There’s a creepy path by my apartment building. It exists under an overpass, enclosed by claustrophobic metal gates, punctuated by odd little alcoves that seem to only exist as trash receptacles for careless litterers. Ordinary objects become haunting when they lie strewn under an overpass: an earless stuffed animal, a dirt-matted fleece, mysteriously warped traffic cones, half-eaten packets of crisps. Even though it looks like the set of an apocalyptic movie, and most would probably avoid it, I am fascinated by it. Each time I walk through, I’m excited to see what unsettling items might have been added to (or subtracted from) the collection. The other day, I had the thought that random details of my life here, like the creepy alley or the smell of my kitchen, are the details I don’t want to forget when I leave Belfast. Now that I’m over halfway done with my time here, I’m feeling sentimental about my rituals and routines. They are signifiers of this era, and I’m trying to maintain awareness and log the details so I can revisit them in my memory.

There has been plenty of variety in my work routine lately, which has kept me on my toes. We’ve been doing lots of offsite workshops, which means I get to explore new parts of Northern Ireland and meet a wider range of young authors. I really enjoyed a workshop we did recently with a girls’ college. I was nervous about how the dynamic might be different because they were older than the students we normally work with, but they brought so much humor and enthusiasm into the workshop. They had fun brainstorming silly ideas together and got really into writing the collaborative story. It had been a while since I last led storymaking, but this was a great group to jump back in with. As a bonus, it was also a sunny day, and I felt so rejuvenated on the bright road back from the workshop. Even though I’ve done a million workshops with the same format by this point, every group brings originality and freshness to the creative writing process. I don’t think it could ever get old!

Life has been busy busy, but here are some quick highlights. As sunlight has made its spring return with the turning of March, I have been taking lots of photos, with a special interest in shadows, reflections,  refractions, and all dimensions of light. One of my favorites is of a stained glass window’s wavy shadow. I’ve been finding relaxation in creativity: writing notes app poetry, singing with friends, discovering exciting new outfit combinations within my limited wardrobe, watching movies critically and carefully crafting reviews for my 7 Letterboxd followers to enjoy, and making elaborate packed lunches with plentiful colors and flavors. I’ve had lots of good social time, which gives me an excuse to try delicious and overpriced new treats like Slabz sandwiches and Black Sheep pistachio lattes. My friend Liz was in town over the weekend, and we had fun hiking, trying new spots, playing bingo, laughing lots, and catching up with mutual friends from Belmont. This upcoming weekend, my Aunt Heather will be in town, so the hosting fun continues!

“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 

This post is going to be weird. I adore my host family’s bathrooms! Their toilet seat is heated! The toilet has an entire control panel on the wall with three different bidet settings, all with different strengths. You can also adjust the heat of the bidet water and toilet seat. I also have enjoyed the Japanese style of bathing. They have a shower room with a tub. Unlike American bathrooms where you stand in the tub with the shower head above you, Japanese shower rooms have two-level hooks for the shower head next to the tub with a mirror. They let the tub fill and heat up while doing other tasks. You know when the tub is ready because a panel in the kitchen plays a cute song to alert you the tub is full and ready at 40 degrees Celsius. They keep the tub covered during the shower so nothing gets in. You shower first and ensure you are squeaky clean, and once you are clean you soak in the bath. Because the water heats itself and continues to heat up so that it doesn’t get cold, and everybody gets in clean, a single bathtub of water is shared between the entire family. It is very relaxing, like a hot tub but without the chlorine. I greatly enjoy this arrangement, but I know some Americans feel uncomfortable sharing bathwater with others. If you are an American who is uncomfortable sharing bathwater, do not go to an onsen/the hot springs if you visit Japan.

The main thing I have been working on in the last couple weeks is creating our submission for the Irish Times spring edition! We have the opportunity to submit some of our workshop stories from the past year, and the editors also asked me to write a piece about my experience with Fighting Words! I had so much fun combing through our story archives for this project, and I got to read everything our young authors have written since last April. I noticed patterns, like how younger students often start their stories in the forest, and common motifs, like lots of characters named Bob. It was fun to see how young minds work and what common themes they write about over and over again. I loved all the stories, but had to narrow it down to just a few for us to submit for this year’s feature. I tried to pick a variety of age groups, story themes, types of schools, etc. I won’t give too much away about the piece I wrote, but I shared about what I’ve learned and how my perspective has been shifted by my experiences with workshop facilitation. I’m proud of the piece and excited to see it come out soon! We’ve also welcomed a new colleague at Fighting Words. Sorcha has joined us to work on a 3 year project called A Shared Agenda for Peace. It’s been lovely to have a new person in the workspace and Sorcha’s energy compliments our office dynamic quite well!

