A few years ago, I had a girlfriend called Lisa who
was studying at Oxford University.
I say "had" because she isn't my girlfriend any more.
I won't explain the reasons for the end of our romance here.
After all, this is a book about Britain and not about ex-girlfriends!
One of the positive things that came from my relationship with Lisa was the opportunity to visit Oxford.
I had wanted to go to Oxford for a long time, because it's one of the most historically interesting towns in Britain.
Oxford University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
Twenty-five British prime ministers have been educated there as well as many other famous people like the poet and writer, Oscar Wilde, and Bill Clinton, the former president of the United States.
The university is also known for preserving traditions that are centuries old.
Unfortunately, I was immediately disappointed when I arrived in Oxford.
I got off my bus and found myself in the middle of the town's shopping district.
There were modern shops, Burger Kings and Pizza Huts everywhere.
When Lisa arrived to meet me, she was my disappointment.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"This isn't what I expected," I replied.
"I expected a town that's full of history, not pizzerias"
Lisa laughed.
"There is a lot of history here," she said.
"You just have to look for it."
The next day Lisa had classes all day, so I went for a walk to find the "real" Oxford.
It didn't take long.
I soon found all the different colleges that form Oxford University.
I walked past buildings that were centuries old, all with beautiful gardens.
I walked through the gardens in Magdalen College, down to the river.
Magdalen (pronounced "Maudlin") has a very beautiful bell-tower, next to a medieval bridge.
By 1.00 pm, I was hungry and decided to have some fish and chips, a typically British meal.
I walked back towards the town center to find a traditional pub that served fish and chips, but it wasn't easy.
The center of the town was full of restaurants and cafeterias that offered everything except what I was looking for.
I continued walking until I reached a working-class neighborhood that had a few traditional-looking pubs.
I stopped outside one of them and looked at the menu.
They had fish and chips! Success!
I was completely unprepared for the reception that I received when I walked into the pub.
Everyone stopped talking and looked at me in silence.
The barman took my order and walked away.
He didn't ever say hello.
I was confused by everyone's cold attitude.
Normally, British people are friendly in pubs.
I tried to begin a conversation when the barman brought me my food.
"Thanks," I said.
"This is a nice pub.
It's my first time in Oxford and I wanted to eat somewhere that wasn't a pizzeria!"
The barman looked surprised.
"You mean you're not a student?"
"No, I'm just visiting," I replied.
The barman finally smiled.
"Sorry, mate," he said.
"We thought that you were a student from the university."
"I don't understand," I said.
"Townspeople and university students haven't got on well with each other for more than 600 years," the barman explained.
He told me that the problem began with the Scholastica Massacre in 1355.
"A fight began between two drunken students and a tavern owner," he said.
"Most of the townspeople and students soon joined in the fight and hundreds of people were killed.
Since then, relations between the townspeople and the students haven't been very good."
I say "had" because she isn't my girlfriend any more.
I won't explain the reasons for the end of our romance here.
After all, this is a book about Britain and not about ex-girlfriends!
One of the positive things that came from my relationship with Lisa was the opportunity to visit Oxford.
I had wanted to go to Oxford for a long time, because it's one of the most historically interesting towns in Britain.
Oxford University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
Twenty-five British prime ministers have been educated there as well as many other famous people like the poet and writer, Oscar Wilde, and Bill Clinton, the former president of the United States.
The university is also known for preserving traditions that are centuries old.
Unfortunately, I was immediately disappointed when I arrived in Oxford.
I got off my bus and found myself in the middle of the town's shopping district.
There were modern shops, Burger Kings and Pizza Huts everywhere.
When Lisa arrived to meet me, she was my disappointment.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"This isn't what I expected," I replied.
"I expected a town that's full of history, not pizzerias"
Lisa laughed.
"There is a lot of history here," she said.
"You just have to look for it."
The next day Lisa had classes all day, so I went for a walk to find the "real" Oxford.
It didn't take long.
I soon found all the different colleges that form Oxford University.
I walked past buildings that were centuries old, all with beautiful gardens.
I walked through the gardens in Magdalen College, down to the river.
Magdalen (pronounced "Maudlin") has a very beautiful bell-tower, next to a medieval bridge.
By 1.00 pm, I was hungry and decided to have some fish and chips, a typically British meal.
I walked back towards the town center to find a traditional pub that served fish and chips, but it wasn't easy.
The center of the town was full of restaurants and cafeterias that offered everything except what I was looking for.
I continued walking until I reached a working-class neighborhood that had a few traditional-looking pubs.
I stopped outside one of them and looked at the menu.
They had fish and chips! Success!
I was completely unprepared for the reception that I received when I walked into the pub.
Everyone stopped talking and looked at me in silence.
The barman took my order and walked away.
He didn't ever say hello.
I was confused by everyone's cold attitude.
Normally, British people are friendly in pubs.
I tried to begin a conversation when the barman brought me my food.
"Thanks," I said.
"This is a nice pub.
It's my first time in Oxford and I wanted to eat somewhere that wasn't a pizzeria!"
The barman looked surprised.
"You mean you're not a student?"
"No, I'm just visiting," I replied.
The barman finally smiled.
"Sorry, mate," he said.
"We thought that you were a student from the university."
"I don't understand," I said.
"Townspeople and university students haven't got on well with each other for more than 600 years," the barman explained.
He told me that the problem began with the Scholastica Massacre in 1355.
"A fight began between two drunken students and a tavern owner," he said.
"Most of the townspeople and students soon joined in the fight and hundreds of people were killed.
Since then, relations between the townspeople and the students haven't been very good."
“Really?” I replied. “I usually like tradition, but it
seems a pity to have a 600-years-old tradition based on bad relations between
two groups of people, doesn’t it?”
Summary:
In this part
of the chapter, Antonio tells us about he had a girlfriend was studying in
Oxford. She showed the city. Antonio speaks to us about the University and
the city. “He was hungry and decided to have ‘fish and chips’, he walked
until I reached a neighborhood that had a few traditional-looking pubs. They
had fish and chips. The barman explained that townspeople and university
students haven't got on well with each other for more than 600 years. The
problem began with the Scholastica Massacre in 1355, a fight between most of
the townspeople and students where hundreds of people were killed. Since
then, relations between the townspeople and the students haven't been very
good."
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