I leaned against the wall outside Ounce Coffee on March 14th, the sunlight bright and flat upon the brick, as I surveyed the Friday morning crowd in the thriving suburb of Westbourne, Dorset. I was meeting up with my friend Sam, a fellow Belmont grad, who plays the drums in a touring band that just so happened to have a show in Bournemouth. I decided to take him to my favorite coffee shop and walk down to the beach, a mile walk that passed through the Alum Chine gardens, a paved path through an enclosure of pine trees, palm trees, and a vast network of shrubbery. As we got coffee and made our way to the path, Sam kept repeating how beautiful Bournemouth was and how it might be his new favorite city in England. “Liz,” he exclaimed, “This is just like a movie!” As we entered the Alum Chine gardens path, Sam fell silent and stared around in awe at the canopy of trees and greens that surrounded us. What seemed like a relatively normal path through the forest to me was a sight of pure astonishment to Sam, and I realized then how little I give Bournemouth credit for; it is, truly, a town rich with natural beauty. 

Sam and I are both, to varying degrees, traveling musicians. He is literally a paid musician in a touring band, and I am a charity manager and musician who is, in a long-term and more stationary sense, traveling. He understands what it’s like to grow up in the Midwest and move to Nashville as a musician, but he also knows how it feels to be an American working in the United Kingdom. Having someone who can bridge these worlds has been grounding and comforting in ways I didn’t expect. As the sea came into view and the sunshine poured down on us, I was struck by the rarity of it all: two Belmont University graduates from the Midwest are walking on the beach in Bournemouth, England, a city we both ended up in through a strange twist of fate and a lot of hard work. Cosmic alignments such as these don’t occur often, and I felt so proud of us both for all that went into making this moment happen.

Sam and I in Bournemouth!

My gratitude for Belmont and the friends I’ve made there carry into my work: I had my second-to-last songwriting workshop last week, and so many of my teaching tactics are pulled from my songwriting professors. Each group finished writing and recording a demo of their song, and my words of advice echo those I’ve heard from peers and professors at Belmont. Next week we’ll listen to everyone’s song and give feedback, and I’m so excited to listen and reflect on the experience as a whole. I can see that the kids light up and feel empowered when they have the freedom to create something entirely their own, and it is a joy to witness and facilitate that. That day marked six full months of me living in Bournemouth, and I got to end the night by playing my second full-band show and first headliner show in England. I’m so grateful and proud that I’ve been able to take my love for songwriting from Nashville all the way to Bournemouth, and I’m excited to see where it goes next. 

Beautiful Bournemouth beach!

Love,

Elisabeth

“I’m sitting in the grounds of Winchester Cathedral, and I’m reminded of why I love England. The sun is out and the sky is blue for the first time in what feels like forever, and it’s a public celebration — throngs of people are out on their afternoon stroll, talking to friends and soaking in the sunlight — this is the Mecca of England. I’m leaning against some ancient monument (who it’s honoring, I don’t know), but I pay respects by propping my feet up on its base, a coffee and croissant by my side. I love this view: the cathedral tall and proud, the grass so green, and the sky is so blue!!! What a joy, these little things that make all the difference.”
        – February 19th journal entry

The sun has returned to England, and that has made all the difference. Seasonal depression and slow days spent alone made January the longest month of my life, but February has swept by, and I’m starting March feeling optimistic about life. 

The sun outside Winchester Cathedral

I’ve led more workshops in the last two weeks than at any other point during my time here! To start was my third songwriting workshop with a secondary school in Poole, and this week my students started writing their songs. I was a bit fearful that the kids would struggle with the prompt or get distracted, but most of them rose to the challenge and have a promising song in the works. One is about heartbreak and one is about a traditional Polish dish known colloquially as meat jelly, so we’re not short on variety. One student proclaimed with excitement that her song was better than she expected, and it brought me such joy to see them enjoying the process and to witness their ideas sparking. This class has been such a unique experience for them and for myself, and I’m excited to hear the finished songs and to reflect on the course as a whole. 