Outside of work, I’ve enjoyed a rich array of experiences and adventures. I was approached in an art gallery by a photographer who took some beautiful portraits of me, attended a Galentine’s themed book club while floating on the River Lagan in a barge, enjoyed nights out and in with friends, revisited favorite films and saw new ones (I was not impressed with A Complete Unknown), read feminist theory and beach reads on public transport, and hosted a dinner party (I had to use paper plates because I only have 2 real plates). 

Last week, my two best friends from Nashville came to visit me in Belfast! It was surreal and exciting to see their familiar faces in the streets that I walk every day. We took a trip to Geneva, Switzerland and Nice, France and it was nothing short of magical. When I think of the trip, I see a montage of so many beautiful moments that it’s hard to choose which ones to share. Even though we spent all of every day together, we still stayed up late talking every night because we just love being together. The trip was full of loud expressions of joy, quiet moments of rest, and steady friendship. My senses were overwhelmed with goodness: colorfully undulating dancers at the Carnaval de Nice Flower Parade, creamy burrata and fresh green pesto, cake crumbs in bed and giggles over a silly movie, salty sea air and panoramic views, softly smudged artwork, candy-colored buildings glimmering in the reflection of night water, ice cubes rattling in stirred peach tea, peacocks strutting across the sidewalk, fondue dripping on the table before reaching our mouths, gracious smiles at stilted French phrases. There’s no one I’d rather travel the world with than Megan and Alana. We are perfect trip companions because we share curiosity, positivity, openness, and an ability to go with the flow when travel inevitably throws curveballs. I miss them already and look forward to our next adventure!

By now, I think I’m on version eight of this blog post. Every time I sit down to write, the words never seem quite right to capture my time in Pristina so far. How do I decide what’s important to share and what isn’t? I’ve been here just over three weeks. At first, everything felt significant—the way I set up my room, discovering my go-to coffee shops, and refining my very limited Albanian skills. But now, those details feel significantly less important. As I dive deeper into my project, I’m learning more about the inner workings of this growing country. I’m listening to people’s stories, documenting monumental national events, and immersing myself in local history books and renowned Albanian novels. The more I learn, the more I realize just how deep this story runs—and I can’t help but worry that I won’t have enough time to experience and share everything I want to with you all.

February 9th marked Kosovo’s parliamentary election day—a monumental event for any democratic nation. It’s a day when citizens take control of their country’s future, deciding what they want for the next four years. For some, it brings feelings of hope, determination, and optimism. For others, it stirs discouragement, frustration, or even fear. Having gone through this process in my own country just a few months ago, I was eager to learn how it unfolds here in Kosovo. What stood out to me was that, despite election day being on the 9th, as I write this on the 24th, a winner has yet to be announced. In Kosovo, a party must secure over 50% of the assembly to form a government. With the current Prime Minister’s party holding only 40.83%, they must form a coalition with another party to reach a majority—otherwise, a stalemate could force the country into a revote. Right now, the government is in limbo, and uncertainty hangs over the people of Kosovo.

A little over a week later, on February 17th, Kosovo celebrated its 17th Independence Day—a day filled with national pride and celebration that echoed through the streets of Pristina. The occasion was marked by a display of military strength and cultural appreciation, with folk music concerts and patriotic gatherings bringing people together. What stood out to me most, however, were the many flags raised in honor of this milestone. The Kosovo flag was not the only one soaring through the air; alongside it flew the American flag, the Albanian flag, and the UÇK flag. Each flag served as a tribute—not just to the nation’s independence, but to the sacrifices that made it possible, sacrifices that still feel fresh in the memories of many.

As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, my greatest fear for this project is simplification. The deeper I dive into my research, the more I realize how interconnected everything is—and the harder it becomes to decide which aspects to highlight in my exhibition. How do I focus on specific issues when they are all so intrinsically linked?Every time I learn about one thing, I leave with even more questions. My desire to understand keeps growing, so for now, I’m taking it slow—allowing myself the space to pause, ask questions, and explore different facets of this intricate nation. I believe this approach will help me present a more holistic and meaningful story to my audience back home.

When I arrived back in the DR from my trip home, I slipped back into a rhythm of midday work and evening walks to the estadio in the days leading to my birthday. Books edit suggestions consumed my thoughts most days as we moved through the copyediting stage. This was the middle of the month. January began in NYC surrounded by my closest friends and ended with a once-in-my-lifetime birthday celebration. Lots of contrasts were plopped on my scales and tipped occasionally out of equilibrium during those in-between moments, but I am very skilled at balancing things.

