To start a relationship with Rome and walk in the midst of her contradictions.

To reacquaint myself with London and discover more of her narrative and antiquity.

To better understand the subterranean connections between the two cities, the historical veins that continue to feed their identities. Two cities that have given and taken much from the world.

To have, as Doerr says, insatiable eyes.

To have my breath disordered by the glorious and the crumbling.

To encounter more of the classics and to be in or near places where they were created.

To breathe the air and stroll through the mornings and evenings on the other side of the world.

To encounter a bit more of my true self, as de Botton would say, and to perhaps see a little of the light in the hearts of others. To detach from the known in order to discover the unknown.

To experience it all not only through my own senses but also of my fellow study abroad travelers.

Through it all, I will make a lot of photos, enjoy the food, hug my family in England, and do everything I can to gather up a collection of unique experiences and pack them gently into each day. Oh, and post a few thoughts in this blog.

Photo: early in the morning, traveling from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., the sky was a wonder. I grabbed my phone and snapped off one shot through the window before the light changed. The resulting blurry glory feels like a travel moment.