From the Cobblestone Streets of Europe to Home: Sharing Joy and Hope in Challenging Times

Corfu, Greece Video

For the past three months, Carla and I have been traveling through Europe, yet we’ve been unusually quiet about our experiences. Each day, as we explore new places, my heart keeps pulling me back to Asheville, the place I’ve called home for thirty years. The contrast between our freedom to travel and the challenges my community is facing after Hurricane Helene has kept me from writing or sharing much. While we walk along beautiful cobblestone streets, my thoughts are with family and friends back home who are working hard to rebuild and recover. It’s difficult to share the joy of our travels when so many people I care about are going through such tough times.

But it’s the voices from home that have brought me back to writing. Friends in Asheville have been reaching out, asking about the blog and telling me how much they’re looking for stories of adventure and discovery, especially now. They’ve reminded me that joy and inspiration are even more important during difficult times. Their words have helped me see that my sharing our experiences doesn’t mean that I am forgetting or ignoring what my community is going through - it’s rather about offering moments of hope and wonder when they’re needed the most.

Prague, Czech Republic Video

I’m sharing videos in this post from three of the places we visited this fall: Prague, Corfu, and Rhodes. These short videos are collections of photos that will give you a quick glimpse of what we experienced. More detailed stories are coming soon, but I hope these videos offer a small taste of our journey. If you haven’t yet checked out our YouTube page, there are over 30 short videos (each 3–4 minutes) ready for you to explore.

I’ll be back to full blogging after the holidays, and sharing stories, photos, and videos from our recent autumn trip. And starting in early February, we’ll be off on new travels until mid-June, so there will be lots more to come. I can’t wait to share it all with you! 

Rhodes, Greece Video

To my Asheville community: As I return to posting about our European adventures, please know that you are always in my heart. Your strength and resilience after Hurricane Helene continue to inspire me. I carry that with me wherever I go. Through these posts, I hope to give back some of the hope and inspiration you’ve shared with me. 

Wishing you peace and joy this season. I look forward to reconnecting and sharing more soon! ❤️