We also had our first two paid workshops that were sponsored by the council (our local government). These were two full days in schools where we delivered a two hour workshop to two groups of sixty kids. I was in charge of organising everything and running the workshops as neither Dee nor Tom could make it, so for perhaps the first time in my life, I was the designated adult. Scary. Despite facing several new variables, both days went smoothly, and the response from the students and teachers was so validating. Kids left comments on their feedback sheets like “I learnt that I have a wonderful imagination” and “It encouraged me to be brave and enjoy writing a story of my own and being brave to read out my story.” I’m so grateful to LUMOS for enabling me to do work that I both love and actively improves the lives of others. In no other context would I be the manager of a charity; it’s not something I take for granted. 

Workshop team!

My social life has also been quite busy. I started attending a new weekly jam night with a few of our student volunteers, went to a jazz night and a writer’s group with some other volunteers, and attended my first-ever Premier League football game with Dee (Brighton vs Southampton — Southampton lost 4-0). The charity volunteer base has been a great source of friendship for me lately, and I’m grateful that I work so closely with a university. 

Southampton vs Brighton!

Some doodles a friend made from jam night

I’ve got a busy month ahead of me, and before I know it, I’ll be back in the States! My time here has gone by so quickly, and it makes me sad that the friends and habits that have become my everyday life will soon be foreign to me. But I’m grateful to have people and memories that make goodbyes hard.

With love,

Elisabeth 

When asked what young people should do with their lives, Kurt Vonnegut responded, “the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” I am on a quest to make new friends and deepen my existing friendships in order to combat this terrible disease. My game plan? Stick close to my rituals and do weird things. And ask, ask, ask. 

Three of my rituals include: church, my church group, and run club. I’ve been attending these as much as possible and have enjoyed several meals and nights out with these friends. I had a lovely Galentine’s evening with three of my friends from church—Catherine, Elisha, and Erica—and I’ve been organizing more group socials with the volunteers from The Story Works. Last week I attended an art gallery community night that I found on Instagram, and next week I’m going to a barn dance and trying out a new writer’s group; it feels like my first month here—saying yes to every social opportunity and seeing what sticks.

My boss, Dee, and his wife Mel have done an excellent job at making me feel valued and surrounded when I feel the loneliness creep in. The past two Saturday’s they’ve invited me over to their house after Parkrun (I’m on my 19th now) for lunch and fellowship. They are two gems of human beings, and I feel very grateful that they’re in my circle. 

Some church friends at a birthday dinner

Work has felt busy and fulfilling, and I’m increasingly proud of the work I’ve done and of the work our charity is doing in general. The second songwriting workshop I led felt much more relaxed and engaging than the last—the kids were participating and seemed excited to start writing their songs, which is all I can hope for. We discussed metaphors, rhyme patterns, chord progressions, and even analyzed the structure of “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Songwriting is what led me to Belmont and ultimately to England, so it’s very rewarding to share that with the next generation of creative minds.

Last week we led our first ever comic workshop, and I was in charge of making sure it wasn’t a flop. I know nothing about comics, so thankfully two of our student illustrators designed a loose plan and some activity sheets. I fleshed out the plan and researched a starter activity to use, and Dee contributed his charisma and years of teaching experience. With the four of us combining our skills and personalities, the workshop was a huge success! The students, who were already artistically gifted, were superstars and designed some truly breathtaking comics. Afterwards I sighed a huge breath of relief. 

Comic workshop!

Beyond all that, I’ve been working on lots of new music and started training for a marathon! I signed up for the Shakespeare Marathon in Stratford-upon-Avon after several months of hesitation, and it feels great to be back in training mode. Few things make me feel quite as alive as running 16 miles on a cold and windy day on the English coast. 

The heavens opening on my run

Until next time, 

Elisabeth x

Hi again! It’s been an emotionally turbulent few weeks, but instead of reporting on my inner turmoil, I want to share the good that has come out of the end of January (which, can I say, has been the longest month of my life. Kaveh Akbar has a poem called “Wild Pear Tree” that begins: it’s been January for months in both directions, and I resonate with this sentiment strongly). 

