What are you up to this weekend? We’re celebrating a birthday and enjoying lots of family time while our college kids are still at home, especially because next week we put our oldest on a plane for a semester abroad. The emotions are definitely running high around here. If you have any advice, tips, or general encouragement or hand-holding, as the student or the one staying behind, I’m listening!
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
75 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2024. (Electric Literature) I always look forward to seeing R.O. Kwon’s list.
Getting Dressed 101: The Influence of Allison Bornstein. (Vogue) A refreshing approach to fashion. She makes me want to go play with my closet.
Anne’s Best Books of 2023. (What Should I Read Next) My own best, favorite, and memorable reading experiences of the year. (This conversation and the books therein are markedly different from my favorite books of 2023 and favorite audiobooks of 2023.)
French Toast Casserole (NYT Cooking gift link) We made this for a holiday breakfast, but you could happily make this any day of the year. I prepped it the night before so it was a fuss-free breakfast for houseguests.
America Lost Its One Perfect Tree. (The Atlantic gift link) “If restoration is successful, it’ll bring back a tree unlike any other—versatile, practical, nourishing, uniquely American.” Most of what I learned about the American chestnut came from reading Bill Bryson’s book A Walk in the Woods. I had no idea restoration efforts were underway.
The Fine Art of the Paperback Makeover. (New York Times gift link) “The paperback edition is the second chance, an opportunity to market a book at a lower price and, in many cases, with new cover imagery aimed at new audiences.”
12 Chill but Entertaining Podcasts to Put On When You Need to Rest or Recover. (SELF)
The lasting impact of The Color Purple. (Vox) “It almost felt like church. Even though it was the first time we were all hearing this song, we knew its message. We knew its power.”
What worked for me in 2023. (MMD) Organization, soup, the quick yes: I love putting together this list each year.
I’m on the record as a big fan of Anthro’s line of Colette pants by Maeve. My backordered Colette Denim Full-Length Wide-Leg Jeans arrived earlier than expected and I’ve loved wearing them this season. This is my first full-length pair to complement the three pairs of cropped Colette pants and jeans I wear all the time. (Psst—Anthro’s sale items are an extra 50% off right now.)
21 Jane Austen retellings worth picking up. (MMD) Retellings can be hit or miss, but I found these to be worth the time. There are many more recs in the comments section!
Hilary Mantel’s last novel was to have been an Austen mash-up: read an exclusive extract starring Mr Darcy. (The Guardian) Did you know Hilary Mantel was working on a Jane Austen adaptation when she died in 2022? Thanks to my pal Mel at Strong Sense of Place for sending me this piece after Wednesday’s Austen retellings post!
This year Ginger educated our team on flower frogs and Will gave me several for Christmas. (Thanks, Ginger!) I enjoyed putting them to use last night for my first bouquet of the year.
A Sleep Expert Hacked My Schedule & Now I Snooze Through The Night. (Bustle) Fascinating.
From our archives:
8 fine arts thrillers you won’t want to put down. Fast-paced mysteries featuring art and drama, sculpture and dance, poetry and theater and more.
7 simple ways to read more this year. If you’ve been wanting to squeeze more reading time into your days, these strategies should help.
17 fiction books that feature fresh starts and new beginnings. Anyone else love new beginnings?
Have a good weekend!
17 comments
Thanks for the podcast link. I listen to more and more podcasts, and good ones can be hard to find. If you like history, I recommend The History of England Podcast. David, the host, is the first to say that he isn’t a “proper historian” just a “bloke in a shed.” He has a gentle, self-deprecating humor and is quite knowlegeable. I went back as far as Itunes would let me, and listened to the most recent podcast. Then, I subscribed, went back even further, and re-listened. We are up to the English Civil War. Bonus: He gives great book recommendations.
OH, Anne. I can totally relate. 12 years ago I put my son on a plane for semester abroad in a tiny African country, The Gambia. In retrospect, it was pretty amazing because the only time he could communicate (other than snail mail) was when he was able to get to an internet cafe. That being said, it was an experience that helped him get his first teaching job and also changed his life. Everything will be ok! 🙂
My stepdaughter is traveling for an entire year – just graduated from college- and the terms of her fellowship don’t let her come back to the USA for the entire year. We are using WhatsApp for messaging and sharing pictures and she and I have a really nice voxer chat going. The voxer in particular really works well for her because she is trying to really embed herself in the experience and stay off her phone so she can just respond when she wants to. She is also taking regular time to journal and finding it to be really meaningful so a journal would be a wonderful gift. Also send him/her with a first aid kit and a mending kit. So exciting!
Our younger son is a traveler. He did a semester abroad in college, followed by a summer missions trip in Niger, and eventually a year of overseas research for his PhD (The Philippines, India, Nigeria, and France, with a side trip to Vietnam). He now lives and works in England.
Video chat is an amazing invention! Seeing him in addition to hearing his voice is way more reassuring. When he spent the semester in France, thanks to Skype I saw him more than when he was down the road at WKU. 😊
Establishing a regular weekly time to chat is a habit that we started during that semester. Especially during his year abroad, it was an accountability check so that we knew he was okay, and it’s a habit we’ve continued since he moved to the UK.
The main thing that keeps me grounded, though, is my faith. God can protect my son just as easily in Nigeria or India as He can in the US. It’s no harder for Him. Even when I can’t get to him quickly, I know God is always with him and that gives me peace.
