Blog Background

May 23, 2014 
This past semester I took my college's travel writing course so I could travel to Florence during spring break and experience culture, spontaneity, and adventure. When I discovered I couldn't go on the trip because it was overbooked, I was crushed. Since last year, I had spent every moment of my free time fantasizing about Italy and shopping in elegant boutiques, eating exquisite gelato, and viewing world-class art. I had to go somewhere for spring break, so as an alternative, my parents suggested we visit Concord, Massachusetts, which is just a twenty minute drive from my hometown of Wakefield, Massachusetts. I agreed to go with them there because Little Women is one of my favorite books, but I knew in my heart Concord would not measure up to one of Europe's most aesthetic cities.

While I didn't get the opportunity to explore all of the town's museums and landmarks, going to Concord was still an eye-opening experience. The day trip taught me something that my travel writing professor had been stressing the whole semester- any opportunity to travel is worthwhile. I didn't I think my outing to Concord would be particularly meaningful because I thought I knew everything about Massachusetts' history. One of the primary reasons why I wanted to visit Florence was so I could relive the Renaissance. Learning about the Renaissance this past semester from my classist professor is the reason why I now call it one of my favorite time periods. But through my journey to Concord, I was  able to draw parallels between the two places and I actually concluded that Concord is the Florence of America! Both Florence and Concord produced celebrated writers and artists and were the birthplaces for two cultural movements, which each advocated humanism, individualism, and social reforms.

I may not have traveled to the place I initially wanted to, but I am grateful I spent my spring break connecting with my roots. The trip made me realize how oblivious we can become to the wonders around us and this is why I have decided to blog about my home. As Aimee Seavey, the Assistant Editor at Yankee Magazine, once said-"In addition to appreciating how lucky we are in New England to have so many significant reminders of the past surrounding us, perhaps the best part is how we can revisit these sites again and again, learning something new each time and adding our own small story to a much larger one."

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