First—London! It just so happened that two of my dearest friends—Grace Wiles and Eleri Hadaway—were both in London on the same weekend, so I spent Thursday and Friday with Grace and Saturday with Eleri. I missed Grace bad, so when I walked into the Waterloo Station Nando’s at 8pm on Thursday night and spotted her with her white knitted sweater and carabiner of camp bracelets, I lit up with delight. Even though I had weeks of lore and heartbreak to update her on, I didn’t want to talk about any of that. What a joyful moment this was: to be in a city I loved with one of my best friends (from my home of Indiana, I might add!) thousands of miles away from the city we met in, sharing halloumi fries and laughs. No, I wanted to stick around in this joy. 

Grace in London!

The next morning we woke early to tackle the day doing what we loved most: walking, visiting bookstores, and drinking coffee. With Pret Americanos in hand, we stopped at a lovely bookstore near Russell Square where I bought a poetry collection by Kaveh Akbar and we spoke to the cashier: a kind American woman who moved to London to live with her partner (which, I fear, is my calling). We visited two more bookstores, had another coffee, and shared great conversation about the last six months of our lives and where the future was calling us. In the evening we saw a theatre production called Starlight Express, and I’ll preface this by saying neither of us knew anything about this show except that it involved trains and the actors wore roller skates. Even as the theatre skeptic I am, I had a blast with this, specifically because of a particular song called Hydrogen that, for some reason or another, sparked an obsession in me.

As we took the tube back to Waterloo from Wembley, Grace said something along the lines of, “I love hanging out with friends, because you’re always like–What will we laugh about next?” And I’m grateful that there are a few things in life I can always count on, and laughter with friends like Grace is one of them. 

Eleri and I in the National Gallery (we had to wear our backpacks like this)

With the power of friendship on my side, I returned to Bournemouth feeling refreshed and capable. I’ve had lots of business meetings to attend alone, which have boosted my confidence and proved that I’m capable of being in charge and professional. I spoke with two local charities to discuss merging our services through workshops and online curriculum, and our team met with a grant-giving charity to discuss funding opportunities. My next big task as Charity Manager is to apply for as many pots of funding as I can to ensure that The Story Works can hire a full-time manager like myself to fulfill my position come September. 

In the past two weeks we’ve participated in a Holocaust Remembrance workshop, delivered two successful story writing workshops, and I delivered my second Songwriting workshop. Tomorrow is our first-ever Comic Book workshop, so lots of new things are happening. I’ve felt very fulfilled from my work lately, and it’s rewarding to see how much the charity has grown since I got here in September.

Doing what I love!

Until next time,

Elisabeth x

I’m back at work and things with The Story Works are looking to be busier than ever! Workshops start back up this week, I delivered my first self-designed Songwriting workshop, and we’ve got several special projects coming up. Before I get into that, I’ll give a brief update on what’s been happening in my personal life.

I started working remotely after the holidays in the second week of January, so I have gone on less adventures and have spent less time practicing the fiddle. It’s good for me to have work to do, but most of my colleagues and friends spent much of January still away on vacation, so I’ve missed social interaction badly. Last Saturday, to spice things up, I took a little day trip into Ringwood, a small town on the way to Salisbury that boasts a priory, a few cafes and a handful of nice charity shops. Although there wasn’t much to do and my bus back was delayed by over an hour, it was still nice to get a change-up. A few days later, I had my first show of 2025 in Bournemouth! I played a short acoustic set at Chaplin’s Bar, a Charlie Chaplin themed bar and live music venue, and it was nice to do what I love and feel more connected to the city after my time away in December. 

I was anxious about starting my songwriting lessons, but visiting the school a few days before and meeting the kids soothed my nerves. They’re a group of about 25 Year 10’s (14-15 year-olds), and they were a very social bunch and had plenty of questions about life in America, a few of which included: Have you driven Route 66? Are there beaches in Nashville? What NFL team do you support? The lesson itself went well, aside from lots of attempts to quiet the room. The kids seemed engaged, which is all I can ask for, but it is always a little disappointing when you imagine the impact of something you make to be bigger than it actually is. I’m proud of myself for designing the class, finding a school, and implementing it. It seems like the teachers are really excited about it, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the next three lessons go.

