trinity College this evening. The performance proved to be as thrilling as last night.

Excitment amongst both students and teachers has been building throughout the day in anticipation of OxTrad's field trip to London, with various tours on offer and marvellous sights to see.

Day Ten

After a fantastic night of Harry Potter celebrations, today was a day of fewer activities, to bring the students back to the 'muggle' realm - the focus on academics.

After their major and minor classes, students were treated to an lecture by Professor Lynda Mugglestone, on Crocodiles and Canoes: What do Dictionaries Really Do? Prof. Mugglestone is an international lecturer in Language and Communication at Oxford University, and her research focuses on English as a spoken language. She has spoken on radio in the UK multiple times, and has also appeared on television, discussing the English language and the formation of English dictionaries. For the two courses for whom this talk was recommended (Philosophy and Molecular Medicine), and for all the other interested students who attended, the ins and outs of dictionaries through history made for a fascinating talk.

In the evening, we shifted from Harry Potter to another play that uses the supernatural as a motif - MACBETH. The Oxford Theatre Guild, Oxfordshire's premier amateur theatre company, is putting on this production on a multi-level stage in the wooded area of Trinity College known to the College gardeners as "the wilderness." The supernatural aspects of the play were emphasized, with 9 witches instead of the usual 3 taking part - the other 6 witches play minor parts throughout. With 100 students that attended tonight, and another 50 going tomorrow, this was a very popular event - which bodes well for the 2 others plays upcoming during the month.

The students greatly enjoyed this play, and gamely sat through the traditional English weather (gloomy and a bit drizzly) to revel in the action of one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies.

Day 9

Today was quite a day on The Oxford Tradition! 

After this morning's Major, the students spent the afternoon at our 'International Education Forum', held in the splendour of the Oxford Union Debate Chamber.   Representatives from Oxford University, Durham, St. Andrew's, Edinburgh, LSE and Imperial College London joined many of our students considering applying toa British university.  This fantastic opportunity to hear directly from Admissions Tutors was really valued by many of the students, and the question and answer session that followed was filled by insightful queries.  We really hope that The Oxford Tradition will inspire a great many of our students to consider applying to universities abroad, and this Forum was a great chance to learn more about the process and get an 'insider' perspective on potential courses. 

Tonight’s big event was, unmistakably, Oxtrad’s trip to Harry Potter.  With two cinemas booked out, over 400 students attending, and costumes aplenty, enthusiasm was high. What better place to watch the dramatic finale of this fantastic series than Oxford, where many scenes from the film, for example those that take place in the Great Hall and the Library, were filmed?  Get ready for a spellbinding night with the Oxford Tradition!

Day 8

After a very sporty and musical weekend to conclude Week 1 of OxTrad 2011, Week 2 began with a quieter Monday, with major classes taking place in the morning and minor classes after lunch.

During the late afternoon, retired British Army General Sir Michael Rose shared his experience with OxTrad students in a talk entitled Fighting Insurgency Wars in the 21st Century. His list of credentials includes ex-commander of the 22 SAS Regiment, commander of the UN Protection Force in Bosnia in 1994 during the Yugoslav wars and many more, so it was no wonder that he captivated the students.

Tonight saw the third themed dinner of OxTrad 2011. Spanish dishes including seafood and vegeterian paella, and both meat and vegetable tacos were served 'al fresco' on the college lawns. There was also non-alcoholic sangria and pineapple and watermelon slices for dessert. Our series of themed dinners will continue next Monday with a pirate theme.

Later on in the evening, a talk was given by renowned academic in the field of Corporate Finance, Professor John Armour. The talk, entitled Law and the Financial Crisis, was a great opportunity for students, particularly those with strong interests in law or finance, to gain an insight into the recent financial turbulence from a lawyer's perspective.

Tomorrow's showings of the new Harry Potter film are highly anticipated, as the excitement amongst all students crescendoed throughout the day.

Day Seven

Who said Sunday was relaxing?? This was a jam-packed day of activities! We started a little later in the day to give students a chance to recover from the fantastic neon bop - although it ended at 10pm and the students were all back in their colleges shortly after that, the two hours of non-stop dancing seemed to take it out of everyone...

Bop night! Copyright OxTrad

For those who needed to ease into the day, we began with yoga session led by one of the admin team. After an hour-long stretch and mindfulness exercises, the students were definitely ready to take on the day.