Birthday dinner with my dad and sisters

Before I left for the DR, my mom hosted a small birthday dinner. Three of my sisters who live in the city came, along with two family friends, and two of my friends from college. Socially, it was a bit like a see-saw: on one end, family and friends from home and forever, then, on the other, friends I made in a completely different context and situation. I balanced in the middle, and it was awesome.

After the age of eighteen or so, you lose that quick-stitch connection introduced by a shared lexicon. When I first moved away from home, I abandoned familiarity and became an unknown. But this is necessary, and what follows is usually very wonderful and important. What followed was a life I built on my own merit and in my own way. Belmont provided the ground for that, and when I let my friends meet my family, it’s another plank in the bridge from Nashville to my first home…it’s a bit more difficult to build a metaphorical bridge from Nashville to the Caribbean islands, you know, mostly due to ocean and everything. However, I am willing to engineer an architectural marvel if given the chance.

Without a bridge, moving away transforms you into an unknown again—but that’s half the thrill. After four years in Nashville, I feel known there. After seven months in the DR, I am not quite known there yet, which is part of it. There’s this sort of secret adventure and life for me in the DR right now, and as I traveled back to the DR from Christmas, I wondered how the two experiences—Nashville and DR—would connect in the future. The next time I return to Nashville, it will be a one-way ticket.

Year 23 would be a brand-new birthday in more ways than one: first one post-grad, first one where I wouldn’t see at least one family member, first one in a foreign country, and first one where it was warm outside! Last year as a 22-year-old was no doubt the most eventual year of my life. Now, 23 is a year of doors undiscovered and unopened; of curiously gazing out of backseat windows, wondering where I’m headed. I am not much of a geoguessr, but I am an easygoing passenger.

Estoy tratando de ser más tranquila y simplemente disfrutar de todo.

On the 24th, the eve of my birthday, my roommate Helina and I went to “Oh La La Experience,” which is an air-conditioned restaurant we like. Back at the house, unbeknownst to me, all the girls at Casa Universidad y Casa de Paz were preparing for my surprise party! The projector was set up for karaoke and dancing, nachos were plated, balloons strung in an arch, and gold streamers taped beneath. I had a yummy pastel de dulce de leche and when I walked through the door, I was beyond surprised!

It was very warming. The whole thing.

A new energy came over me, and we sang and danced for HOURS. Just four of us. It was so much fun. We got to bed around 10pm because we had pickup for dentist clinic at 6:30am…

At 6am, my roommates broke through the door with a big slice of last night’s cake, a firework candle, and sang “Tu Cumpleaños” by La Nueva Escuela. I felt very celebrated and then we hopped into the bus bound for Santiago. There were about sixteen of us in the van.

In Santiago, we met the very kind American dentists. They explained the process to me, and showed me where I would help translate. I laughed as I walked back to the common room because it sometimes takes three tries before the girls understand what I am saying, and that’s without a drill lodged in their molars. Still, I did it! And no one lost a tooth. When I wasn’t translating, I played the card game ERS with M* and N*. Respectfully, I won’t let them win until they earn it. Which is to say, they didn’t win. But they are getting much better! They really like to play and it’s always a lot of fun. Too much fun, sometimes, because we got a small noise complaint from one of the caregivers, but in a cheeky way.

Not pictured: me in a hairnet and mask trying to translate

We gave up the game and played with the residential cat of the office building. Three of my great friends and I video-chatted before I got my teeth cleaned and it was great! The talking, not the examination, because turns out I had four cavities and I need a root canal done in the States. Disappointing!

The best part was after the dentist (although I had four  four-hour numbing shots deadening my face for too long).

Joy organized a vision board night for the older girls in the program and some staff members. Magazines and glue sticks were stationed at different tables alongside tiny craft scissors. Joy told us to include: “Familia, sueños, planes por el futuro, profesión, educatión, espiritual, y salud.” Afterward, we presented our boards beneath the twinkly backyard lights.

In the girls group, we had aspiring fashion designers, volleyball lessons, health for their families, dreams of veterinary school, and more. N* drew a lamppost on her board, declaring one day she wants to be like a lamppost; shining a light on all those close to her. She said the day hasn’t come yet but it will. I felt so proud of her then.

The staff dreams of women of every nation wearing the bags made in the workshop, “so every girl can carry our story.” Joy dreams of more rescues; that NHG goes big—into every nation, tribe, and tongue that needs a successful model to enable rescues.

