Every year Oxford Royale Academy provides a limited number of scholarships to cover a percentage of students' course fees. We have already heard from five of our six Summer Scholars, and we are now fortunate enough to hear from Dure on our Broadening Horizons Course. Enjoy!

I pinched myself, but it still did not seem to be true. Blinking repeatedly, I stared into the computer screen again. The e-mail which informed me that I had won a full scholarship to Oxford Royale Academy looked back at me; was it a dream? Or had I actually got a chance to attend a prestigious program at the oldest university in the English-speaking world?

To say that Oxford Royale Academy was everything that I hoped for would be an understatement. The two weeks I spent at St. Catherine’s were one of the most informative and enriching periods of my life. From the awe-inspiring architecture that greeted me at every corner in Oxford, to the kind, helpful and very competent teachers; from the visit to mighty Stonehenge to the karaoke and formal dinner nights; from the very friendly counsellors to the enthusiastic and very interesting group of students from all over the world; it was definitely an experience of a lifetime.

The courses I chose were Politics and International Relations and Creative Writing. I took an instant liking to the way the classes were arranged; the size of the classes was limited to just a dozen students, so as to give a very personal and comfortable touch to the sessions. In fact, by the end of the classes, everyone in the class seemed like a close friend. The teachers for both these sessions were very helpful and kind; they helped to draw us all out into sharing our thoughts and putting in our best efforts towards the classes.

I enjoyed the afternoon workshop perhaps even more than the classes. Leadership and Teambuilding taught me very valuable lessons about working together in groups, and it did so in the most refreshing and entertaining way.

Our day hardly ended after these academic activities. There were several well-planned social events: we were taken on tours on Oxford, on very memorable punting ventures, to London’s theatres and famous towers, to the famous Bath, among others.

And through all these moments of laughter, fun and excitement threaded the one awe-inspiring fact-we were in Oxford; we were in the city of dreaming spires, in the learning places of icons such as T. S. Eliot, Imran Khan and Alan Hollinghurst. Every step we took was resonating with centuries of history, of intellect, of the endless capabilities of humankind. Perhaps, I could have received a scholarship for some other summer school too; how, though, would anything compare to Oxford, where every cobbled street is filled with tales to tell, and the rising towers of every college seem to pay homage to the brilliance of its heritage?

Truth be told, I come from a background which, by Western standards, is fairly poor. And this is where my gratitude reaches its peak; Oxford Royale allowed me to break through this potential handicap and attend the program by providing generous aid. This taught me, and I hope that it will also tell anyone who reads this, that if one tries hard enough, nothing can be a strong enough impediment to achieving what you truly aim and wish for. 

(Dure)