For those lucky enough to sign up in time, there was a chamber music concert - part of the Oxford Coffee Concert series - held in the historical Holywell Music Rooms, the oldest custom-built concert hall in Europe, which opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1748. These Coffee Concerts began in 1986 and have established themselves as one of the most successful chamber music series in the country. They have been described by British newspaper The Independent as one of the top 10 things to do in Oxford, hosting performances by the best musicians and ensembles from this country and from abroad. This week, we were fortunate enough to listen to Tamsin Waley-Cohen on violin and Huw Watkins on piano performing Mozart and Poulenc.

There was great excitement in each college at lunchtime today, as HARRY POTTER MOVIE TICKETS were available for pick up!! On Tuesday of the upcoming week, OxTrad is going en masse to the cinema to watch the newest Harry Potter movie, and each student gets a ticket to watch this hit movie. Look out for pictures of students dressed up as characters from the movie in the next week...

Over the early afternoon, a group of 30 students were taken on an undercover patrol by a current NYPD policeman, a former member of the OxTrad admin team who was visiting the UK. In addition to learning about how undercover cops tail suspicious persons and other tricks of the trade, students were made aware of how to act in crowds and take care of their belongings in crowded street situations - valuable life lessons!

A 6-a-side soccer tournament took up the late afternoon and evening. 9 mixed-sex teams competed in a highly contested set of heats, with the semi-finals and finals to be held next Sunday. There seemed to be a bit of a country theme going on, with Team Canada, Team USA, Team India and Team Africa competing against the likes of Team Blaugrana and Team K2.

Soccer tournamnet, Copyright OxTrad

The day closed with more soccer mania - the finals of the Women's World Cup, with USA taking on Japan. Even though women's soccer does not usually find a wide audience in the student body, there was a definite buzz in the lecture theatre as students piled in to support their chosen team!

A great conclusion to a full and fantastic Week 1 of classes, activities, and events - and we're all looking forward to a tremendous Week 2.

Day Six

Today was our students' first chance to experience that stalwart of British summer - the rain!  Despite torrential showers this morning, even those Major classes scheduled to go on walking tours to various points around the city proceeded as planned, accompanied by umbrellas and coats galore!

The day began to brighten after lunch, and a sunny afternoon was jam-packed with activities.  Dr. Phoenix Singh, former Professor of Social Psychology on the Oxford Tradition spoke to a packed lecture hall on 'Serial Killers and Psychopaths' - a fascinating topic truly brought alive by Phoenix's clear passion and fantastic imagination.  The supposedly hour-long talk aroused such interest that questions were still being fired from a rapt audience two and a half hours later!

Following this talk, the enthusiastic musicians amongst the group,  both experienced and beginner, participated in a blues jam session in Pembroke College, led by members of Oxtrad's admin team.  Guitars, pianos and even harmonicas combined flawlessly in an activity so popular that we are hoping to run one or even two more over the course of the month... particularly in the run-up to the ever popular Oxtrad Talent Show in a couple of weeks!

From where I now sit, I can see many of the students relaxing on the Quad, already dressed in 'neon' for tonight's dance - or, as we call it in Oxford, 'the bop'.  Glow-sticks, glitter, disco tunes galore; students and faculty alike are all ready for a great evening to celebrate the end of the week!

Day Five

Today saw the first official field trip of the Oxford Tradition 2011 to Broughton Castle, the home of Lord and Lady Saye and Sele. Although the Oxford Tradition has been unlucky with the weather during this field trip in the past, today we were blessed with clear skies and glorious sunshine.

Shortly after arrival, the students were given tours of the castle in their classes and explored the picturesque gardens. During the field trip, the students had the opportunity to look at their subject through an alternative lens. While the English Literature students spent time looking at medieval texts, the Architecture students were exposed to the truly beautiful structure of Broughton Castle.

In celebration of the release of the new and final Harry Potter film, upon returning from Broughton Castle, a Harry Potter themed dinner was held at both colleges with several impressive costumes on show. Later on in the evening the penultimate film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, was screened in the Oriel Lecture theatre to build the excitement for next week's trip to see the new film.

Tomorrow the students will resume their major classes in the morning as usual. In the afternoon, a riveting talk entitled 'Psycopaths and Serial Killers' will be given by Phoenix Singh, a former Social Psycology teacher for the Oxford Tradition. Later in the afternoon, an informal open music workshop will be held for musicians of all standards, and in the evening the Oxford Tradition will host its first dance night, with a neon theme.

Day Four

Today was a calmer day after the Shakespeare festival yesterday! Students are settling into their Majors and Minors, with teachers taking students punting (Poetry), building motors (Physics and the Future), and having classes in University Parks (International Law).

