I visited Italy for the first time 11 years ago in what felt like the culmination of a decade of incessant determination, serendipity, blind faith, and unbelievable luck. The program director for a summer program for high school students somehow…
My tumultuous relationship with Switzerland
I’m going to admit a thing that I feel some guilt about and that might cause people to hate me. And I’m truly so sorry for this, but I can’t deny hard truths. Here it is—I really didn’t care for…
Strasbourg and unexpected wonder
I decided to go to Strasbourg for a couple of reasons. First, it made sense for my route through Switzerland, and second, because I knew I wanted to see small towns in France, and Strasbourg is a good base for…
Next time you’re in Paris…
The Eurostar train from London to Paris was sold out by the time my trip started. Months ago, I’d written in my (very extensive) planning journal “BUY EUROSTAR ASAP” because I knew 2nd-class Eurail reservations could sell out, but by…
London and Preconceived Notions
When planning my backpacking trip, I always thought of London as a gateway city, the natural stopping point before entering the EU. I looked forward to visiting, but not with the level of enthusiasm I felt about… well, pretty much…
Edinburgh, the Highlands, and Ancient Magic
When I landed in Edinburgh, the first thing I felt was relief to be on the ground and overwhelming gratefulness for having faced my fear of flying and actually gotten on the plane. The second thing I felt was a…
