Oxford is a really beautiful city. Today I ventured to a new area and found a park that I hadn’t visited before; one that, at the top of a hill on the north-east, provides a wonderful view across the city. For a city, Oxford is tiny, and I love it. It has everything you need without being big, imposing, dirty and antisocial. So that’s my ode to Oxford.

Oxfam is such an inspiring place to work. Yesterday I was informed that Oxfam will make 26 times the profit from your donations that less capable (but well-known) charity shops do. Two thousand, six hundred per cent. Quite an incredible figure, I thought. This is not because Oxfam charges more; we just know what to do with our resources, and when, and how. Yesterday the Oxfam singing group gathered in the atrium and sang songs from around the world (some from Jamaica, New Zealand and Hawaii and, of course, the old traditional, \”It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To\”) for the whole, three-floor, open-plan office to hear. Where else does this happen, and how upset will I be if I have to find work elsewhere? Rhetorical questions to which the answers are, respectively: nowhere, I imagine, and: really really.

My contract at Oxfam ends in December, so I’m currently looking for new and similar positions. I’ve been turned down for one but gained some great interview feedback and my prospects for finding another job in Oxfam look great. It would be great to move out of HR (interesting but no future for me) and into the International or Humanitarian division.

I’m just beginning a BA in International Studies with the Open University (a part-time learning institution that allows me to plan my studying around the rest of my life). This means that I’ve rediscovered the nerdlish joy of notebooks and highlighter pens. Don’t laugh at me, I’m a student again, which means that I’m broke and have to find pleasure in simple things like stationery.

Apologies if that was all quite dull. Here are some other things I’m excited about for the future:

• Seeing old schoolfriends in London tonight
• Meeting fellow Social Studies students (Social Students? Sounds presumptuous) in October
• Giving Katie her birthday present in October
• Returning to the States for Christmas
• Seeing upcoming Oxford-set film The Butterfly Tattoo (and, while wishing it the greatest success, hoping I don’t feel any regret for turning down the generously offered opportunity to be involved)

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