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Inspired by her love for the 2006 film The Holiday, Mackenzie Marsh, a 24-year-old from South Florida, embarked on an adventure reminiscent of the movie’s plot following a breakup.
Marsh, then 22, decided to up sticks and move to a traditional English cottage in Oxford to find solace and reset her life following the end of the relationship. Her story, which she recently shared on Instagram, has charmed viewers online.
“To say The Holiday is my favorite movie would be an understatement,” Marsh, told Newsweek. “I joke that I am Amanda Woods in a lot of ways.”
Facing the fallout of her breakup, Marsh spent five months couch-surfing and searching for stability. When a friend suggested taking a few months abroad at the start of the year, Marsh seized the opportunity without hesitation.
@mackenzieemarsh
Unlike the film’s protagonist Amanda Woods, played by Cameron Diaz, Marsh’s journey did not involve falling in love with a Jude Law-esque man but rather deepening her spiritual connection and learning to embrace life as a single woman.
With minimal planning, Marsh booked a lengthy Airbnb stay in Oxford, England, after coming to the conclusion that she needed a significant change.
“I had never done anything like this before and thought I was crazy,” she said. “The only consideration I had was a place where they speak English.
“I hardly told many people I was moving—paid for our few months-long Airbnb in full and was on my way on an eight-hour flight completely alone at 22.”
Upon arrival, everything seemed perfect—almost like a scene from the modern classic starring Kate Winslet and Jack Black itself.
The English cottage resembled Winslet’s character, Iris’s cozy abode, and Marsh was filled with excitement. However, the harsh winter in Oxford quickly became a jarring reality check for someone accustomed to the sunshine state’s warmth.
“I remember complaining one walk home about how cold it was… Then, in one moment, I pulled my head up out of my scarf and simply said, ‘I am grateful for the cold’.” Marsh said.
This shift in perspective became the cornerstone of her experience. Unlike the movie’s Amanda Woods, who finds romance to heal her heart, Marsh’s journey abroad led to a rather different relationship.
“I always say the one difference between Amanda and I was that it was not meeting a man that changed my mind on leaving but encountering God,” she said.
Attending services at St. Aldates Church, in Oxford, helped her reconnect with her faith and find a new sense of purpose.
On reflection, following its recent virality, Marsh calls her five months in England “some of the greatest months of [her] life.”
It was during this period that she began to embrace true singleness—experiencing both its challenges and joys.
“I always thought a relationship would be my end-all-be-all, this was my first time in life being truly single and it was terrifying to say the least,” she said.
Two years later, Marsh continues to thrive as a single woman, enjoying her work as a content creator. Her online platforms, @mackenzieemarsh, focuses on travel, health, and wellness, and she hosts a podcast called Let’s Chat Soon where she discusses themes of personal growth and empowerment, especially for women navigating periods of singleness.
In her viral Instagram video, Marsh reflects on her time in England with humor and warmth. An overlaid text on the clip reads: “When I was 22 I quite literally decided I was going to pull an Amanda Woods,” referencing her decision to mimic the plot of The Holiday.
In recounting her spontaneous adventure, Marsh emphasizes the importance of gratitude and adaptability—the two qualities that helped her through.
“There was no turning back, there was just shifting my perspective,” she said.
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