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More about this trip-
In June 2024, we will gather in a small group on Prince Edward Island, Canada to embark on our first ever Anne of Green Gables pilgrimage! Led by Ariel Bissett, a Canadian writer, filmmaker, and podcaster, pilgrims on this trip will examine L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables through the theme of home. From our base in the town of Cavendish, we will visit all the must-see landmarks from Green Gables Heritage Place, the family home on which Lucy Maud Montgomery modeled Anne’s titular farmhouse, to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace. These landmarks will root us in Anne’s world but we will go farther, exploring the beautiful areas surrounding Cavendish with daily hikes along the coasts, forests, and farmland that are so central to Anne’s story.
Our exploration of these sites and of the nature surrounding them will be based in discussion of the text. In our classes with Ariel Bissett, we will track Anne’s journey from unwanted orphan to beloved community member, reflecting on questions like: what circumstances allow us to make a place our home? How do we create close community without perpetuating exclusion? And how are we shaped by the places we call home, and how are they shaped by us?
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We will walk up to 12 miles each day, sometimes on hilly or coastal terrain. The weather in this Canadian province is warm and pleasant; however, we will walk come rain or shine. We won’t rush our walks, but we expect to be tired at the end of each day.
There are no shared rooms on this trip: All rooms are private/individual. Wondering how we price things? You’ll find a clear breakdown of our pilgrimage expenses right here.
People who have attended another Common Ground pilgrimage will receive a 5% discount on the cost of the trip.
We will meet in Charlottetown in the afternoon on June 7th.
Common Ground Pilgrimages and the Anne of Green Gables Pilgrimage are secular projects. Want to know more about our approach to pilgrimage? Check out our FAQ page for more info.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at commonground@notsorryproductions.com.
Trip Faculty
Ariel Bissett
Faculty Leader (she/her)
Ariel Bissett is a Canadian writer and filmmaker. She is the co-host of Books Unbound, a weekly bookish podcast that has over 12,000 weekly listeners. She has been making YouTube videos for nearly thirteen years to an audience of over 300,000 subscribers and has most recently been sharing the process of renovating her 1860s house. She has a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Ottawa and has spoken at VidCon, premiered videos at Buffer Festival, and been named an official Man Booker Prize Vlogger. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Variety, HuffPost, and Forbes, and she has interviewed Michelle Obama, Bill Gates, and Margaret Atwood.
She organizes her shelves by genre and then colour and her favourite book is Animal Farm. Her favourite show is Anne with an E and she mourns with the millions of fans who continue to dream of a fourth season. Ariel loves Anne and many other Lucy Maud Montgomery books and is looking forward to dedicating deep time and focus to Montgomery's beautiful stories.
Ariel will serve as faculty for the trip.
Nathalie Folkerts
Chaplain (she/her)
Nathalie Folkerts is a community builder, student of friendship, and current Masters of Divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School. She finds purpose in movement chaplaincy and transformative justice work. Some of Nathalie’s favorite moments come from hosting dinner parties, reading sci-fi, and being an auntie.
Nathalie will serve as chaplain for the trip.
Courtney Brown
Logistics Coordinator (she/her)
Courtney serves as Programs Manager for Not Sorry. Born in Louisiana and currently residing in the DFW area of Texas, Courtney received her BS in Secondary English Education at LSU Shreveport and taught ninth grade literature for five years before becoming full-time caretaker to her two kids.
Now, Courtney organizes pilgrimage details, and when she isn’t doing that work, she enjoys visiting the library with her daughter and son, riding her bicycle around Fort Worth, and testing craft cocktails her husband makes for their regularly scheduled neighborhood gatherings.
Courtney will serve as logistical coordinator for the trip.
“‘Dear old world’, she murmured, ‘you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.’”
-L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables