Reading Notes: Tiny Tales from the Ramayana Part A

For this reading, I enjoyed many of the tiny tales (honestly, all of them), but the ones that struck me as the most interesting were tales 34 and 35, dealing with Ahalya.

In Tale 34, "The Story of Ahalya", Vishvamitra tells the story of a woman created by Brahma to be the most beautiful girl in the world. She is "given" to a rishi named Gautama to be his wife.

Gautama is so busy with his prayers and such that he ignores his wife. And yet, when another deva, Indra, wanted Ahalya and disguised himself as Gautama so that he could "take her to bed", Gautama finds out and curses them.

Not only does he curse the man who raped his wife, but he also curses Ahalya! She did nothing wrong! Putting myself in her shoes, I am sure she was happy that her husband was finally showing her attention, and she perhaps thought that she could finally provide him with children. Instead, she gets turned into a stone for doing literally nothing wrong.

It's not until the 35th tale, "They Come to a Deserted Ashram", that she is freed when Rama's foot brushes against Ahalya's rock. The cherry on top, is that after she is freed she takes her husband's hand and forgives him. I was shocked!

Reading the story of Ahalya, I was reminded of tellings of the birth of King Arthur. Oftentimes the story is told that Uther Pendragon uses Merlin's magic to transform into Gorlois, the wife of Igraine. Igraine, believing Uther to be her husband, sleeps with him and later gives birth to Arthur. Wikipedia details this version of the story on a page over Igraine.

My biggest issue with the story of Ahalya is that she has been victimized by both Indra and Gautama, and in the end does nothing but forgive her husband. I want to see her standing up for herself! If I had written her story, I think she would definitely not easily forgive her husband, and maybe she would find a way to curse him back. Maybe I'd incorporate something based off of Uther and Igraine, and have Ahalya give birth to a son who helps her curse Gautama?

Artwork with Ahalya and Indra in the Background.

No Changes Made. Created by Raja Ravi Varma. Source: Wikipedia

Bibliography: 

Part A, Page 4, Tales 34 and 35 of the Tiny Tales from the Ramayana by Laura Gibbs. Links: Tale 34 and Tale 35.

"Igraine." Link: Wikipedia

Feedback Thoughts

As a person who used to be way more obsessed with straight As, I have had differing thoughts on feedback over the years. Up until my first year of college I had never gotten any grade lower than an A, yet when I got a B in Honors Calculus II my very first semester I was actually relieved. I had been so convinced I would get a C in the class that when I got a B, I forgot to be upset that I didn't get an A. While I am sometimes sad that I don't have the opportunity to graduate college with a 4.0 GPA, I think getting a B my first semester was actually very valuable to me because it took away so much potential stress from maintaining a 4.0. Losing it in the beginning meant I could then concentrate on just doing my best and not worry about perfection!

For this assignment, my favorite article that I read was How to Tame Your Inner Critic: A Simple Habit to Rewire Your Brain by Joel Almeida. I really enjoyed this article because I often consider myself to be my biggest critic, so reading an article where the author came from the same perspective and rewired their brain to overcome that gave me hope and and strategies to help prevent myself from being so critical. As this is my final college semester, I've been trying to just enjoy my time here and live in the moment, so I think the REBS technique outlined here will help with that.

The other article I read was Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head by Sabina Nawaz. I really enjoyed this article because I definitely have a problem with accepting positive feedback, so I think the tips outlined in this article will be helpful. I think forcing yourself to accept the positive feedback you get is just as crucial as learning how to not be so negative on yourself, so I think this article works well with the one talked about above. Besides the tips outlined in the article, I liked how an example was given with someone benefitting from this process. It is heartening to know these tips actually work and could help me.

Art of the Word Feedback with Colored Conversation Bubbles Above.

No Changes Made. Created by Gerd Altmann on 10-04-2018. Source: pixabay

Project Topic Brainstorm

My first thought for a project topic was something involving Durga, which if you have read any of my previous posts is doubtless a surprise. I am not sure exactly what I'd like to do, but I was contemplating either having Durga be in the modern world, perhaps not realizing she is a goddess at first (or losing her memories of it). I did some research into Durga and found some articles that described more about her that I liked: The Goddess Durga: The Mother of the Hindu Universe by Shri Gyan Rajhans and Shubho Mahalaya 2017: Story of Buffalo-headed king Mahishasura and his battle with Goddess Durga by the India Today Web Desk. The main reason I want to write about Durga is that she is such a strong woman who is able to defeat a man because of his idiotic sexism, and I think it is amazing how she is so inspirational even today. Most of my previous knowledge about Durga up to this point is what I knew from the Tiger's Curse series by Colleen Houck, but as that is a fiction fantasy story I do not want to rely solely on that as I have no way of knowing what creative liberties were taken. Another idea I have for Durga that I think would be interesting would be to combine her story with Captain Marvel's as they both have some similar themes that I think would make for a nice story.

My next idea for a project topic would be also with Durga, but taking another route. I thought maybe a cool story would have a modern girl as the main character, and maybe she is a girl who is lonely and has gone through a troubled life. At some point, she starts reading about Durga, and as she slowly starts imitating the goddess through her own life, she will eventually transform into her at the end of the story. My inspiration for this is not really a research article, but I still found it interesting: How to Channel Durga During Challenging Times by Sally Kempton. I think since this is still about Durga the sources I discussed above would help since the main parts of the story that require research are about Durga's life, which is covered in both of the sources above.

Another idea is to maybe retell the story of Hades and Persephone through the lens of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Being a huge fan of the webcomic Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe, I love how it modernized the story of Hades and Persephone. I think taking the classes Greek myth and making it about Vishnu and Lakshmi instead would be interesting. For this, I did some research using the wikipedia articles on Vishnu and Lakshmi. During this story, I would like to learn more about the stories of Vishnu and Lakshmi. I would have to do more research than this, as a simple Google search on them did not turn up much.

For my fourth idea, I am considering a story involving yoga, and perhaps Parvati and Shiva. I am considering this because I am taking yoga as a class this semester and have never done yoga before, so I find it interesting. I actually did not know it had any connection to the Indian epics. For this, I research the wikipedia pages on yoga, yogis, Parvati, and Shiva. This idea is probably not as strong as the others, but I am considering maybe something where people go to a specific yoga studio, not knowing that doing yoga there connects them to ancient Hindu deities. 

Art of Shiva and Parvati Meeting Lakshmi and Vishnu and Ganesha with Brahma in the Heavens.

No Changes Made. By Welcome Connection Gallery on 04-06-2018. Source: Wikipedia

Microfiction: Books are Worlds

Drabble Version

Books are Worlds

I jumped out of my car, and ran into the store. I love Barnes and Noble! I thought.

Marching straight over to the young adult section, I scoured the shelves until I found the book I had been looking for. Finding it, I grabbed a copy and hugged it to my chest. Finally, I can read the book I've been waiting months for! 

Smiling to myself, I walked out of the store holding my new world to enjoy. I knew it was only a matter of time until it sucked me in.

Ten minutes and twelve seconds later, it did.

A Hand Holding a World above a Book with Shining Light

No Changes Made. By Charnchai Saeheng on 06-23-2017. Source: pixabay

Six-Word Version

Books are Worlds

She read, and found new worlds.

Author's Note: While not directly a true story, I love Barnes and Noble and I am sure I have acted something out similar to these stories at some point. Part of my favorite thing about reading is finding myself immersed in new worlds, and I wanted to try to capture what that feels like to me: the excitement of finding a new book and getting lost in it. I wanted my second story to be a six-word story because I have always found them fun, and I think if done right they can have a big impact.

Week 2 Story: Lila and the Lotuses

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful maiden. This woman was so beautiful that she was sought out by all types of men, but her father was very protective and would only agree to marry her to a man with honor.

One such man who sought after the maiden was a king from a distant land known as Arthur. Now, in his kingdom Arthur is known for marrying beautiful women and then murdering any daughters they have. Knowing the maiden's father would not give him her hand if he knew him, Arthur disguised himself as a nice traveling lord. He charmed both the maiden and her father with his bright smile and his flowery words, and after a few short weeks managed to win the father's approval and married his new young bride.

After their marriage, they traveled back to Arthur's kingdom. After revealing his deception to his bride, his demeanor changed completely, and he threatened what would happen to her and any future daughters.

The maiden, distraught with her circumstances, sought to escape the castle and Arthur's kingdom. However, it was not until she realized she was pregnant that she found the courage needed to succeed. The woman managed to escape at night and took refuge in a tiny cabin far away. There, she gave birth to her daughter, Lila, and raised her to be a fierce, smart, and strong woman.

One day, when Lila was grown, she asked her mother, "Mother, who is my father?"

And the mother replied, "Until now, it was not safe for you to know. But, I assume you will not stop asking until I tell you?"

Lila laughed, "You know me so well, mother!"

"Very well, my daughter. Your father is King Arthur. However, you must not go looking for him. If you do, I fear you may lose your life. You see, he does not let any daughter of his live past birth, so I escaped as soon as I learned I was pregnant with you."

Lila was shocked. "You mean, had you stayed, my own father would've killed me? And he's been doing this to all of his daughters for who knows how long?"

The mother confirmed this, and Lila thought for a moment. But, she knew what she must do. "Mother, you have raised me to be a brave and strong woman. But I cannot just stay here and do nothing to help these women and their daughters. I must go meet my father!"

And with that, Lila gathered up some food and her favorite bow and arrows and set off. The journey was long, but for Lila it felt short as she kept thinking of what she would do when she met her father. She was sure she could reason with him, and show him that his daughters were capable of greatness. 

After she finally arrived at the palace, she was brought before Arthur. He was furious that he had been tricked by a wife of his. Looking at his daughter, he knew he had to kill her so that she did not threaten his rule. Deciding to trick her, he greeted her warmly and decided to throw a ball in her honor. He figured the chaos of a ball would be perfect for disguising her death.

During the ball, Arthur danced with his daughter. He assumed she would know none of the steps, and thus had them dance near a steep cliff so he could easily explain his attempt to push her off of it as her own clumsiness. What he did not know, however, was that Lila's mother was a great dancer, and thus Lila was quick on her feet. When she observed her father's movements and realized what he had planned, she managed to swing them around and away from the cliff, avoiding her potential murder.

Arthur, knowing he needed to act quickly, decided to have a nearby ogre hiding in a lake kill her. With his plan in motion, he called Lila before him the next day. "My daughter, you have indeed proven you have what it takes to rule this kingdom. I have decided to abdicate the throne to you. However, before you can wear the crown, you will need to go gather the lotus flowers that will adorn your hair for the ceremony. Bring us three blue lotuses and four purple ones from the lake south of the castle."

Lila, eager to bond with her father despite last night's murder attempt, agreed. When she got to the lake, however, she noticed signs of people entering the lake but not leaving. She realized that an ogre lived in the lake, and her father still sought to kill her. Ashamed at her childish naivete, she decided that she would win the crown and the people's support by accomplishing this herculean task.

Finding a branch situated over an area of the lake where blue and purple lotuses floated, Lila shot an arrow with a rope tied to it at the branch so that she could swing over the lake. After the better part of the afternoon, Lila managed to snatch the right amount of lotuses from the lake without falling in. 

While gathering her flowers to head back to the castle, the ogre observed her. What a clever and brave young woman! She must be a queen! The ogre, appreciating the strength and power Lila had, called out, "You there! Are you not a queen? How clever must you be to have attempted this!"

Lila, laughing, replied, "I am not yet a queen, but I will be when I bring these back and force my father to crown me one."

The ogre, realizing she must be Arthur's daughter, decided to help her. Together they traveled, until they reached Arthur's throne. Arthur, shocked that Lila had succeeded, realized this meant she would now be queen. He succumbed to his old age and fell dead. Lila was crowned the next day, and lived happily as queen.

Image of a Lotus Flower on Water next to a Lily Pad.

No Changes Made. Uploaded by Devanath on 02-19-2016. Source: pixabay

Author's Note: This story is based off of the Buddhist Jataka "The Monkey who Gathered Lotuses". I decided to make the character of Bodhisatta a woman, as I often find female heroines more interesting than male ones. However, in making Lila a woman, I knew I would also have to change the first murder attempt because it does not physically make sense for Lila to be able to hug her father so strongly she could kill him. Thus, I decided to make Arthur try to push her off of a cliff. Most of the rest of the story is similar, albeit in a different setting and with the characters humans instead of monkeys.

Bibliography. "The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses", or the "Tayodhamma Jataka" from The Jataka: Volume 1, as translated by Robert Chalmers. Web Source.

Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

Hello!

While reading the anthology for this week, my favorite story was The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses, also known as Tayodhamma Jataka from The Jataka: Volume 1 translated by Robert Chalmers.

Photograph of a Pink Lotus Flower.

No Changes Made. Taken by Hong Zhang (jennyzhh2008) on 07-15-2015. Source: pixabay

This story involved the Bodhisatta being a monkey son of Devadatta, a monkey king. The monkey king feared being overthrown by his children, and so he would castrate them to ensure that would never happened. Unbeknownst to him, however, was that the mother of Bodhisatta hid her pregnancy and fled the king, giving birth to her son and raising him in secret. When Bodhisatta journeyed to meet his father, he managed to overpower his father's attempt to crush him in a hug and outwit his father's attempt to have him killed by an ogre. After the second, his father died from anguish over failing to kill his son. The story ended with Bodhisatta being crowned king.

The first thing that struck me about this story was the obvious cruelty of the father in castrating all of his children. This cruelty, similar to much cruelty in this world, stemmed from fear. I liked this aspect because it made the story seem very realistic to me. While I was reading this story, I was reminded of the backstory of Desmond Flynn in The Bargainer by Laura Thalassa, whose king father murdered all of his half siblings and ruled as a tyrant until Des defeated him and became the new king.

Another aspect I liked was the ogre. I'm sure his notoriety did not come from nothing, so the fact that he so obviously respected and adored the Bodhisatta just shows even more how strong and respectful this character is.

The theme of the Bodhisatta having to face a challenge in order to gain power reminded me of certain Greek myths, such as the Labors of Hercules. Facing near insurmountable challenges, the heroes of the stories manage to defeat the odds and step into their rightful places. The hero's journey is one of my favorites, so I enjoyed reading it in this Buddhist story.

The final thing of note that I enjoyed in this story was the dramatics of how the king saw the ogre following his son and instantly his heart burst into pieces. I'll admit, that got a laugh out of me.

Bibliography: The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses, or Tayodhamma Jataka, from The Jataka: Volume 1 translated by Robert Chalmers.

Week 2: Reading Overview

Hello again,

Today I decided to read the Tiny Tales version of the Ramayana! I decided this for a few reasons: it's free, I can download it onto my Kindle (which I just got last month so I love that I can use it for this class!), and its written by Laura! The reason I chose this version over the Public Domain edition that was also free was that this edition is written in modern language instead of an ancient style. But, honestly, the main reason I chose this version is that I can download it onto my Kindle (at the time of writing this I've already downloaded the free mobi file and sent it to my Kindle). 

As I have mentioned in my introduction post, I read several different Marvel comic runs, so I think it is really cool that there are comics for this class and I am very excited to read them. Also mentioned in previous posts, I am most interested in the goddess Durga due to the Tiger's Curse Saga by Colleen Houck. Thus, when I started looking at the available comics I migrated to Tales of Durga: Tales of the Mother Goddess. I read over the summary, and I can definitely tell that I would love to read this comic. Another comic I found interesting was Shiva Parvati: A Story of Divine Love. This story was also referenced in the Tiger's Curse series, so that is why I initially looked at it. Having read the summary, I also think I would like this comic series as I do love a good romance.

For the videos, the first one I watched was Harry Potter Meets Hindu Mythology by Epified. I looked at this video because I love Harry Potter, and I really liked how this video drew connections from Harry Potter to all of the different Indian readings we will do this semester. It described some of the concepts in a way that was easy for me to understand. For the second video, I watched Avengers, Gods, and Superheroes by Epified. The reason I watched this video is due to my love of Marvel, and I liked how the Avengers were compared to Hindu gods. It made for an interesting video!

Below, I have included an image of artwork for the Ramayana. I chose this art because we will start the Ramayana next week, and also because I like how it clearly depicts two characters on a journey. 

2D Artwork of Rama and Lakshmana Searching for Sita as Hanuman Observes Them.

No Changes Made. By Sarah Welch on 10-30-2018. Source: Wikipedia

Time Strategies I Find Useful

Art of the Word "Productivity".

No Changes Made. Source: pixy

Hello!

I am big on checklists and planners. I always buy a new planner at the start of the school year and I love filling it in with all of my exams and assignments, as well as any meetings I have. However, last semester I realized that, especially with online courses, checklists are just as useful to me as planners. As discussed in How Checklists Train Your Brain to be More Productive and Goal-Oriented by Lauren Marchese, my checklists help keep me on track and motivated to keep going until all of my tasks are complete. I really enjoyed this article because I kept finding myself agreeing with the author and thinking of how I had experienced the effects it described.

The other article I read, How to Build a Realistic Study Plan that You'll Actually Stick To by Amanda Collins, was similar to the first for me, except it covered planners instead of checklists. While I don't use planners to create a study plan, mainly as a place to organize all of my assignments and due dates, I thought the method described was equally as useful. While I don't think it would work for me as well as the checklists because I am not always doing the same things everyday, I think I could perhaps use some aspects of this method in my own use, like roughly determining how many hours each day I should dedicate to each class.

Based on last semester, I think my biggest challenge will be procrastinating on bigger assignments and essays instead of working on them a little at a time over a long time frame. This would have saved me stress and would have, I think, set me up better to have more free time that actually felt relaxed.

Technology is the Future

Bonjour,

I am familiar with most of the technology discussed in this assignment. I frequently bookmark web pages for easy future reference and I already had my spell check on in Chrome. The only piece of technology I had not previously used was a word count extension -- I would usually just copy and paste into Word as I did not know there were Chrome extensions that did this. Having a Chrome extension is a lot easier!

One Chrome extension I have had for a while that does not necessarily apply to this class is AdBlock. This ad has come in handy many times (my current version says it has blocked over 26,000 ads for me!). Not only does it save me the annoyance of having to click out of ads, it also prevents them from causing loading issues. There are some websites, usually journals or newspapers, which require you to turn off the AdBlock on their page, but that is easy to do. I definitely recommend it to anyone who uses Chrome.

This semester I really want to work on my blogging skills. I have been contemplating making a personal blog for myself, so I want to use my experience in blogging this semester as a way of discovering if I'd actually like blogging.

Technology has become such a large part of our lives, so I think learning how to utilize it as much as possible can only help us in the future.

Picture of a Laptop and Flowers.

No Changes Made. Source: pixy

My Thoughts on the Assignments

Hello again,

I think the assignments for this class are really interesting! As I am a reader, I am probably most looking forward to the weekly readings, but I think the concept of writing our own stories based on the readings is really intriguing.

Hand Holding a Card with the Word "Assignments".

No Changes Made. Created by Nick Youngson. Source: Blue Diamond Gallery

I am also a big fan of how much extra credit is offered. I think having extra credit is good because it gives us students more flexibility, while also taking away the stress of having to complete every assignment on time and as perfect as we can. This is definitely a class that will not cause me a ton of stress about, which I am very grateful for.

To sum up, I am looking forward to this class and all that I will learn!

My Thoughts on Growth Mindset

Hello!

I confess that I had never heard about either Carol Dweck or growth mindset before starting this assignment. After watching the videos, I can definitely buy into the claim that this mindset is beneficial in terms of learning and personal growth. As an engineering student, I commonly run into problems that are not easily or obviously solvable, so I guess I have run into this mode of thinking before without knowing the actual name.

I think because of my major and my history as a long distance runner in high school, I would classify myself as a growth mindset. I sometimes have to spend a lot of time to figure a problem out, but I try my best to figure them out before searching for help. In running, I had to have a lot of perseverance to finish a run or reach my goal times, and that definitely required a growth mindset. Running is such a mental sport, and having a fixed mindset would get you nowhere.

I think the concept of growth mindset is very interesting. The fact that so much research has been done on the topic is comforting, and I think I would enjoy exploring more about the topic this semester. I think something like this would be very beneficial to me as I prepare to finish my education and enter the "real world".

The picture shown below is one that I found online about growth mindset. I really like the phrase "Retrain Your Brain", as to me it is indicative that it is never too late to switch from a fixed to a growth mindset. Even if I sometimes lean more towards a fixed mindset than a growth one, there are phrases and practices I could use to help myself benefit from future challenges.

Image of a Human Head with Growth-Mindset-Related Phrases in the Brain and the Phrase "Retrain Your Brain".

No Changes Made. Uploaded by johnhain on 04-30-2019. Source: pixabay

An Introduction to a Bibliophile

Hi everyone,

For my third post, I will now introduce myself to all of you!

My name is Tyler, and I am a senior currently slated to graduate this semester with a Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical Engineering. And, since I know that major probably sounds boring to some, I'll try to make it sound a bit more interesting. Basically, us BMEs get to be involved in a wide variety of areas in the medical field: prosthetics, heart devices, insulin pumps, pharmaceuticals, and probably many more I can't remember. I personally am involved in the device industry, and will be working with a device company after I graduate.

When I am not in school, I am, as I have mentioned in previous posts, a big reader. My favorite genre is YA fantasy, though I am not opposed to reading other genres as well. This is actually why I have joined this class -- one of my favorite series is one that uses the tale of Durga as an inspirational plot point, and I am a big fan of it. (If anyone wants to look it up, its the Tiger's Curse Saga by Colleen Houck.) My favorite authors of all time are Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout, though I am also a big fan of Leigh Bardugo and cannot wait for the Shadow and Bone series to premiere on Netflix this spring! If anyone who reads this knows any of these authors or other YA books and wants to talk about them, please don't hesitate because talking about books is probably my favorite thing besides reading them. I also love sharing book recs, so if you have any I'd love to hear them!

In addition to reading, I am a big Marvel and Star Wars fan. Captain Marvel is my favorite Marvel hero, and I even have a signed copy of a Captain Marvel comic that came out a couple of years ago! One of my favorite activities is to go to the movie theater with my Dad and watch the newest Star Wars or Marvel movie. When The Force Awakens came out, I can still remember how the audience was so excited to see Han, Leia, and Chewie again that the whole theater broke out into applause when they first appeared on screen. Personally, my favorite Star Wars character is Ahsoka Tano, so I am very much looking forward to her live action show that will be on Disney Plus in the near future. 

Artwork of the Star Wars Logo.
No Changes Made. By AceOfSpades123 on 10-20-2014. Source: Wikipedia

Any time not spent reading or watching nerd shows/movies is likely spent with my friends and family. I have a great group of friends that I love to hang out and watch football games or play board games with, and I am very close to my family that live nearby.

As I mentioned above in regards to books, I love to talk about the things I love. If anyone ever wants to talk about books, the MCU (or comics), or anything similar, please reach out! And, thanks for reading about myself!

Storybook Favorites

Hello again!

I loved looking through the different previous storybooks for the Epics of India course. I quickly found three that I found entertaining, so I will describe them here.

