Finding Perspective in Ireland
I have lived in Southern California for my entire life. Although I can’t deny the blessing that is our year-long perfect weather, the crammed freeways, dry summers, and busy lifestyle can make even the most loyal of Californians crave a change of pace. During the summer of my freshman year, I was able to experience much more than just a change of pace. An unforgettable trip to Ireland revealed not...
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The Great Barrier Reef: A Whole Other World
As we stepped on the boat that would take us to the Great Barrier Reef, I was buzzing with excitement. My family and I had just arrived in Queensland, Australia and a new adventure awaited us. The sun was shining and the sky was clear; I had no idea what to expect, but was so happy I couldn’t keep still. During the boat ride my cousin and I gazed at the view. The water was crystal clear and a...
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A Visit to Norway: Fjords and More!
I had heard from those who had visited Norway that its fjords were one of the most beautiful natural formations on the planet. So when my family and I paid a brief visit to Norway as part of a two-week trip across Europe, I figured I would experience a sort of life-changing epiphany upon laying eyes on the country’s famous glacial formations carved out during the last Ice Age. Our trip to Norway...
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Europe Without Baggage
Vacation - it is a time when the worries of life are temporarily forgotten as reality is placed “on hold” for a brief period of mental and emotional rejuvenation. From May 27 to June 5 of 2018, I took the vacation of a lifetime in the form of a 10-day tour of Paris, Provence, and Barcelona with EF Tours, an educational...
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Home Is Where the Statue Is
This is Vietnam at 6:00 in the morning. I peer out from the tenth story balcony of my hotel, watching her body wake up. Here, somewhere in these winding streets, is a small hospital. This is where my story begins. Sixteen years ago, I was born and taken to an orphanage called Tam Binh. I waited here two years until my adoptive parents took me to America, the land of opportunity. Now we are back, and...
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St. Lucia Is Calling All Crafty Kids
St. Lucia is one of the most striking islands in the Caribbean and while beautiful beaches beckon, when it’s time to take a break from sun and sea, an artistic treasure chest should delight young visitors. Turquoise water, lush vegetation and those stunning twin Pitons rising up from the sea equal tropical Nirvana. With such a setting, no wonder St. Lucia is so popular with honeymooners. Many...
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Long Nights and Loggerheads
Allow me to set the scene for you. You’re riding in the back of a small vehicle, a cross between a four-wheeler and a pickup truck. Buckets and toolkits rattle beside you. The empty beach stretches in front of you, smooth and silent except for the sounds of the engine. It’s two in the morning, and you’re exhausted, but you won’t sleep. The stars twinkle above you, clearer and brighter than...
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Frugal New York City Vacation
Cheap, thrifty, economical and prudent are all accurate descriptions of my mom's spending habits. However, she prefers the word frugal. She clips coupons and shops the “manager’s special” section at the grocery store. She builds her wardrobe by going to 50% off Saturdays at Goodwill and takes advantage of free days at local attractions in Indianapolis. When mom announced we were going to NYC...
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My Guatemala
As soon as I heard that Eli’s family had an opening for their trip to Guatemala, I knew I had to go. They were taking teenagers to Antigua to learn Spanish and volunteer. It took some convincing, but they said yes! And, more importantly, my parents agreed to let me go. My high school Spanish would be put to the test in intensive language classes and volunteer work. The other teens opted to help with...
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da Vinci Day
As my foot landed on the elaborately tiled floor, a chilling atmosphere pricked my body. The air that embraced me was suffused with the history, the art, the surrealness of the images and work inside. In trips prior to this, San Diego’s ambience welcomed me as a sun stained, satin blanket would. Each summer vacation, it’s humid kiss faithfully rested on the cheek full of all my touristic desires,...
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The Treasures Concealed by Mesas of Arizona
“We’re here!” my sister shouts, as our van turns onto a dirt road. The faded sign says “Welcome to Immanuel Mission.” As our car bumps along the road, kicking up dirt into the hot Arizona air, I am in awe of an almost untouched America on this Indian Reservation. An expansive desert with cacti and tumbleweed, horses roaming free, and a mesa rises in this landscape while the sun sets in the...
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Fantasy’s Reality
“Here.” A neatly wrapped, red package fell into my hands. “What’s this?” I inquired. We had just arrived in New Zealand a couple hours before. This vacation was my “early Birthday gift.” I wasn’t expecting another present. “It's part of the trip.” my mom answered. Wasting no time, my fingernails dug into the paper. I tossed the covering away, revealing a thin book; my eyes...
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