I really appreciated this deeply personal account. At around the same time you were abroad as a student , I was doing my year abroad in America . If my 20 year old self knew that there would be a day when the American Leadership would align itself with Russia , I’m not sure I would have believed it. Much as my 60 year old self found it hard to believe the appalling, bullying, ill informed and vile behaviour televised from the Oval office. I dread to think what we will wake up to next and so, like many of us I suspect, I try to stay informed whilst finding pleasure in the things under my influence and control…. Like a Sunday morning cuppa while reading your substack for the week. Thank you, as always, Jane.