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オックスフォードとの別れ
先日、オックスフォード大学の卒業試験の結果発表がありました。青山さんは見事試験に合格、卒業することが決まりました。しかし、あえて今年の卒業式には出席しません。同大学には独自の卒業式の制度があるので、いずれ、それを利用しようというのです。青山さんは、思い出に浸るより、未来に向かって前進しようとしています。
Saying farewell
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オックスフォード時代のパーティーでのひとこま。筆者(左端)が友達と楽しんだ日々も、今となっては懐かしい思い出に・・・
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I find myself in a heart-wrenching situation. As all good things must someday end, my beloved Oxford life, too, must draw to a close. Life at Oxford was much too short, and I sometimes wish I could continue studying here. But then again, staying in one place for too long may make the mind complacent. Although my Oxford life was wonderful, I'm not afraid to move on. Rather, I'm excited by the future.
My exam results were announced the other day, and my results were posted up in front of the Examination Schools. Oxford has traditionally enjoyed agonizing its students with the fact that their entire results are posted, along with their full name (not a candidate number), for the viewing pleasure of the whole world. So if one fails, the world will know about it. Luckily, my grades were quite respectable and I was saved from humiliation.
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筆者が学んだオックスフォード大学
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Unlike most universities, Oxford's graduation ceremony is by reservation only. This means that students must "apply" for graduation so that they can attend the ceremony. The ceremony takes place around five or six times during the year, and an Oxford alumnus can sign up to graduate at any time until the day of his death. Thus, students do not have to graduate as soon as they finish their final exams, and many attend graduation a year or two after they leave Oxford.
Being my ordinary lazy self, I did not apply for a ceremony this year. I am not even sure if I will ever attend graduation. Lately, I have this fear that my graduation will not be for another 20 years, like when I'm married with children. But then again, bringing my kids along to graduation sounds like good fun, and will be a great excuse for me to visit Oxford for a family vacation.
A heartwarming end to life at Oxford was the surprise retirement party for my dear tutor, who has been at Hertford college for nearly 40 years. We had prepared champagne and raspberries, and invited him into a room where all the law students at Hertford were waiting. When he entered, we erupted into song. My tutor, a humble man who feels uncomfortable when having parties held in his name, looked genuinely touched.
A week later, it was my turn to leave. I left Oxford on a beautiful Sunday morning, with my friends accompanying me to the bus stop. The light of dawn fell gently upon the old stone architecture and cobbled streets; I could feel the timeless atmosphere of this university town. I began to miss Oxford before I had even left it, but I knew I had plenty of memories to remember it by. As I waved to my friends from the bus, I was content in the fact that I had lived my Oxford life to the fullest.
I've yet to master the art of saying goodbye. It's often an awkward affair. That is why I try to think nothing of it, as if tomorrow I would see my friends again, like any other day. This works well to avoid sentimentality when leaving friends and places. Rather than feeling sad, I think it's best to say goodbye with a grand smile - to be grateful for having had the opportunity to connect with many wonderful people. With that thought in mind, thanks so much for reading.
Shukan ST: Aug. 29, 2003
(C) All rights reserved
- Saying farewell
- お別れを言う
- heart-wrenching
- 心痛む
- beloved
- 大好きな
- draw to a close
- 終わりに近づく
- make the mind complacent
- 気持ちが緩む
- (am)not afraid to move on
- 先へ進むのを恐れない
- were posted up
- 掲示された
- Examination Schools
- 試験が行なわれる建物
- traditionally
- 伝統的に
- agonizing 〜
- 〜を苦しめる
- along with 〜
- 〜とともに
- candidate number
- 受験者番号
- for the viewing pleasure of the whole world
- 全世界が見て楽しむために
- fails
- 落第する
- grades
- 成績
- respectable
- まずまずの
- humiliation
- 屈辱
- graduation ceremony
- 卒業式
- is by reservation only
- 申し込みをしていないと出席できない
- apply
- 申し込む
- takes place
- 行なわれる
- alumnus
- 卒業生
- sign up to 〜
- 申し込んで〜する
- my ordinary lazy self
- いつもの怠け者の自分
- fear
- 心配
- (am)married with children
- 結婚して子供がいる
- excuse
- 口実
- heartwarming
- 心温まる
- retirement party
- 退官記念パーティー
- tutor
- 指導教授
- Hertford college
- ハートフォード・カレッジ
- champagne
- シャンパン
- raspberries
- ラズベリー
- law
- 法律専攻の
- erupted into song
- いっせいに歌を歌い出した
- humble
- 謙虚な
- held in 〜 name
- 〜のために行なわれる
- looked genuinely touched
- 心から感動しているようだった
- turn
- 順番
- accompanying 〜 to 〜
- 〜まで〜に付き添う
- dawn
- 夜明け
- gently
- 穏やかに
- stone architecture
- 石造建築物
- cobbled
- 丸石が敷かれた
- timeless
- 時間を超越した
- atmosphere
- 雰囲気
- plenty of 〜
- たくさんの〜
- waved
- 手を振った
- was content in the fact that 〜
- 〜という事実に満足した
- to the fullest
- 目いっぱい
- (have)yet to master 〜
- 〜に長けていない
- art of saying 〜
- 〜のうまい言い方
- awkward affair
- ぎこちないもの
- think nothing of it
- そんなことは何でもないことだと考える
- avoid 〜
- 〜を避ける
- sentimentality
- お涙ちょうだいの場面
- grand
- とびきりの
- be grateful for 〜
- 〜を感謝する
- connect with 〜
- 〜と仲良くなる
- With that thought in mind
- それを心に留めて