I do, however, keep our passports current, keep a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, and have a cell phone plan that allows use outside the US without advance notice. Just in case!
Study abroad is the best! My older daughter has spent a calendar year abroad over the last 5 years and will happily take off again whenever the opportunity arises. I love that she wants to study beautiful things in beautiful places!
For her first gap year semester at 18, instead of using life 365 or another tracker, which seemed overly intrusive, I started an instagram page for our dog. Every time I posted a photo of him & she responded with a like, it offered what we now jokingly call “proof of life!”
Also, her bags have become lighter and lighter every time she packs to leave – managing multiple suitcases and loads of personal items is overwhelming!
What’s App was a great way to communicate with my older son while he was in Spain for a semester last year (and with my younger son who’s taking a class in Argentina right now). I’d tell your child to take advantage of all opportunities. Don’t stay in an American bubble. Be open-minded and embrace your host country. I hope the adventure is grand!
We sent our daughter off to the Czech Republic in late January 2020 for a long-planned for and greatly anticipated study abroad adventure. At drop off, I wondered aloud if that virus we were hearing about might be a problem. It was heartbreaking to pick her up at the airport 5 weeks later. And yet….. that trip awoke a passion for travel in her as well as an ability to handle disappointment with grace.
Since then, she has traveled alone and with a sibling to Europe. Another child has completed a program in Spain and a third is planning for a full year away in Switzerland 2024/25.
My advice? Have a plan that works for your family for regular check-ins, and then think of it as business as usual (my kid is off at college and will be back before I know it).
How wonderful to have a child with an adventurous spirit.
Anne! What shoes do you prefer to wear with the cropped Colette pants??
It depends on the season, but flats, sneakers, and Chelsea boots are my go-tos.
I did two semesters abroad in 2008 (Australia and Scotland) and they were life changing for me.
To the traveler, I would recommend seeing and doing as much as possible, especially the nontouristy but unique to that area things. I am very shy and wish I did more like go to a Christmas pantomime, but am grateful for everything I did do. Don’t pack super heavy because you don’t need as much as you think and it’s more fun to buy some new things you need from that country. Befriend the other international students (I made a great friend from Norway that way and it is nice to have American friends to share commonalities with), but also make friends with local students.
To the parents, let your kid have some space. Checking in is great, but unless they are in a dangerous part of the world, it is probably a study abroad partner because it is safe. They are an adult and can probably figure most things out by themselves. When I went, I didn’t have a cellphone so my parents checked in by dorm landline just a couple of times and it made me a more independent person. They did come visit for a week for each country and that was a special time.
I hope you all enjoy this amazing adventure!
My oldest just got back from a semester in Belgium and had an amazing time. She traveled all over like her life depended on it and got to do an amazing internship in Brussels that could lead to a full time job upon graduation in May.
We hardly spoke to her while she was there over FaceTime, but did lots of texting through what’s app and that worked really well. Just connect before they get there and have a local SIM card as their contact info will change a bit. The minimal contact was an adjustment at first, since she is normally 2 hrs away for college, but I knew when she really needed something she would get in touch and she did.
it is really hard to pack for 3 1/2 months in 1 checked bag and carry-ons, that was one of the hardest things about helping her get ready was how to pack for 3 different seasons of weather. thing that I put together for her when she packed was a well stocked travel medicine kit – she had a really bad cold/double ear infection while traveling in Spain and had to go to an Urgent Care. If it hadn’t been for the nyquil/dayquil liquicaps I sent, along with Vicks vaporub, she said she would never have made it as those meds are not readily available in Europe.
We visited her over thanksgiving for a long week and had a blast and it was amazing to see how much she had grown – so hopefully you will get to see that same growth in your own child!!
Anne, my daughter spent an entire school year in Spain so I know how you feel! FaceTime was the absolute best as it was so important to be able to see her. She’d often “take me” along on her walks and show me her beautiful village while we got to catch up. It’s extremely expensive to mail things abroad but I got creative with sending her a teabag, bookmark, stickers etc that fit into a standard envelope. I hope you find a fun way to connect with your child on this adventure!
Ok, Anne-This is not about the traveling abroad but about the flower frogs! That reminded me that my mom used to have a blue and white flower frog. It went to someone in the family, but, unfortunately it wasn’t me. I think my daughter may have it! Lol I did find a vintage blue and white flower frog off a shop on Etsy. Thanks to you and Ginger for the reminder of the power of flower frogs!
YES, let’s talk about sending a college kid on a semester abroad. Mine is leaving Jan 21st. Why did I think it was a good idea because now I am FREAKING out? She is going to Limerick, Ireland. Feel free to email me with any tips or for shared sadness! Best
For more on the American Chestnut, check out that storyline from “The Overstory”!
Oh goodness, I’d forgotten all about that!
Been there, done that. It’s no easy thing to send your baby an ocean away. Use the apps. ‘Find my’, which let me see where he was, was very comforting. Not to spy, but to see that he was ok. And set up weekly FaceTime or video calls. Very reassuring. And remember, their college is also watching out for them. I assume you already have, but download “ WhatsApp” and Venmo or another cash app to get them money quickly in an emergency. Also, check out the SIM Card situation before they leave . This will be a seminal experience in both of your lives. And last, plan a visit! It’s so eye- opening to watch your child navigate in a strange country. I promise, saying goodbye will be difficult as well as exciting, and the time will fly by.