Summary:
My proposal is to follow in the footsteps of two of my favorite authors by studying their lives and the settings of their books in England. I will also become more familiar with contemporary British children’s literature at the Seven Stories Centre for Children’s Books. After returning, I will share my experiences and facilitate an author study club for students.

Goals:
· To study the lives of Thomas Hardy and Charlotte Bronte
· To improve my understanding of the historical, social, political, and geographical influences on the life and work of each author
· To study the poetry of Thomas Hardy (as I am currently only familiar with his novels)
· To become more familiar with British children’s literature
· To fully engage in this adventure and be open to the personal growth and renewal that it will bring about.
· To dabble in my own writing and hopefully find inspiration and time for reflection on my own stories.

Rationale
Traveling has always been a time of mental and emotional exploration for me. Many a song has been written about traveling, much of it owing to the fact that it is such a useful metaphor for our internal journeys and struggles. Nonetheless there is something to be said for the freedom and adventure that the physicality of traveling cultivates. Reading, on the other hand, is usually a very stationary undertaking but similar in that it allows the mind to be opened to new people, adventures, experiences, and ways of seeing the world. Both have been sources of extreme pleasure and learning throughout my life.

This trip will allow me to combine two of the great loves in my life, reading and travel, by delving into the worlds of two of my most beloved writers.