Beyond that, I designed some prompts and activities for a one-off Holocaust Remembrance workshop that we were asked to attend. I’ve also started brainstorming workshop plans for collaborations with a paddle board non-profit, a non-profit that designs movement-based mental health teaching resources for schools, and a family therapy center. It’s exciting to see our charity expanding and being involved in so many new projects. On top of all that, we’re trying to find funding to support a full-time role after I leave, so I’m starting to prepare funding applications. 

To be honest with y’all, I’m feeling very lonely. So much time alone since Christmas has begun to take its toll, and I have not felt support from some of the relationships here that I relied on. I’m feeling quite nervous for the next three months ahead of me, but if this experience has proven anything to me, it’s that I’m adaptable, and I’m confident that the rest of my time in England will have good things in store. 

With love, 

Elisabeth

It’s been a slow few weeks in the life of Elisabeth. I spent Christmas and the days following in Iceland, but it’s been very quiet since returning to Bournemouth. I had another trip loosely planned to close out my Christmas break, but after reevaluating my budget and my energy levels, I decided to spend a chill week and a half in Bournemouth before starting back at work.

After nearly a month of travel, I had dearly missed playing music. The first thing I did upon arriving at my home in Bournemouth was pull out my fiddle and start practicing. During my last lesson, my instructor recommended I learn a new tune called Morrison’s Jig, an ear-catching Irish tune that you can easily imagine spilling out of coastal pubs in Galway. One of my goals whilst here is to improve my fiddle playing so that one day I can be one of those people at open jams who absolutely shreds tune after tune, but to get there I need to start expanding my repertoire. I’m currently brushing up on the pieces I learned in the World Fiddle ensemble at Belmont and an English reel I learned in November. Playing fiddle and feeling myself improve has been a big source of joy for me in these somewhat lonely days before work and friends return, and I’m glad I’ve made it a priority. 

Working on some music!

Beyond playing music, I’ve enjoyed beach runs, cooking (lemon and garlic sea bass with honey roasted vegetables was a favorite), and visiting local spots on my to-see list. One of these was the Russell Cotes Museum, a Victorian home and gallery donated by the English couple who lived there in the late 19th century. There was a rotating exhibition that had been added onto the home, but everything else was artwork, furniture, and collectables that had been brought home by the couple on their extensive travels around Europe and Asia, and I couldn’t help but hope that my future spouse and I can travel the world and decorate our home with the beautiful things we find. 

Yummy meal I made!  

A painting at Russell Cotes I particularly enjoyed 

On my final day off I decided to take a day trip to the Old Harry Rocks, a rock formation along the Jurassic Coast off Studland, England. This had been on my to-do list for awhile, and it exceeded my expectations. Despite it being January, the sun was shining radiantly onto the English countryside, and the typical coastal rains and winds subsided. After admiring the otherworldly cliffside for a long time, I ventured over four miles through public footpaths to reach a town called Swanage, where I stopped for lunch and a read (Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson) and reflected on how grateful I am to live in such a beautiful country. 

I’ll close out with a short poem I wrote on a run along the beach that encapsulates the simplicity I’ve experienced:

Shell

It’s one of those days where the sand
is like a disk, scraped smooth by the wind
and my steps leave a gentle imprint—
the lightness I wish to leave behind.
The sea brings with it a sweep of foam,
and a shell or two too, tokens
from its journeys westward,
now given selflessly to me.

Thank you, I’ll take one. 

December has been a busy month. I’ve spent barely a week in Bournemouth, and the rest of my time has been spent traveling across Europe on my Christmas vacation. Let me recap, starting from the end of my family’s visit:

The final day with my family was spent at Corfe Castle, the ruins of a once majestic castle built by William the Conqueror beginning in the 11th century. I thought that the whole site would be a drive-by, but there was a beautiful working village on the castle grounds that was quintessentially English. We stopped at the Greyhound Inn, the most photographed pub in England, and I took part in that title by snapping shots of my picturesque, archetypal English meal: a mushroom and leek pie, maple roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy. It was to die for. 

