July Letter from the Founder: Let’s Go to the Beach!
It is summer in this northern hemisphere and we at Guide Collective are ready for a few lazy, sun-drenched days to soak up the happiness of summertime. It’s been quite a year, and we all deserve a rest.
This month, we are writing about “Beaches” as our monthly theme.
As you may know, I grew up in a beach town, Ventura, California. Going to the beach was not something to do on vacation, it was our way of life. We spent our free time boogie boarding, building sand castles, tanning with the help of baby oil, and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a dash of sand inside. In those days, we’d end up with tar on the soles of our feet which was scrubbed off with the help of kerosene.
I’m not sure that the beach experience these days is the same, especially with respect to baby oil, but the feelings about the beach remain. It’s all about the smells, the sounds, and the sensations. The texture of the sand under your feet. The salty air. The squawks of seagulls that were most definitely about to steal your lunch right out of your hand, which was fine since there was so much sand in your lunch anyhow. The beach is nostalgic for me—what a wonderful place to grow up!
Because of my connection to the beach, I am drawn to any country that has swimming and sunshine. I’ve had the great fortune of testing out the sand in a few different countries, and each has their own qualities. I have enjoyed the pillow-soft beaches of Hawaii, the bathwater temperature of the Andaman Sea, and the primordial black lava beaches of the Aeolian Islands. What strikes me about beach zones is that no matter where you are, the beach always channels relaxation. I’d say that beach culture is something of a universal language, in a way, as it is very similar all over the world. It’s a culture that transcends nationality and reminds us to slow down, listen to the waves, and drink a piña colada, because after all, why were you ever in a hurry?
THIS MONTH
Our guides have written about their favorite beaches, or what the beach means in their cultures for this month’s issue.
If you happen to be laying on a beach and looking for something to listen to, we’ve got you covered! Scottish Blethers and Eastern Approaches will educate and entertain with their podcasts. Our intern, Juliet Romano-Olsen, continues to delight us on “Sonic Sundays” with her playlists.
For GC Book Club, Helen Houston and I will be presenting a fun book, 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith. This light read is perfect vacation material that will whisk you away to Edinburgh.
Trish Feaster is reviving “GC Presents” with a new presentation on travel in Hawaii, details and date coming soon.
You can check out all of our upcoming events here: https://www.guide-collective.com/events
We wish you a happy and relaxing July. Even if you don’t get a chance to hit the beach, we are sending happy beach vibes your way.
Andiamo!
Sarah
