I was around nine when I discovered the Romantics and first read about the summer of 1816.  When I was eleven, I made a promise to myself that I would be in Geneva in June, 2016, for the 200th anniversary of this gathering.  This is the story of that trip.

Who am I?  I am a woman who loves all things about the Romantics.  Is that all I am?  No.   I earned a degree in English from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania and studied with Dr. Dan Fraustino, a professor of English Romantic and gothic literature.  I am sure he thought I was crazy when I walked into his office.  Let’s be honest:  I am a little crazy, or I would not have chosen my career path.   I “grew up” to become a career firefighter/paramedic.  I was a professional firefighter/paramedic for Osceola County Fire Rescue in Florida.  Unfortunately, a severe injury ended my career.  I then worked for the Uniformed Firefighters Association/IAFF Local 94(FDNY) in New York City.  While there, I worked with my boss, Bill Romaka, on the passage of the Zadroga Act, the law that ensures first responders from 9/11 are covered for the serious health conditions they developed in the aftermath of this tragedy.  I earned a Masters in Public Health degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.  At USF, I studied under Dr. Ira Richards, an amazing man and scholar.

What is this site about?  I can’t tell you that there won’t be occasional references to what I have done with my life.  The woman I became allowed me to fulfill the dream that a young girl began.  It will mostly focus on the Romantics though, and the other sites we visited on our trip.  In this site, you will meet several important people in my life:  my boyfriend, Bob, and my dear friends, Claire and Shaddow.  Claire and Shaddow live a life most of us only dream of:  they are professional travelers.   However, they are also sweet, caring people and use their travels as a way to help those in need across the globe.  You will learn about that as well.  The site also documents several places that are not exclusively related to the Romantics.  While Byron and Shelley spent a great deal of time in Venice, Italy, it is more than just a location about the Romantics.  Venice is also one of the places I always envisioned in my dreams.  I first fell in love with the idea of a “city built on water” when I was about four and my mom told me about it.  In a past life, I am sure I lived in Venice; I am Venetian at heart.  I also love Veronica Franco, the Venetian poetess and courtesan.  We will also travel to other places, such as Pompeii.  We must recognize that natural events, such as volcanic eruptions, can change the course of life, dreams, and history.  Frankenstein was just one small result of the natural disasters in the world’s  history.

This blog is a work in progress.  I am connecting sites to the blog.  In the early stages, they are  from Wikipedia and other similar sites.  That will change as I have more time to add my own pages.  My goal is to make this a scholarly site, as well as a blog about an amazing journey.  Please forgive how much of the blog isn’t finished yet.  Being a full-time paramedic keeps me quite busy, and to be honest, very tired by the end of a 12+ hour shift.  So, I ask your understanding and your forgiveness as I work on this project a little at a time.  I am always open for suggestions and any corrections.

I hope you enjoy this journey.