After a month in the UK, it's time to move on to Italy. I'm excited for the project to begin, but sad to leave behind a place that's like a second home to me. Tim's family treated me royally throughout my stay, as they always do.
Some highlights of our my time here:
-Two great visits to the hipster-filled university town of Bristol to see Tim's friends, Sam and Sophie. It's an energetic city, with open markets and great coffee shops. It reminded me of Portland, OR.
-Five fantastic talks at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, including Emma Thompson and her mother, Carol Klein (TV garden guru who spoke on British wildflower gardening), Doug Allen (wildlife photographer and head cameraman for Blue Planet and Frozen Planet), Steven Moffat (creator and head writer for Doctor Who and Sherlock...on both his shows), and Lard Carnarvon (Countess of Highclere, where Downton Abbey is filmed...on her real family and its history). (All thanks to Tim's mum!)
-Dinner at Jamie's Italian in Cheltenham with Tim on my last night (where I had gluten free pasta in a black truffle cream sauce with spring vegetable vignole). Jamie Oliver visited the Anna Tasca Lanza cooking school when he was in his twenties, so the connection was fun.
-So many events at St. Paul's Church in Cheltenham, Tim's new work/church community: It's warm, open members moved me greatly. The Anglican Evangelical movement is so appealing to me (all of the gregarious energy without the same political schisms.) Even though I'll only be immersed in it for a few months this year, I have no doubt that I'll take away a lot from the church and its approach to ministry.
-Finished my divinity school applications!! (Thanks to Tim for editing, and for his parents for feeding me while I wrote my essays).
-Downton Abbey premiere. Enough said. (Sorry for the U.S. folks who have to wait until January, so no spoilers here).
I'm flying out tomorrow morning. So the next time, I write, it will be from the (hopefully) sunny isle of Sicily.
A domani,
Lena
Some highlights of our my time here:
-Two great visits to the hipster-filled university town of Bristol to see Tim's friends, Sam and Sophie. It's an energetic city, with open markets and great coffee shops. It reminded me of Portland, OR.
-Five fantastic talks at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, including Emma Thompson and her mother, Carol Klein (TV garden guru who spoke on British wildflower gardening), Doug Allen (wildlife photographer and head cameraman for Blue Planet and Frozen Planet), Steven Moffat (creator and head writer for Doctor Who and Sherlock...on both his shows), and Lard Carnarvon (Countess of Highclere, where Downton Abbey is filmed...on her real family and its history). (All thanks to Tim's mum!)
-Dinner at Jamie's Italian in Cheltenham with Tim on my last night (where I had gluten free pasta in a black truffle cream sauce with spring vegetable vignole). Jamie Oliver visited the Anna Tasca Lanza cooking school when he was in his twenties, so the connection was fun.
-So many events at St. Paul's Church in Cheltenham, Tim's new work/church community: It's warm, open members moved me greatly. The Anglican Evangelical movement is so appealing to me (all of the gregarious energy without the same political schisms.) Even though I'll only be immersed in it for a few months this year, I have no doubt that I'll take away a lot from the church and its approach to ministry.
-Finished my divinity school applications!! (Thanks to Tim for editing, and for his parents for feeding me while I wrote my essays).
-Downton Abbey premiere. Enough said. (Sorry for the U.S. folks who have to wait until January, so no spoilers here).
I'm flying out tomorrow morning. So the next time, I write, it will be from the (hopefully) sunny isle of Sicily.
A domani,
Lena