[Podcast #307] Italy, Literature, and Learning Connections

Brave Writer Podcast

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 Brave Writer podcast 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.

Show Notes

Travel, Family, and Literature

This trip began as a chance to visit Julie’s aunt on the Mediterranean coast but soon became a deeply layered journey. Anchored in A Room with a View by E.M. Forster, Julie describes how reading about a place and then experiencing it firsthand adds dimension and delight—whether it’s stumbling upon Giotto’s frescoes, standing beneath Galileo’s tomb, or finally walking into Santa Croce. These encounters remind us that literature doesn’t just tell stories—it prepares us to live them.

Learning Twice: Experience + Story

Julie and Melissa explore the educational magic of encountering something more than once—first in books, films, or stories, and then in real life. From Sister Wendy’s art documentaries sparking awe in Florence’s Uffizi, to Melissa’s son recognizing dugouts from her novel The Prairie Thief, these layered connections create hooks for memory and deeper understanding. As Julie notes, “If you really want your kids to know something, they need it twice.”

Unexpected Encounters

The episode also celebrates the surprises of travel and conversation: unexploded WWII bombs unearthed in an Italian train station, Pisa’s leaning tower being more thrilling than expected, naked bungee-jumping in Denmark, and a chance plane-seat conversation that introduced Julie to Gordon MacQuarrie’s century-old Stories of the Old Duck Hunters and Other Drivel. These moments remind us that the world is full of unexpected teachers—if we’re willing to listen.

This episode is a joyful reflection on how travel, literature, and layered experiences enrich our lives and our children’s education. Whether through family stories, beloved books, or chance encounters with strangers, we are invited to step out of our comfort zones, connect deeply, and see the world with fresh eyes.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA

Brave Writer Podcast

This entry is filed under Podcasts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Comments are closed.