El tiempo que fui a Espana (The time I went to Spain)
Last summer, my school put together a group that was going to go to Spain. We went through a larger, organized tour group called EF Tours. There were at least five other schools from around the US...
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Galveston Island
The sun's rays reflected off the water's surface giving the ocean a bright shimmer of gold. I peered out the car window at the blur of sea as we drove passed it. Gliding boats of all shapes...
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Enjoy the Journey
Millions upon millions of sightseers and thrill seekers flock to Arizona to view the Grand Canyon every year; but for my family and me, the journey is what counted. A few years ago, we planned a...
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Snorkels With Sharks
It was midnight, but it was far from dark. I rested my head against the glass and tried to sleep. No. I was too excited. I stared out of the tiny window and the quiet wonder of city lights took hold...
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Vacation of Security
Ten hours, four sets of security, three new stamps in my passport, two take-offs, two movies, and two landings, the bi-annual family vacation to Lyd had begun. For most people the most eye opening...
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Solitude
A chill wind, a towering band of mountains, a light snowfall, the distinct scent of lush green pines, maybe a curious bear in the tree line if you’re lucky. These are among the first things that...
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Exploring a New Paradise
From a small aircraft, the beauty of the Abacos was nothing less than breathtaking. Nearly 12,000 feet above the earth’s surface, one could see white sand basking in the ever-present...
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Howling Monkeys, Sleepy Slothes, Jumping Toads, Oh My!
Howling monkeys, lush green leaves hanging down from towering trees, waterfalls splashing cold crisp water, brilliant blood red and orange sunsets like out of the movies, bananas hanging...
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My Trip with Fear
, 2012 when I went on my first escapade to a land filled with intricate, intimidating machines. Its loud swirling noise traumatized even the screeching sounds of butterflies fluttering in the inner...
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The 1%
Upon hearing the words “Grand Canyon”, 99% of the world’s population pictures an endless wasteland carved by the Colorado River. The lingering 1% sees him or herself looking up...
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Locked Up
The last place I imagined being that morning was locked away from civilization, screaming for help, fighting to escape, knowing that every breath I took may very well be my last. Well at least that is...
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The Best Birthday Ever in the Dominican Republic!
What a trip! What a Journey! The Dominican Republic is certainly an interesting place to go on vacation. One of my best friends since third grade invited me on yet another one of her amazing summer...
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New York City Looks Good To The Blind
Sightseeing in New York City is surprisingly compatible with traveling with the vision impaired. Sidewalks often have raised bumps, tactile cues that you are reaching the end at the curb. And though midtown...
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my trip to poland
When my girlfriend and I went to visit her family in Poland, we traveled to many different places but the one in particular I enjoyed the most was Sopot. Instead of driving there by car, we got bus...
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My Newfound Sentiment
Israel is a blossoming new country in the Middle East, but ancient tensions plague the area. These tensions often spill over into modern news. The fighting paired with footage of old buildings made...
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Omaha Beach Experience
Our bus pulled into a quiet parking lot. It was overcast and the beach ahead of us wasn't like the ones back in California. It was quiet, with very few people scattered along the shore. They...
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A Lesson in Leadership
Gunfire rains down on you from every direction. A sheer cliff looms in front of you, mocking your seemingly futile efforts to climb it. Pre-dawn ocean waves crash against your boots. Your comrades...
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España, Un Mundo Nuevo
The streets were luminescent with life. Smells of croquetas met yearning nostrils. The fast paced, piquant Spanish dialect was ambient. The air was warm but not humid, and it folded around me, welcoming...
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Chipped Reeds
I sat as first chair in the Honors Band, ready to play an unbelievably difficult saxophone solo. Well, that’s what I visualized in my head at least, but things didn’t turn out exactly...
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Choosing to Live Without
The cold winter wind whipped flakes of snow and ice into my eyes, obscuring my vision and preventing me from seeing the trail ahead. Fortunately for me, the dog team pulling my sled knew just where...
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Smile
Who ever knew a line drawn in the sand could really separate night and day? The border between the United States and Mexico does just that. I went to Mexico on a missions trip through an organization...
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A Life Changed by the Uruguayan Culture
Through an erupting volcano, a multitude of odd night stays, and airplane delays, the time before our arrival had been a journey in itself. Although, looking back it made my trip to Uruguay even...
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Island Enlightenment
In February, I went on a three day cruise to the Bahamas for my friend Stephanie’s 16th birthday. As soon as we got on the Carnival Imagination, we went up to the pool deck to check out...