Before I went, a chocolate raspberry cake arrived with the firework candle. Joy sang the classic happy birthday song and others joined in Spanish. It was a perfect mix of the two languages. My birthday present was a bilingual bible—and I asked a few people to highlight their favorite verse. Here’s one:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” — 1 Peter 2:9.

When I got up to present my vision board, I couldn’t totally translate everything. So, for my profession, I said “I want to work with my mind and my heart.” My 23rd birthday reminds me of the extraordinary opportunity I’ve been given to do just that.

Goodness...I feel very loved!

Here’s to 23.

After over 24 hours of traveling, I was exhausted, to say the least. I started strong because I do genuinely enjoy flying and traveling. However, things got more difficult after my second flight. Out of my four total flights, my third one was the one that left the United States and landed in Tokyo. I had called ahead to get a window seat, but unfortunately, I ended up in the aisle in the middle column of seats. Thankfully, nobody was in the middle seat next to me, so that was nice. Although I slept for 8 hours on the 14-hour flight, it was not consecutive, so I felt delirious at the end of the flight. Once I was in Japan, I felt gross and just wanted to freshen up, but I had to brave customs. Customs was overwhelming and confusing. I got through it, and thankfully, the TSA after customs was very cheerful and kind. Once I found my gate, I could freshen up in the bathroom and get some Japanese 7-Eleven before boarding my final flight. 

After finishing my fourth and final flight, I was able to drag my two suitcases, guitar, and backpack to the start of my life in Japan. I took the train from the airport to Higashi Okazaki, where I met with my program director, Naoko. On my way there I struggled with all my luggage during a train change; a nice boy helped me and even spoke English. He was shocked to hear that I was going to be living in Toyohashi for 6 months since it’s such a “small town.” 

After lunch, I was finally able to meet my host family. My hosts are the sweetest people and have made the transition to living here so much easier. They gave me my own bedroom with a traditional-style sleeping mat on the floor. It was a tad hard at first, but I have become accustomed to it, and now I enjoy the comfort of my bed.  I brought gifts from the United States for my host family, and they loved them. They put their “Nashville” magnet on their fridge, Hinata wore her crocheted bag I gave her, Souta loved learning how to shuffle and play “Spit” with the card deck I gave him, and the goo-goo clusters were gone so quickly. Hinata has become a great friend. She has been helping me with my Japanese while I help her with her English, and we have become close as we do so many things together. 

The town I am living in is small compared to the surrounding cities in Aichi. This area is not used to Americans, so I have received mixed reactions from locals. When I am alone, I tend to see more confusion because of my presence and difficulties since I am still learning how to communicate in Japanese. However, when I go out with my host family, and they can help me and explain to people what I am doing in Toyohashi, I usually receive praise and excitement. One of my first meals at a restaurant here I had ordered chicken and was eating it with my hands. I was not supposed to do that because a waitress rushed over, waving her hands signaling me to stop, pointed to the chopsticks, and asked“Fork? Fork?” I apologized, grabbed some chopsticks, and showed her that I knew how to use them before she walked away. It had me a bit overwhelmed, but my program director told me it was nothing to worry about. Now I know! It was difficult my first week to settle into the culture, but now that I am in week 2 and have a rhythm, it has become much more comfortable. One thing Kelly told me when she was helping me find a country to go to was how important it is to go to a country you are excited about even if you are passionate about your project because if your project has challenges, being in a country you love can help balance that out. She was so right! I am so thankful she helped me come to the country I am excited about because I have already felt that to be true with small challenges like buying groceries alone and having trouble communicating at the register. 

After a week to settle in, I started my volunteer work. The first two days were challenging because of the language barrier. I just wanted them to know that I am trying my best to learn Japanese and that I care about their language, but I was unsure if that came across. By day three, I was feeling much better. The kids are so much fun and seem to like me. Right now, I am acclimating to the nursery school and getting to know each classroom. Music therapy starts on Friday!

During my second weekend here, I took a trip out to Okazaki to give a presentation on music therapy at Naoko’s Global Cafe. The turnout was great, and my presentation went very well. I was able to go in-depth about what music therapy is, and with Naoko to help translate and the effort I put into making sure I had both English and Japanese on my presentation slides, the message was able to get across to everyone in attendance. I received so many questions and lots of excitement about music therapy. It was great to be able to talk to everybody about it. 

All this does not even scratch the surface of all the experiences I have had so far, but I am getting exhausted from writing about all this. I am sure my next blog posts will be a bit lighter. I just needed to pack a lot into my initial experience getting here and being here. If you read the whole thing, thank you for making it here!