After nearly a week of being on the go in the busy streets of London and Edinburgh, I could tell that my family was grateful to take it slow, especially in a candlelit pub in an 11th century cobblestone-street-lined and thatched-roof-homes village with ancient castle ruins behind them and a steaming plate of shepherd’s pie in front of them. How much more English can you get? I surveyed the room and felt so full to see the three people who have guided me through life, the only people who have known every version of me, experience this new side of my life. My dad was smiling the whole meal through, and I felt so grateful and proud that they came all this way to see me and my world. Sipping my gingerbread hot chocolate, I knew this was a perfect moment. 

After spending nine days non stop traveling, I was a little worn out, but I had to keep up my energy because immediately after my family left I set out for a solo weekend in Germany. Even though I would’ve rather rescheduled the trip, I had a mission to live out my childhood dream of attending a German Christmas market, and I’m one who likes to fulfill a vision. Upon exiting my train in Nuremberg I immediately was met with the sight of a gothic building with that old German typeface reading “Opernhaus” and two minimally decorated fraser fir trees on either side of the entrance. This was exactly what I’d been hoping for. I hurried to my free walking tour and was more pleased by the minute by how this side of Germany was exactly what I’d been hoping for and more. The main attraction, Nuremberg’s Christkindl Market, was nothing short of magical: I wandered through long rows of illuminated huts with wooden ornaments dangling precariously from roofs, trays of freshly cooked lebkuchen (gingerbread) displayed in front, and steaming cups of glühwein (mulled wine) being served up at every other turn. I went to bed refreshed with a childlike joy, once again reminded of how traveling someplace new fills me with life and wonder. 

My second and final full day in Germany was less whimsical. As a fan of history, I took the day to explore Nuremberg’s dark past, starting at the German National Museum and taking the tram across town to the Nazi Rally Grounds and Documentation Museum. I knew that Nuremberg was the home of the famous Nuremberg Trials, but I was unaware that it also hosted the Nazi Party Rallies, held annually from 1933 to 1938. While many of the prominent sites have been destroyed, it was still eerie to walk the same streets that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis did only ninety years ago, and it made the events of the Holocaust feel more real. 

The final stop on my December itinerary was Iceland! I would be visiting my old host family from Summer 2023 and taking part in their Christmas traditions. I learned about the country’s dark folklore (there’s an evil Christmas cat that will eat children if they don’t get new clothes for Christmas), swam in an outdoor pool while it was snowing, ate traditional Icelandic Christmas foods, and spent quality time with my host family. It was lovely to see everyone again and to see how much the three girls had grown in just a year and a half. 

The girls and I with the evil Christmas cat.

My host mom, Laufey, knitted me my very own Lopapeysa for Christmas – and gave me a haircut! Merry Christmas to me!

For now I’m taking a few days in Bournemouth to rest before heading off on my next adventure. 

Until next time,

Elisabeth x

Iceland in the snow

Me and Laufey before a Christmas concert at the Harpa theater

I spent Thanksgiving morning in the crisp, cool air characteristic of Bournemouth in late November with a hot pumpkin-spiced latte in hand and the sun beating down on me. I’m accustomed to starting this day at a packed charity-sponsored 5k, but today I ran my own Turkey Trot at a park in Bournemouth and enjoyed the quiet of what was, to everyone else, just another morning. Last year was my first Thanksgiving away from family, and this is my first abroad, but I feel more grateful than ever when I reflect on all the changes that twelve months have brought—I’m in a much better place than I was this time last year. 

I felt that gratitude most deeply at The Story Work’s first-ever Christmas social, hosted at a sleek new coworking space in town center. Since learning that we could use the space for free, I thought it would be nice to organize a gathering for our volunteers and supporters to celebrate what we’ve accomplished in 2024 and lay out our goals for 2025. I’d forgotten how much I love event planning—from budgeting to playlist curating to hanging up posters around town, everything about creating a community event is life-giving. The event itself went even better than anticipated; we had over thirty attendees, several of whom came simply from seeing the event on Eventbrite. I delivered a fifteen minute presentation about The Story Works, and I felt so much joy as I surveyed the room of passionate and kind friends, each of whom has been impacted by our work. Better yet, my family was in town to visit, and they got a glimpse into what it is I do and who I interact with. Above all, I felt proud of the work that both the charity has done and I have done—this event and several of the accomplishments highlighted wouldn’t have existed without me, and after a period of feeling unproductive, I felt the weight of what I’d contributed. 

