It has been an amazing travel day! We left Stratford at 9am and I said my bittersweet farewells. I wasn't upset long- Once we got to Windsor I was absolutely captivated. To media-savvy Millennials, Windsor Castle is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married, but that is only one year of a castle that’s … Continue reading Windsor Into London
Hi! It's been a few days but I'm still healthy and busy. We left Coniston on Saturday the 7th and made our way to Stratford, stopping in Haworth to see the Bronte Parsonage. The first morning in Stratford I attempted to go to Starbucks for a quick cup of coffee before breakfast and ended up … Continue reading The Scenic Route
So I've had an unexpectedly amazing morning. We went to Dove Cottage, where Wordsworth spent eight years of his life and my expectations were definitely exceeded. The cottage itself was charming but the real treasure was getting to see a first edition of Frankenstein among his personal collection. When we got into Dove Cottage I … Continue reading Wordsworth and Frankenstein-A Charming Cottage and a Sacred Story
Ok, it's time for some honesty. This trip is amazing, but I've come to a few interesting realizations as the honeymoon phase wears off. First off, it hit me at 9 last night that I can't get away from these 20 people for the next three months, with the exception of a ten-day furlough. Don't … Continue reading Overview: Observations of Reality
Hi! We've been on the move the last two days, transitioning to our next home base. Our last day in Lindisfarne was pretty chill until the amazing poetry reading. The next day we made our way to Durham, with an afternoon stop in Abbotsford. We went from England to Scotland and back to England within … Continue reading Spoken and Written Words-Lindisfarne and Abbotsford
On Saturday morning I climbed a mountain and on Sunday morning I attended a church service. Both were incredibly powerful and meaningful in similar ways, and the experience reminds me that worship comes in many forms. One of the highlights of my time in Edinburgh was climbing the unnamed mountain. The summit specifically is named … Continue reading Mountain and Cathedral-Edinburgh Days 3-4
Greetings from Scotland! We're still meandering through Edinburgh, and here are some more highlights, as well as some lowlights. Our first excursion of day 2 was to The Writers Museum, an incredibly small former house that pays homage to Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and Robert Louis Stevenson. The funniest moment was when a soundtrack … Continue reading Edinburgh Day 2
Hello! I write from the Amsterdam airport, local time of about 8:30am. I have landed successfully in Europe, and I got to see a magical sunrise from the plane. As far as an opening to a life-changing trip, this is a pretty good one. The top photo is of the sunset, an hour into our … Continue reading The Sun From a Plane
Hi everyone! I want to thank you for the wonderful responses to my two latest essays. It took me a while to write both and it was a great process of growth and introspection. I have a third essay in the works, but I'm not sure when I can publish it because...drum roll.....I'm leaving for … Continue reading ‼️Announcement‼️ Blog Overhaul- 🏴Elena’s European Escapades🏴
Well it happened again. I feel my cheeks, burning with the white-hot rage of powerlessness. My anger and disillusionment is tangible yet I stay silent. I've always been silent in these situations, refusing to refute misperception, instead allowing an identity 20 years in the making to be diluted by a split second interaction. Anyone who … Continue reading The Fraud of Normal
Elena’s Grace 