And with that Hallmark card sentiment, courtesy of a Mr. Latham farewell card, I segway into a photo montage of my Oxford Visiting Students Ceremony. Combining champagne, strawberries, and speeches infused with emotion, it proved to be a moving and meaningful experience. Unquestionably, I will miss the institution that provided me with what the Acting Deputy Master referred to as a “second identity.” This year has provided me with a new lens with which to view my future and make sense of my past. In place of the subjective American, I have grown into the objective global citizen.
Thank you, Oxford and specifically St. Peter’s, for making me strive to be the best possible Yaffa I can be. Your academic and cultural gifts of excellence almost make up for the hideous black robe I had to adorn today.
