Julie is back from her two-week trip to Italy (with a quick stop in Copenhagen!) and brings stories that weave together travel, literature, and layered learning. From visiting her aunt on the Mediterranean coast to finally stepping inside Florence’s Santa Croce—20 years after promising herself she would—Julie shares how books like A Room with a View transform sightseeing into soul-deep experiences.

She and Melissa explore how these kinds of connections—between story, place, and lived experience—are the essence of meaningful education. You’ll also hear about unexploded WWII bombs in a train station, the Leaning Tower of Pisa’s surprising wonder, naked bungee-jumping in Denmark, and a serendipitous plane conversation that led to the discovery of a century-old “living book.”

This episode is a reminder to travel, talk to strangers, and create opportunities for our kids (and ourselves) to encounter the world twice: once through story, and once in real life.

Resources & Mentions

• A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
• Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting (BBC)
• The Prairie Thief by Melissa Wiley
• Brave Writer Dart: The Prairie Thief
• Stories of the Old Duck Hunters and Other Drivel by Gordon MacQuarrie
• Brave Writer Online Classes

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Connect with Julie:

• Instagram: @juliebravewriter
• Threads: @juliebravewriter
• Bluesky: @bravewriter.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Connect with Melissa:

• Website: melissawiley.com
• Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
• Instagram: @melissawileybooks
• Bluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social

Produced by NOVA