Journalism class with Dr. Richard Grayson

In the afternoon, students were entertained with a Poetry Reading by renowned Oxford poet, Dr. Helen Kidd, a lecturer in English studies at Oxford Brookes University and a tutor at Ruskin College, Oxford. She recited a few of her poems to the students, and spoke about looking for inspiration all around us. One interesting anecdote was writing a poem about a fleet of Arabian dhows after visiting a local piano shop.

The evening was melodiously concluded with a concert from premier English chamber choir, Pro Musica (their website can be found here). For a little over an hour, students were entertained with both contemporary and traditional songs from a choir that has appeared on various TV shows in the UK, such as the Vicar of Dibley, and produced a number of successful albums.

Tomorrow (Friday) is the first official field trip of the Oxford Tradition summer program! We're off to Broughton Castle, the home of Lord and Lady Saye and Sele. This stately home was given 5 stars in the publication England's Thousand Best Houses by Sir Simon Jenkins, so it should be a very interesting and informative day out.

A full report on the day's amusements to come!

Day Three

Today was Shakespeare Day on the Oxford Tradition, and was enjoyed by both our arts and science students alike.

Following on from our movie last night, Shakespeare in Love, the students have been treated to a whole range of Shakespeare-related activities, starting with a talk by Nick Hutchison.  Nick is a director, actor and lecturer who has worked for, among others, the BBC, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe.  He shared his experience of acting Shakespeare with the students, which was fascinating for both budding dramatists and reluctant thespians alike.

This evening, we were entertained by Tim Carroll, former associate director of Shakespeare's Globe and now the director of New Kent Opera.  Tim has directed countless Shakespeare productions at the Globe, as well as many for the Oxford Tradition (where he taught for many years), and therefore was able to share with us his wealth of experience from the world of directing - a truly great evening.

The students are now embarking on a Shakespeare quiz - one day, 14 questions, fantastic prizes!  We can't wait to see how much they've learnt from this Shakespeare-filled 24 hours...

Day Two

Another gorgeous day in the historical setting of Oxford

 Copyright SJ Littleford

After attending their Major classes, students were regaled with An Introduction to Oxford by Dr. Richard Grayson - actor, presenter, President of the Foreign Press Association, a former BBC Foreign Correspondent, AND acting in a soon-to-start-filming new NBC series.
There's really no one better to introduce the students to the city!

An English afternoon tea and an introduction to the sport of cricket filled the afternoon. Afternoon tea, to the surprise of many students, does not necessarily involve the hot drink tea, but instead revolves around scones with clotted cream and jam (delicious!).
The students also played football, rounders, and enjoyed a sunny afternoon reading and chatting at the spacious Pembroke Sports Grounds.

The evening ended with a film showing of the Oscar award-winning Shakespeare in Love in preparation for the field trip to Broughton Castle. This stately house was featured extensively in the film, and in fact the actor Joseph Fiennes is the cousin of the current owner of the house, Lord Saye and Sele.
More information on this can be found on the website of Broughton Castle.

Tomorrow the students have a day of talks, quizzes, and gatherings to celebrate England's "Bard of Avon"- Shakespeare!

Day One

The first day of Oxford Tradition was very successful!
The students were welcomed to Oxford by the Director of Oxbridge Academic Programs, Dr. James Basker, in the wonderful settings of the Sheldonian Theatre. Students heard about the history of the programme, learnt about what will be coming up this summer, and met all of the faculty.

 Copyright Galen Sher

After their introductory Major and Minor classes, students were sent on The Oxford Quest, an afternoon adventure through the city discovering Oxford's hidden secrets and interesting information. They had to uncover the answers to questions such as:

• "The heads of the individual Oxford colleges are known by a variety of titles. Give three of these titles,"(The answers are Warden, Provost, Rector, Master, Principal, and Dean)
• "In its current location, what colour is the track on which Roger Bannister ran the first four-minute mile" (The answer is orangey-red)
• "Name the building that houses Oxford's dodo" (The answer is Pitt Rivers Museum)

With prizes such as a trip to London to see a musical of their choice (with an adult chaperone) and a punting and dinner trip (also with a chaperone), students participated excitedly and with great enthusiasm. The winning team and spot prizes will be announced on Day Two.

 A competing team

A great start to what promises to be another fantastic summer at Oxford Tradition!

Looking forward to OxTrad 2011!

The faculty have arrived and settled in, the offices and rooms are set up, and admin staff are raring to go! In the meanwhile, here are some pictures of Oxford to whet your appetite...