I’ve been thinking a lot about Italy lately. Not only because we’ve watched its citizens battle the COVID-19 pandemic—and have seen time and again how resilient and creative people can be during a crisis—but also because Italy is where my heart and mind go whenever I’m longing for travel. As a college archaeology student, the Umbrian town of Orvieto was my first true home away from home. There, I explored ancient tombs, learned how to drink sambuca con la mosca with new friends, and dreamt in another language for the first time. Since then, I’ve returned to Italy repeatedly—to live, to work, just to visit, every time finding different reasons to be in love.
My pick is a readily available travel classic that will transport you to—surprise!—Italy: A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. I hope this novel will also bring some levity to your days. As our digital content director Laura Dannen Redman pointed out to me, its title alone is apropos: We’re all stuck in a room, with a view—even if it’s only of our neighbors’ balconies, or our backyard, as we’ve seen in your responses to our #TravelAtHomeChallenge.
I'll post questions here for consideration as you start your reading, and I'll add more throughout the month. Though these conversations will begin online, we hope to have them IRL soon, too!
Thank you! Yours in handwashing, Sara Button, AFAR
I’ve been thinking a lot about Italy lately. Not only because we’ve watched its citizens battle the COVID-19 pandemic—and have seen time and again how resilient and creative people can be during a crisis—but also because Italy is where my heart and mind go whenever I’m longing for travel. As a college archaeology student, the Umbrian town of Orvieto was my first true home away from home. There, I explored ancient tombs, learned how to drink sambuca con la mosca with new friends, and dreamt in another language for the first time. Since then, I’ve returned to Italy repeatedly—to live, to work, just to visit, every time finding different reasons to be in love.
My pick is a readily available travel classic that will transport you to—surprise!—Italy: A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. I hope this novel will also bring some levity to your days. As our digital content director Laura Dannen Redman pointed out to me, its title alone is apropos: We’re all stuck in a room, with a view—even if it’s only of our neighbors’ balconies, or our backyard, as we’ve seen in your responses to our #TravelAtHomeChallenge.
I'll post questions here for consideration as you start your reading, and I'll add more throughout the month. Though these conversations will begin online, we hope to have them IRL soon, too!
Thank you!
Yours in handwashing,
Sara Button, AFAR