The weeks are going by faster and faster, and I’m reminded of how quickly these next eight months will come and go. I’ve settled into a rhythm here in Bournemouth, and I’ve found myself a bit stagnant: I haven’t been trying as many new things as I was two weeks ago, and I’m spending more time working or in my room. It’s not a bad thing, but I want to make sure I’m continuing to stretch myself and making the most of my time here.

Since I last wrote, two big things have happened: (1) I visited London, and (2) my charity ran our first workshop of the season, and I attended my first few meetings as the face of the charity. 

First, London. Just before I left Nashville I discovered that my friend and mix engineer, Sam Jenkins, would be touring with an act in London about a month after I was set to arrive. I thought this would be the perfect excuse to venture outside of Bournemouth for the first time and see a familiar face. One of my favorite musicians, Orla Gartland, was playing just outside of London a few days prior, so I thought I’d make a weekend out of it. I learned a few important lessons from this trip, as follows:

1. I don’t need to be a tourist in a city I’ve already been to, unless I’m with friends or there for an event. The time I spent walking around London by myself was quite lonely. I found myself revisiting the same places I’d been to a year, two years ago, but without the people that made it special then. Two out of three nights I stayed with my friend Mik, who I met through writing events with The Porch in Nashville, and the day that we spent walking through their old neighborhood in the East End was a highlight for me. It was good to see the city through a new perspective, one where I can make new memories instead of simply revisiting old ones.
2. My perception of a city is so closely tied to who I experience it with. I’ve known three Londons now, and each is so different from the last. I’ve always been keen on moving to London, but I see even more now that it would be very difficult without a friend by my side. 
3. Buy a portable charger. It’s funny how much my weekend was thrown off because my phone died several times after not charging through the night. 

An evening near Hyde Park

Getting to talk to Sam after his set was worth all the tassel and loneliness the rest of the weekend held. It’s so nice to have a friend, someone I don’t have to introduce myself to or trade get-to-know-you questions with. It filled my soul with a warmth I didn’t know I needed, and I was just so proud to see fellow Belmont grads playing at a big theater in London. They really mean it when they say From Here to Anywhere. 

The view from Mik and Lilly’s house. Autumn is fully here in England!!

Classic fish and chips dinner. It was overpriced, but I needed it.

Second, the workshop! I was nervous at the start of the session, but it went so well. The kids were hilarious (my favorite idea, which was shot down, was about a Spider Toilet, operated by Mr. Beast, whose biggest foe is a large roll of toilet paper), and they seemed very excited to write. One of the things I love most about The Story Works is that we empower both the students and our volunteers, so two of our volunteers from Bournemouth University led the session and many more illustrated the childrens’ work or served as writing mentors. It’s cool to see how their confidence grows from the start to the end of the session.

The next two days I went to a few meetings alone to speak for the charity. The first was with a big construction group who wanted to promote our charity on their hoardings, and the next was a school for teens and adults learning English as a second language. Neither felt like a typical business meeting—both parties were simply passionate about interacting with the local community and being a part of something good, and that was encouraging to witness. I didn’t feel like I lacked knowledge or experience despite only living here for a month; all those I spoke with were excited about the work I was doing and commended me for coming from America all by myself. I left the meetings feeling encouraged and more confident about my abilities as a charity manager. 

Apart from that, I ran an impromptu half marathon and released a new song (you can listen here)! 

Bournemouth Half Marathon! I ran for my boss, who wasn’t able to run it.

Until the next time,

Elisabeth