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More about this trip-
The Three Pines series masquerades as a detective mystery series, but its true heart is found with the colorful cast of characters populating the titular, small Quebec township. Author Louise Penny does not reduce these characters to caricatures. Rather, each one exists as a complex person with all the foibles and glories of human nature. Penny's care for her characters - both living and dead - invites us to assess the characters in our own lives and how we view their stories alongside our own.
During class time, we will contemplate the first two novels of Louise Penny's popular Three Pines series Still Life (Book 1) and A Fatal Grace (Book 2) through the theme of human nature, asking questions of ourselves like: In a world catered to individualism and rampant with "main character syndrome," what does it mean to see your own story as intertwined with those around you? What does it mean to have your story told? Who has the right to tell your story? When is it healthy to center one person's story over another's? When is it unhealthy? How much power does the idea of story–your own or someone else's–have over your life?
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We expect to walk up to 5 miles per day. Spa Eastman offers a variety of activities throughout the day that will be accessible to participants as well. You can find examples of what the Spa Eastman schedule will look like here.
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Pricing & Logistics:
The full tuition of the trip is as follows
Private Room $5,450
Shared Room $4,350
Meeting Up
We will meet after lunch on October 5th and end programming before lunch on October 9th. Specific meeting time and location will be offered privately to pilgrims upon payment.
We will offer an optional shuttle service to and from Montreal included in the cost of the trip. After you secure your place, a member of the Common Ground team will reach out to see whether you would like to participate in this option or whether you would like to arrange your own transportation to the hotel.
Travel Expenses & Arrangements
Each pilgrim is responsible for handling their own travel expenses and arrangements prior to our meeting on October 5th and after we say goodbye on October 9th. Flights are not included.
Accommodations
Our home base throughout will be the Spa Eastman of Quebec, Canada. Nestled in over 300 acres of natural beauty, Spa Eastman is known for its tranquility and restoration. With beautiful and accessible hiking trails and delicious, energizing meals, pilgrims can expect true immersion and softening with fellow pilgrims during their time at this peaceful resort.
Scholarships
We occasionally offer partial scholarships for pilgrimages. If you are interested, please fill out our form here.
Trip Faculty
Beth Silvers
Co-Faculty (She/her)
Beth is the co-host of the award-winning podcast Pantsuit Politics, which prioritizes curiosity over the conflict that often drives political conversations. Beyond that, she’s a calming presence and purveyor of deep reflection and infectious joy.
Her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Atlantic, and her show was recognized as “Podcast of the Month” by Good Morning America in 2022. She also co-authored of Now What? How to Move Forward When We’re Divided (About Basically Everything) (2022) and I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation (2019) with her co-host, Sarah Stewart Holland.
Beth will serve as co-faculty for the trip.
Alise Napp
Co-Faculty (She/her)
Alise is a strategy and operations consultant for creators, small businesses, and nonprofits. She also writes a Substack (Napp Time) about the stories, food, music, and travel she enjoys in her limited free time. She received her undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance and her Master's in Liberal Arts.
In previous professional lives, she was a college professor who taught Art History, Music History, and Critical Thinking, a marketing project manager, part of a consulting team that helped colleges and universities develop and implement their strategic plans, and a longtime book blogger back when that was a thing. Alise has read every book on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels list and everything Sarah J. Maas has written. She lives in North Carolina with her family.
Alise will serve as co-faculty for the trip.
Stephanie Paulsell
Chaplain (She/her)
Stephanie Paulsell is a recently retired member of the Harvard Divinity School faculty where she has taught since 2001, focusing on the history and literature of Christian spirituality and the relationship between religion and literature more generally. Her most recent books are Religion Around Virginia Woolf and Toni Morrison: Goodness and the Literary Imagination. An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), this will be her third pilgrimage with Common Ground.
Stephanie will serve as chaplain for the trip.
Courtney Brown
Logistics Coordinator (She/her)
Courtney is Director of Programs for Not Sorry. Born in Louisiana and currently residing in Maryland, 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 as Director of Programs, Courtney manages the diverse programming Not Sorry offers. When she isn’t launching pilgrimages, she enjoys visiting the library with her daughter and son, playing pickleball in her neighborhood cul-de-sac, and testing craft cocktails her husband designs for their annual Harry Potter Christmas party.
Courtney will serve as logistics coordinator for the trip.
“Life is change. If you aren't growing and evolving, you're standing still, and the rest of the world is surging ahead.”
— Louise Penny, STill Life