Compass Rose is a web presence for CCST 270, “Creative Travel Writing.” This class, inaugurated in Winter of 2015, provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their experiences abroad—especially (but not exclusively) on Carleton off-campus study programs.

Students in CCST 270 write several pieces during the term, but only their finest work is showcased here. While travel writing is generally considered “narrative non-fiction,” that description doesn’t capture the breadth of our offering. In these pages, you’ll find stories reflecting multiple experiences, told in a wide variety of tones. Always perceptive, typically moving, and occasionally given a twist of humor, these texts will surprise and delight.

A note about the compass rose, sometimes called a windrose. The image dates back at least to Roman times, and it appearing on maps and nautical charts—as well as on the face of compass dials. Its flower-like “petals” represent the orientation of the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) as well as their intermediate points. The compass rose is a time-honored symbol of travel—and it represents all those who seek to orient themselves in a new place.