As I mentioned previously, my family visited in early December! My mom, dad, brother, and soon-to-be sister-in-law flew from Indianapolis to spend ten days traveling around the UK. We walked through the Christmas-lit streets of London, shopped for Scottish knitwear on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, and toured the breathtaking Corfe Castle and surrounding village in Dorset. It was so special to see them and to share my life here with them. 

The weekend before, my friend Eleri came over from Belfast to visit me in Bournemouth. On her first night here we prepared a classic Thanksgiving meal (honey and soy-glazed salmon, rosemary-parmesan mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts, pumpkin pie), and the rest of the weekend was spent traveling to Oxford and Bath. Whenever I hang out with Eleri, I know we’ll have a long string of bits by the end of our time together. From reviewing bad coffee to writing silly poetry to making acronyms out of our names (the E in Elisabeth stands for Eggs, scrambled), any time spent with Eleri is a good time. 

There was a moment when Eleri first arrived in Bournemouth that stands out in my memory: we were approaching the pier, and it was the most spectacular day—the air was crisp but not biting, the sun shone down with a twinkle on the water, and the waves crashed mightily onto the shore. I looked at Eleri knowingly, she looked at me, and we busted out laughing. For the past few months I’d half-jokingly referred to Bournemourth as a dump (the B in Bournemouth is for Boring and Bad), but I knew then and there that this was not the full or even half the truth. Bournemouth is a beautiful place with its own unique strengths, and I’m fortunate to live here in this time of life. 

Sincerely,

Elisabeth x

November in Bournemouth has felt like life slipping into place. I’ve caught myself several times thinking, This feels like home, and the thought of leaving in less than six months saddens me. I have people who I care deeply for and care for me in return, and my work is feeling increasingly fulfilling.

It’s been busy with The Story Works as we approach the holiday season. After several weeks off, we had regularly-occurring workshops this week and last, and I had a chance to lead one for the first time. Our mission as a charity is to empower both students and volunteers, so when a volunteer does not ask to lead, it’s up to me to fulfill that role… and it was harder than I thought. The group of kids I led was the loudest and rowdiest we’d ever had according to Dee (my boss), and I felt slightly out of my element. The biggest thing I learned was that I need to control the room—that means not moving forward until everyone is quiet. I know each time I lead will be better, so I’m excited to learn and grow as a leader and a teacher. 

Last week’s workshop

We’ve got some exciting things as a charity coming up: first, I had a school accept my songwriting workshop! It will be a four week course with Year 10s (14-15 year-olds) culminating in a recording session. I’m set to start on January 20th, so I’ll spend the next couple months preparing the curriculum. Additionally, a local coworking space called Patch offered our charity free use of any of their spaces, so I booked a Christmas social for volunteers, supporters, and anyone who wants to learn more about the charity. I got so excited just thinking about putting together the invites and curating the evening. It made me remember how much I love and miss event planning and how creating a shared communal space is one of my favorite things to do as a human. 

The day that I toured Patch with one of our student volunteers, Maddie, was such a wonderful day. The Christmas decorations had just been put up in town centre, and Bournemouth looked more beautiful than I’d ever seen it. I walked past the lit-up Christmas trees, hot chocolate stand, and ice skating rink feeling so dang happy. As I took the bus home, Pret sandwich in hand, I saw a Slug and Lettuce on the second floor of a Tesco and thought, Yep. I love England. 

Bournemouth dressed up for Christmas!

Now onto my personal life. I embarked on a weekend trip to Spain with Eleri to meet up with one of our closest friends, Lydia, who is pursuing her master’s degree in Madrid. Even with few laid-out plans, the three of us had so much fun and giggled endlessly. The weekend was a much needed girls reunion and proved to me once again how a dose of familiarity can keep me motivated for weeks. I love female friendship! 

