In 2004, my college choir went to the UK to compete in the Llangollen Eisteddfod in Wales. We were one of hundreds of choirs there, and part of the festival is that the performers wear traditional costumes of their country. Since we were from the US, we basically had two choices – cowboy boots and hats, or the “Ivy League” look with blazers and such. Our director, bless him, went with the latter.

One of the days that we were at the festival, we ran across a group of folk dancers from Brittany, France. They were just hanging out and dancing (because that’s what they do), and they roped a bunch of us in. Since I actually speak a bit of French, I had a great time talking to them and learning the dance they were teaching. The man I was dancing with was about 50-ish and had this awesome mustache. He was fun :) 14 months ago

in Buxton, England. My sister and I got to go with our aunt and uncle. We saw 9 shows in 9 nights, and went to cabarets and explored Derbyshire and hung out with the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society. And at the very end, there was an award ceremony and a big band, and one of the members of the company, having won a major award and being inclined to spread happiness to others, set me up to dance with one of the leads from the youth company who had performed Princess Ida. I never knew his name. After a few minutes, another of them cut in, but then they all got dragged away by whatever responsible adult they were out with. It was the best five minutes of an amazing trip. 14 months ago