Letter from the Founder—November 2020
Let’s Celebrate!
Image | Ray Hennesey, Unsplash
Welcome to another issue of Guide Collective Magazine—sharing diverse perspectives on travel and our world.
“Celebration” is the theme of the month, and we have already started the party by marking our third month. We’ve received some great press from the Seattle Times and KUOW [a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate in Seattle], and all of us at Guide Collective are ready to raise a glass to the future!
This year has been one of the most challenging on record, especially in the travel world, so it may seem counterintuitive to talk about celebrating anything. Bad news plagues our social media and televisions, the entire world is stressed out. It is in these times, however, that celebrating is more important than ever. Small victories are all around you if you look for them.
In my own home, I’m tracking the good things and progress on any front. Keeping two kids busy with homeschooling is a heavy task, success on any assignment feels like a victory for all three of us. In the garden, an overzealous planting of squash has produced dozens of little pumpkins, ready to be turned into a pumpkin party for my cooking segment, Cucina Quarantena. I’d even say that knowing what day it is and putting on real clothes, not sweats, is an event worth noting.
On the Guide Collective website, we’re launching a brand new page dedicated to all things audio: GCRadio. Several of our guides have created travel podcasts, and we’re debuting them this month.
Scottish Blethers—hosted by Susan Brown, Helen Houston, and Liz Lister—features three Blue Badge Guides blethering or chatting about Scottish traditions, sights, history, and language.
Eastern Approaches brings together two American expats, Andrew Villone and Ben Curtis, living in Slovenia and Czech Republic, respectively. They discuss their passion for Central and Eastern Europe and share cultural and historical insights about they places they know and love so well.
Drinks with Sarah is, well, my podcast where I connect over coffee, beer, wine, schnapps…with my friends and colleagues from around the globe and talk about life, love, work, and travel.
GC Radio also features our new Music “station” where you can find playlists lovingly curated by our guides. It’s a fun way to share their culture through a musical lens and, in a way, is a sonic souvenir of the countries we love. And we think that’s something to celebrate!
It may be a long time since you have celebrated anything, but remember that your body craves it. Your brain needs the stimulation of a reward, which is good for your mental and physical health. As you read our stories this month, consider what you can do for yourself. Have that glass of wine, piece of chocolate, or buy that book you’ve got your eye on. You woke up today and put one foot in front of the other. It is enough. That’s worth celebrating, and we are here for it.
Avanti!
Moving forward,
Sarah