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More about this trip-
My Oxford Year is a novel about life’s “biggies”: love and death. It is also a coming of age story, a fish out of water romp, and an ode to timeless literature. Over the course of six days, we will endeavor to live all of that, offering participants a pint-sized sample of Ella’s Once in a Lifetime experience. In dedicated morning class time, we will delve into not only the novel itself, but also its attendant texts — such as Jamie’s beloved Tennyson — exploring personal resonances and offering space for reflection. In the afternoons and evenings, we will explore the historic city through guided walks, behind-the-scenes tours, and delicious meals ranging from afternoon tea to pub fare to fine dining. We will see the city through Ella’s eyes and let literature do what it does best: deepen our relationship to ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
Things to note: This is not an academic trip and any prior knowledge of the texts we’ll be discussing is not required nor expected, however: a willingness to engage in conversation is. There are no stupid questions or wrong answers, only ungracious responses to those questions and answers; in short: don’t be a posh prat. Also, please note that this is tailored for fans of the book and is not a tour of film locations (though it’s impossible not to pass by many of them on our tours). Finally, given the A-plot of the novel, there will possibly be participants in various stages of grief; be prepared to be respectful of others’ personal journeys.
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While we will not be hiking per se, there will be lots of city and museum walking. We estimate 5+ miles per day, mostly flat. You always have the option of not participating in an arranged tour or walk, but please be advised that any discussions or lectures that transpire during such outings will not be recorded. Weather in the UK is never predictable, even less so in September, and we will be doing our planned activities come rain or shine, so come prepared. Packing tips will follow later this year.
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The full tuition of the trip is $5,325*
Please bear in mind that our lodgings are, in term-time, student accommodations: twin beds and functional furnishing. But they are clean and comfortable and, unlike an American dorm room, each has a private bathroom. What they lack in frills, they more than make up for in charming immersion.
Our accommodations (and the city in general) should not be expected to be ADA compliant. Most public buildings will have elevators, but stairs, uneven terrain, wonky hallways, low ceilings, and raised thresholds are common.
No luggage assistance will be provided, so be prepared to carry your bags yourself. Including, if necessary, up a couple flights of stairs.
While common dietary restrictions (gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan) can and will be accommodated when selected ahead of time, you are ultimately responsible for confirming the suitability of your meals with the restaurants’ staff before eating.
* If you’re interested in a payment plan, Klarna is an available option upon checkout, but it is only available for orders originating from the US.
Meeting up:
We will meet after lunch on Sept 12th and end programming after breakfast on Sept 17th. Specific meeting time and location will be offered privately to participants later this year.
Scholarships
We are hoping to be able to offer a couple partial scholarships. If you are interested in either applying for a scholarship OR donating to help create a scholarship, please fill out our form here.
Trip Faculty
Julia Whelan
Faculty Leader (she/her)
Dubbed "The Adele of Audiobooks" by The New Yorker, Julia Whelan is an author, screenwriter, lifelong actor, and acclaimed audiobook narrator of over 700 titles. In the last year alone, she won the Audie for Best Fiction Narrator, received a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, was awarded a Gracie from the Alliance of Women in Media Foundation, and Spotify named her its "Audiobook Narrator of the Year," as she was the most listened to voice, globally, in the app.
Her performance of her own debut novel, the international bestseller My Oxford Year (now a Netflix film), garnered a SOVAS award. Her 2022 novel, Thank You For Listening, was a Best-of-the-Year pick at Amazon, Audible, and NPR. Her latest work, the Audie nominated audio original Casanova LLC, will be coming to print in Spring 2027.
She is also the founder of Audiobrary, an audio publishing company and retailer seeking to change how creatives are compensated in the audiobook industry. She is also a Grammy nominated audiobook director, a former writing tutor, a half-decent amateur baker, and a certified tea sommelier. And, for the purposes of this particular trip, she used to be a T.A. for a beloved professor's Jane Austen classes while at Middlebury College; she promises to reach back through time and bring that same level of nerdy enthusiasm to this pilgrimage.
Julia will serve as lead faculty for this trip.
Elizabeth Oldfield
Chaplain (she/her)
Elizabeth is the host of The Sacred podcast and the author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times, which has been featured on the goop podcast and the Ezra Klein show and praised by Krista Tippett. She also writes a Substack at morefullyalive.substack.com and works as a coach for people exploring questions of meaning, values, purpose and vocation.
Elizabeth will serve as chaplain for this trip.
Julia Argy
Logistics Coordinator (she/her)
Julia is a writer from Massachusetts. Her debut novel, The One, was published by Putnam in April, 2023. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Statistics, and from the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program with an MFA in Fiction. She works as the Director of Pilgrimages at Not Sorry.
Julia will serve as logistics coordinator for this trip.
“Maybe, once you come to realize that there are no answers, you learn to live with the questions.”
— my oxford year