October 23, 2007 10:00 PM
Country Roads
As we approach the end of the first half of our first term here at Oswestry School - where I'm spending my gap year after Mercersburg - things certainly aren't slowing down. On Friday we had Theme Night - a big party in the school auditorium. The theme was Wild Wild West, so to the tunes of Johnny Cash, John Denver, and others, we line-danced, rode a mechanical bull, played poker, and just generally had a good time. 
It took me home, not just to south central Pennsylvania in general, and not just to Waynesboro, my actual home. That night took me straight back to one of my first at Mercersburg, the night that a rowdy group of juniors hurried down the dirt lanes that led to the barn. Dressed up in whatever cowboy-like apparel we could lay our hands on, we crowded into that rustic old space and shook the floor - quite literally - with our attempts at line-dancing.
Our Inbound leaders - mostly upper-middlers and seniors - led, although sometimes dragged, each of us onto the dance floor at one point or another and a small country band led us through the steps. It was a great night to start my high-school career, and these past few weeks have been a amazing start to my last year in secondary education.
Here we have our Houses - much like the Irving and Marshall societies at Mercersburg - and our prefects - although here they can give other students detentions.
So much is similar and so much leaves me missing my alma mater. But life at the Burg goes on. I hear tales of students flying around the Simon Theatre in preparation for Peter Pan, of sports teams achieving new heights, and of my old friends settling into their new years and roles in school.
I can't wait to visit both of my homes in Pennsylvania this December - when I get off for Christmas break -
Posted by at October 23, 2007 10:00 PM