Eleri, me, Lydia, and Lydia’s friend Ryan in Madrid!

The food in Spain was so incredible. I have to gush over it.

A classic Spanish tapas meal, including Manchego cheese and Potatoes Bravos.

Lastly, I played another show this week, this time just me and my guitar. The audience consisted of the other performers and three people I invited, but I still had a blast. Earlier this year I made a vow to always perform like I’m playing to a full arena, so I gave this little acoustic set my all and decided not to care about how few people there were, and I felt myself enjoying the process so much more. My two friends were singing along and smiling big at me the whole time, and I felt so grateful that I get to perform my own music in another country. More of that to come!

Elisabeth x

My show!

After a slow October that left me feeling discouraged and unproductive, I’m writing this blog post as the happiest and most fulfilled I’ve felt in months. I spent quality time with friends both new and old and had some lovely new experiences that left me feeling proud to call Bournemouth home for this chapter of life. 

Toward the end of October I was feeling unmotivated and overall easily critical of Bournemouth. Life was beginning to lose its color, and I wasn’t feeling like myself. I needed a refresher, and a weekend trip to Belfast was just that for me. 

As soon as I met my dear friend Adam in the Belfast International Airport, I felt as though I had ascended into another plane of existence; I felt alive again. The drive into central Belfast felt both familiar and exciting; I had forgotten how much I love the Irish landscape—the harshness and wildness of it, the way everything is poetic, from the mist hovering above the hills to the rich green of the plains. It was as vibrant as I’ve seen a place in early November, each tree bursting with life and color. I was squealing with excitement, chatting and reminiscing with Adam as if there hadn’t been two and a half years of separation between us. 

My friend Adam and I outside my old flat

Stranmillis Road near Queen’s University, a very special place to me

Later Adam and I met up with my friend Eleri, who is pursuing her Lumos project in Belfast, and the three of us took a trip down memory lane, walking around Queen’s University and Elms Village where I lived in the spring of 2022. That day was probably my favorite day of the year, and maybe one of my favorite days ever. 

I felt an overwhelming sense of peace, like when you’re back in your hometown on Christmas Eve and your mom bakes you cookies and everything feels still for a moment. I felt at home, with the people who make me feel most myself. My favorite moment of the trip was when Eleri, Adam, and I were sitting around Adam’s dining room table, drinking tea (Adam remembered I take mine with milk and no sugar) and we were talking about what freaks we are. We shared laughs, wrote a song together (about cortados and oat milk), and I felt so known and understood after two months of feeling like a stranger everywhere I go.

Eleri, Adam and I goofing off in the Botanic Gardens

Every other time I’ve returned to a place that’s been so special to me—almost sacred—I’ve felt a sort of emptiness that comes with revisiting the same place in a different time. This trip couldn’t have been more different. I’d never experienced fall in Belfast, and it felt so fitting to see it in a way I hadn’t before: bursting with reds and oranges, overcast and thick with fog—just how I like it—so full of personality and quirk and pains of the past. I felt only gratitude and immense pride that I’ve been able to love a place over different periods of time and different versions of myself. 

The Lagan Meadows, perhaps my favorite spot on Earth

As the weekend came to a close, Eleri asked me, “How are you going to romanticize Bournemouth?” It was the right question to ask after such a weekend; this kind of happiness should not be reserved for a select few places—it should flow freely in the way that I approach every day. I think I needed to be reminded of how joyful I can feel so I’m less distant from it in the future. 

When I got back to Bournemouth, I had the most wonderful night playing my first ever full-band show, and nearly everyone I knew in Bournemouth attended. I felt so dang grateful that I was doing what I loved most in a city I’ve come to appreciate with people I can call my friends.

Next time, I promise I’ll actually talk about work and the reason I’m here! But I do believe my magical little weekend in Belfast gave me a new perspective and a new wave of energy to bring to my role in the charity as I move forward.

My band in Bournemouth

See!! Bournemouth can be beautiful!

Liz x