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Experiencing the Real Italy
This past June, my parents decided to take my brother and I on a two week vacation to explore the medieval towns in Germany and the ancient streets of Italy. On day nine of our exploration, we took...
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Poverty in Belize
“I have nothing besides this house,” Marie was telling us. She was right. Her use of house as a description for the shack in front of us was pushing the definition...
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My Day in Mykonos, Greece (And How I Didn’t Die in a Riot).
My two best friends and I decided to go on a month-long tour of Europe, ending with a cruise through the Greek Islands. My father was apprehensive about sending me on the trip, but more importantly,...
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Searching for Penguins
It was June, the dead of winter, but I wasn’t about to miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just because it was the off season. As an AFS...
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Journey At Paris
It’s Tuesday morning of my week off from school for Spring break. I look out...
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Tossing Colors: India on Holiday
I stepped out of our hotel, the pristine, perfectly air-conditioned Taj Bengal, to the sticky humidity. Already, my hair puffed up around my face. In front of the sleek glass doors, the weather was...
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Change in Honduras
Three weeks ago, I left my family, friends, and everything I knew to go to a new country: Honduras. I knew that through the trip I would be changed, but I didn't realize how much. I had seen...
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A Garden of Memories
Two months ago, this was just speculation, an idea interwoven with thoughts of summer. Finally, that idea had reached reality. My parents worked hard on planning a fun vacation through Missouri and...
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Hallo, Deutschland!
My mom first brought up our Germany trip in January. She described it as a "last hoorah" before I go off to college and supposedly forget all about family vacations. We had three weeks...
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Cozumel’s Symbol
The cruise had released us into Cozumel, Mexico, meaning “Island of the Swallows”. It was an attractive day, with the breeze and the light heat of the sun. The pier had the smell of the...
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BONDING ON THE ISLE OF CAPRI
In June 2012, I ventured on a school trip to Italy with thirteen of my fellow classmates from Haverhill High School. The 10-day trip, which was with EF Educational Tours, began in...
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Lake Powell, Utah
On July 9th through July 13th, I had the privilege to go to Lake Powell, Utah. I have been to many lakes before, including the Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake,...
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Frog Rock…Not as Cute as it Seems
The summer after my freshman year of high school my parents, my cousin Rance and I were all headed to Salida, Colorado for vacation. We were going to go river rafting the next day and I was...
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A First Step Into the World
At the young age of 13, I got to experience a trip that very few can relate to. In 2009, 12 other middle school students and I were selected as representatives of the Temecula Sister City Association...
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The Beginning of an Even Bigger Beginning: British Columbia, Around the Other End of the Iceberg
I want to orbit this Earth and, as I do, I want waves of understanding to wash over me like a pebble and smooth my rough edges over and over until I become a sphere so I can become well –...
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Hidden in the Adirondacks
Camp Massawepie, Adirondacks, New YorkYes, this is a Boy Scout camp which may make one question why I, a girl, would claim this to be one of the best vacations I have ever been on. My...
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Memorial Peace Park In Hiroshima
Walking into the Memorial Peace Park in Hiroshima, Japan I fully expected my classmates and I to get dirty looks we were in fact Americans and our relatives may have helped in the development of the...
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Drowning Diaries
When planning a vacation to Hawaii, one usually envisions relaxing in a hammock, scuba-diving, or searching for seashells. Rarely does one imagine experiencing a dramatic, life-changing event. But...
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4M: Metro, Maps, Mishaps & Merriment
Travel is a gift. The experiences that one faces and lives through while traveling, are the most valuable souvenirs one can acquire. These lessons and treasures can be taken, used, and...
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A New View from the Sidelines
I gawked at enormous Catholic churches with figures of Jesus staring with tortured eyes, the brightly colored and glimmering costumes worn by the bravest of bull fighters, and Paellas rich with local...
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New York City Tourist Shunners
June 13, 2012 We darted into the banal Queensborough Plaza S ubway station today, a block away from our Comfort Inn...
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Just a Dream
It all felt surreal. The light breeze that hit my face, the smiles and laughter that came out of me and my little sister Brieanna, it was almost like I was watching from the clouds, because the high...
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Azerbaijan: My Cultural Wake-Up Call
Sweat creeps up my shirt as my lungs fill with smoke, waiting to get through customs at the Baku International Airport. Foreign words bombard my ears and an old man translates the question, “Do...
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The Ties of Tradition
It was just past eight o’clock, and night had fallen in Tokyo. Groups of people aged everywhere...
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