Self-Assessment

My Magellan experience during the summer of 2018 gave me the invaluable experience of walking in the footsteps of my favorite authors. I witnessed firsthand the modern incarnations of these writers' haunts and residences and the cities that shaped their work. By examining the roots of great writers while simultaneously examining their legacies, I gained valuable insight into how literary culture continues to mold facets of contemporary life.

While the urban, Georgian landscape of central Dublin has doubtless changed over the years, certain spots in Ireland had the effect of transporting one back in time: St. Stephen's Green, the huge green space on the south bank of the Liffey where Joyce used to stroll, remains a shaded haven, while Yeats's Thoor Ballylee in the isolated countryside of western Ireland still seems to host great poet's artistic energy. (It certainly helps that the volunteers at Thoor Ballylee offer complementary tea, toast, and hearty conversation about their work at the tower.)

Similarly, London is entrenched in a dense literary history; plaques commemorating writers' and intellectuals' residences and places of work litter each street corner, ensuring that the city's rich history is never forgotten. Being able to walk through the parks where Virginia Woolf contemplated her work was incredibly humbling. Exploring the well-trodden paths--and the most obscure corners--of London showed me both the beauty and the dark underbelly of Eliot's The Waste Land. Even my trips to countryside gems like Lewes and Stratford-upon-Avon showed me that, while a place can change drastically over decades or centuries, it can still be fulfilling to visit a location, breathe the air, and experience the power of a location.

Although this was my second Magellan experience, I learned even more than my first time traveling independently. By pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and traveling outside of central urban areas, I discovered much more about myself and about the writers I was pursuing. On my trips outside of the city, the locations I visited were mostly accessible only by car, but I challenged myself by meticulously planning public transportation routes and even relying on the aid of locals to find my way around. By getting lost in beautiful, unfamiliar cities several times and removing myself from the ease of life at home, I learned how to be autonomous and self-sufficient. In seeing the sites that sparked important movements in literary, cultural, and political history, I gained valuable knowledge that I will carry into my graduate studies and research. I am also braver--both in my actions and in my academic thought--and I will always hold my Magellan experiences close to my heart.