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

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

The days leading up to my departure have been bittersweet. While they have been filled with exciting milestones, they have also carried moments of sorrow. One of the main reasons I chose to embark on this journey was the opportunity for growth—growth in my career, my understanding of myself, and my perspective on the world. However, welcoming new experiences, perspectives, and people also means saying goodbye to the ones that have brought me so much comfort over the past few years.

Growth rarely happens when we stay within our comfort zones; it comes when we embrace the discomfort of the unknown. So that is what I am choosing to do. I am embracing the sorrowful moments of saying goodbye to my friends, my family, and even the version of myself I have known for so long—because I know that through this, I can grow into who I am meant to become.

One of my favorite parts of my preparation period has been the time spent back home with my family. From small design projects with my mom to discussing qualitative research methodologies with my dad, this project feels like a member of our family—one we all want to help grow and see flourish. Sharing this journey with my family has been incredibly meaningful. My parents made getting my education possible, and being able to showcase the skills I’ve developed because of their support has been one of the greatest feelings.

The next chapter of my story is beginning, bringing with it reflections on the chapters I have already closed and the people who have helped me write them along the way. As I embark on this new adventure, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported me and helped me get to where I am today. You are just as much a part of the telling of this story as I am because you have given me the strength and opportunity to use my voice to amplify others. From the bottom of my heart, thank you—I couldn’t be here without you.

Let this next chapter begin!

Last week, I was unfortunately very sick. I don’t want to point fingers, but I know exactly who gave it to me and they are now my sworn enemy. I had to take two days off work, which was unfortunate because I hate missing workshops. They’re my favorite part of the job! This week, we had an incredible workshop with supported learning students. Their enthusiasm, support for one another, and wellspring of creativity made the workshop just perfect. One of their teachers shared that many of them were stepping out of their comfort zones, and that she was surprised and delighted to see them speaking up to share ideas, smiling and chatting with others, and reading their individual writing to the whole class. It never gets old hearing this, because it shows that the workshops can be an eye-opening experience for both the students and the teachers. Both become aware of just how much the students are capable of when they are celebrated and supported as writers. Other than the workshops, I’ve been working on a supplement for the Irish Times, which will include some stories from our workshops with NI schools and a piece written by yours truly. I’m very excited to share some thoughts on my experiences with Fighting Words and so grateful that they’re offering me this super cool opportunity to get my work published! I’ll be sure to share the link when it comes out. 

Outside of work, life has been full! Last weekend, I traveled to London. The day before I was supposed to leave, there was a terrible storm in Belfast with 100 mph winds, but thankfully my flight still took off right on time. The last time I was in London was in 2022 when I studied abroad with Belmont, so I felt sentimental revisiting some places and reminiscing on that formative time of my life. My fantastic experience abroad was what made me so passionate about living abroad post-grad! I made the genius decision to stay in a 33 bed hostel room, so that was certainly an adventure. What I did not account for in my grand plan to save money on lodging was the reality of having 32 people snoring, sleep talking, whispering, watching videos out loud, and emitting various odors throughout the night. Needless to say, I did not sleep well. 

My sleep-deprivation didn’t dampen my spirits, and I had a lovely mix of alone time and friend time. On Saturday, I met up with Elisabeth and we did what we do best: meander, chat, and enjoy delicious foods and sights. On our walk back from a coffee shop and the National Gallery, I was telling Elisabeth about my desperate craving for an authentic Italian sandwich and in a lightning strike of serendipity, an Italian deli appeared! We couldn’t believe our eyes, and believed that it must be a sign. We ordered sandwiches and practically skipped to the register to pick them up, but then disaster struck. The sandwiches, while delicious, made us feel terribly nauseous. Maybe it was to teach us to be careful about what we interpret as signs or maybe it was just a bad bit of salami, but it did make us giggle that these serendipitous sandwiches were ultimately the cause of our destruction. 

Back in Belfast, I’ve been enjoying moody mist punctuated by rare glimpses of the bluest skies I’ve ever seen. Spring is coming, and with it, more sunlight! I have now been here long enough to have friendships that feel familiar and comfortable– I’m out of the phase where I feel like I’m interviewing for friendships. It’s nice to have a solid base. Coffee dates, home cooked meals, ice cream and movie nights, coastal walks, and visits to new places are all made happier by the company of good people. I’m now about 4 months in, leaving 5 months until I go back to America. At my friend’s sardine-themed birthday party last weekend (awesome, right?), I had so much fun mingling and chatting with new people. It reminded me of how much possibility there is in my remaining time. I want to continue to meet people, try things, and explore with the same vigor that I did when I first moved here! Who knows what or who I will encounter next? 🙂