Kali in the Modern World

This was the first storybook I looked at, as I find the goddess Kali (pictured below) to be interesting and was considering a topic similar to this one. When I read more about this story, it was clear the title was perfect, and I thought the introduction did a good job as well. Some of my favorite books have involved time travel, or out-of-time individuals living in the modern world, so I thought the story sounded interesting. In addition to the introduction I looked at one of the stories listed, and I thought the idea of Durga in World War 1 was a great idea! It reminded me of the first Wonder Woman movie.

Artwork of Kali

No Changes Made. Created by Keijona on 01-19-2016. Source: Wikipedia

The Creation of Kali

The next story I looked at caught my eye for the same reason as the first: Kali was mentioned in the name. While I know about Kali from reading a story in which Durga took part, I do not actually know much about Kali the character so I found the idea described in the introduction very interesting. The wording used in this storybook's intro was definitely great for catching the reader's attention, and I found it interesting that the author used the different creation stories to provide a different personality for the same character. I couldn't resist reading through the stories after the intro, and I was entertained the whole time!

Voldemort's Reincarnation

The reason I looked at this final story was different from the first two, and it stems fully from the fact that I saw a Harry Potter reference and was immediately interested. I was curious how Harry Potter could be tied to an Indian Epic, and the way in which the author did this made complete sense to me. The use of Padma and Parvati was ingenious, and I thought the way the introduction seemed to serve as a prologue was interesting. I also liked how the author utilized the characters of Harry Potter and Voldemort to incorporate a traditional Indian Epic.

To conclude, these three storybooks all interested me, and I enjoyed reading about all of them!

Oxford, England: My Favorite Place in the World

Hey everyone,

For my first full post, I will describe to you my favorite place in the world. Now, while I considered making my favorite place my hometown, I decided against that because I have lived here a long time and do not typically feel the wonder I felt in my true favorite place.

My favorite place to visit, as suggested by the title, is Oxford, England. I was lucky to study abroad here in Summer of 2019 (before COVID-19 times, when travel was available...). While I only spent a few weeks in this beautiful city, it quickly gained my heart as everywhere I went I saw interesting and beautiful sights.

As I will talk about in a future post, I am a reader. I read all the time, sometimes when I shouldn't, so getting to visit and study in such a historic area was a dream come true. The Bodleian Library, for example, was a highlight of my trip. Not only for the fact that it was a Harry Potter shooting location, but also for the fact that I was able to see centuries-old books preserved, and I was able to walk through one of the oldest libraries in Europe. Pictured below is the Radcliffe Camera, a part of the Bodleian Library system typically reserved for graduate students attending Oxford. I was sadly not able to go inside the gorgeous building, but I definitely admired its outside view.

Image of Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, England

No Changes Made. Taken by Zhushenje on 05-03-2017. Source: Wikipedia

In addition to the beautiful libraries and colleges that call Oxford home, there is no shortage of beautiful sights. The architecture was gorgeous, as evidenced above, but the nature in and around Oxford is breathtaking as well. One of my favorite memories of Oxford was sitting with a group of peers on the banks of the River Cherwell, while we read book and enjoyed the beautiful weather. There seemed to be no shortage of beautiful flowers wherever I went in Oxford, and one day I want my home to be full of such vibrant color.

For these reasons, and many more, Oxford is my favorite place to visit. I can still taste the amazing cookies purchased from a local bakery, or the delicious tea served in the mornings in the college I stayed in. Someday I hope to return, but for now I will just remember the town with fond memories.

One extra tidbit is that the background image for this blog was taken during my trip to Oxford, except it was taken in Edinburgh, Scotland, while hiking to the top of Arthur's Seat. This is a breathtaking extinct volcano that I and some friends hiked on about 4 hours of sleep while carrying a weekend's worth of clothes and laptops on our backs, which is a story for another time...

Reader Here, Checking In

 Hello there!

This is Tyler, the author of this blog! The purpose of this post is to test out the blog and the functionality of the various formatting options. So....test? Or test! 

Looking forward to learning more about two big Indian Epics! Check back here for my journey.