I have a confession. You can’t tell anyone, promise? Ok, here is goes…
I’m a BIG dork, a HUGE dork. Not like a secret comic book lover or a fan of calculus, but a fully-fledged, unashamed, out of control nerd. I was a medieval studies major in college, at an all-women’s college, that I went to BY choice. I read 15th century monastic texts FOR FUN! I took Latin as an elective at university, and I can even read Old English written in runes. I have a quote from Lord of the Rings tattooed on my ribs for heaven’s sake! While other kids have posters of bands and movies around the house, I have posters outlining the family tree of the Spanish royal family. In short, I’m a huge dork. Moving on,
One of my nerdier quirks is that I reread some of my favorite book series every summer, like, cough, cough, LOTR, Narnia, His Dark Materials, and of course, Harry Potter. Did I mention I can read a book a day? Nerd, I know. Anyways, right now I am deep in book 5 with a very moody Harry and the Order of the Phoenix.
Harry P and I go way back. I was reading HP back when I had braces and before people used Nokia phones. I would go to the midnight premieres of all the movies and book releases, occasionally in costume (with friends!) When I was researching my senior thesis at the National Library in Madrid and at Oxford in the summer of 2009, I couldn’t resist visiting Christ Church College, where many of the scenes for the HP films were shot. Do you recognize this staircase? It’s one of the first shots you see of Hogwarts in the movies.
Have you ever been to Oxford? Are you a big Harry Potter fan like me?
About the author
I actually study in Oxford and even after three years, I still feel like a giddy tourist when my bike rattles across cobbles in the January mist, or when I lie in my College’s garden (Exeter – best view in Oxford!) in early summer. If you end up there in the next twelve months I’d be happy to give you a native’s tour. Showing people the city I love is one of my favourite things to do, and I’ve had a lot of practise, too!
I’ve only just stumbled across your blog and it’s firing me up big-time to quite making excuses and travel more! I’ve travelled a little, which I do tend to cover on my somewhat-neglected spot of the internet, but only in Europe (except that one time I lived in Florida for two years as a kid). As soon as I’m done with College, my plan is to bulk up the coffers – and then back up my Koffer, why yes, an actual little German joke there – and Set Off!
I studied at Oxford for a semester, and it was the most incredible three months of my life. Did you see the Hogwarts medical wing (the Bodleian Library) as well as Christ Church?
Oxford looks dazzling! I wish I could afford studying there…
And by the way, I’m totally digging the medieval-studies-major-and-HP-Narnia-addict-thing! I sometimes felt like I was the only one out there – so glad I’m not! 🙂