My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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The Road Less Traveled: Bemus Point Edition

Bemus Point, New York is a little-known village, consisting of a mere 350 people.  Despite the lack of people, it is rich in memories; the kind that last a lifetime.  As the...

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The Jewel of the West Coast-San Francisco

Few places have as rich a history as my home. From being a Spanish Mission before devolving into a den of thieves and debauchery and then blossoming into a multicultural cosmopolitan crossroads of...

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The Ocean, the Town, and the People

          San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico is a place that I have visited and identified with for many years now. It is beautiful and intriguing in so many ways and I recommend...

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God’s Own Land: Kerala

An earthen smell greets me as I step out on to the muddy streets in God's Own Land - Kerala, India. A slight drizzle dampens my hair as I look up to the night sky dappled with iridescent celestial...

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Student Article
The Home of History, Culture, and Food–Mobile, Alabama?!

Mobile, Alabama. Home of sweet tea, seafood, and Southern accents. But that describes at least half of the other southern cities in the United States. To me, Mobile is more than just a run-of-the-mill...

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Student Article
Not Everything is What it Seems

My first instinct was that I wasn't going to like the Estrella Mountain community. There was not much too it. All I saw was, The Elliot Market drug store, a gas station, and houses. In mind that...

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Keep on the Sunny Side in Miami

Welcome to Miami: a tiny piece off the Atlantic side of Florida, yet one of the most populated and popular attractions craved worldwide. This fairly young city is most known for its swaying...

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Student Article
Valley in the Hills

I live in a small town in southwest Pennsylvania; the population is around 2,000 and at first glance, there isn’t much to do. In fact, if you pass on the highway, we are practically...

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Student Article
A Pleasant Place To Build A Town- Cornwall, NY

The crunch of kaleidoscope-colored leaves under your feet as you hike through the fall foliage of Black Rock forest on your quest to find the reservoir that supplies Cornwall, a petite New York town, with...

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Student Article
This Is My Home, This Is Pakistan

A steady stream of water trickles down the mountain side, settling itself into the flower beds below. There’s a light mist hovering throughout the atmosphere, carrying scents and flavors...

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Student Article
The Peculiar Side of Seattle

I come from the land of coffee addicted hipsters and computer geeks. Locals have dubbed it “The 206”,...

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Spartanburg, South Carolina – A Kalidescope of Unexpected Discoveries

Founded in the 1780s as a courthouse village, Spartanburg, South Carolina, located...

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Mazatlan, A Place for Adventure and Family

Every December my family and I made it a tradition to go on vacation to Mazatlan, Sinaloa. We stay at a resort for a week and then stay another few weeks in a small pueblo, called El Roble, with...

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Student Article
Small Country, Big Heart

Being Armenian and having been to Armenia, it’s one of the most richly cultured countries in the world. There are so many places and things to see in the tiny country. First place I would take...

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Student Article
Sun, Sand, and Speed

Palm trees line the horizon as the salty air combines with exhaust fumes and the hum of city life. Whether the birthplace of speed or a bucket list vacation, Daytona Beach is known for its gorgeous...

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Student Article
Bellingham, Wa: The City of Subdued Excitment

Built between the Cascade Mountain range and the Pacific Ocean, Bellingham is a hidden beauty among the trees, waterfront, and sketchy mountain roads. This town is full of it's own character,...

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Student Article
The City of Nonconformists

You cannot put Knoxville, Tennessee into a neat, little box and slap a bow on it. It just won’t fit. It’s tasty. It’s musical. It’s cultural. Something that special doesn’t...

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Student Article
Small Town with a BIg Heart

Tecumseh is a small Michigan town consisting of about 8,521 residents. The name “Tecumseh” comes from the Shawnee Indian leader Chief Tecumseh. Later the city used the Indian Chief as...

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Student Article
Rochester Hills: A Fusion of Beauty, History, and Charm

Suburbs of American cities have long been associated with dull strip malls, monotonous houses, and a dearth of unique, fun-filled activities. Few people consider suburban communities to be viable...

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Student Article
Rediscovering My Home Town

For most people their hometown is boring, but once in a while they discover something truly magical.  This experience usually comes through someone else.  Using emotions we become interested. ...

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Student Article
Finding the Art of Michigan’s Capital

Though Lansing is the capital of Michigan, it doesn’t exactly have tourists flocking there.  This, however, does not erase the exciting and beautiful places that people,...

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Student Article
The Smallest Large City: The City of Trees.

By the end of this adventure you’ll love my city. But first, I’ll give you directions. You are looking at quite a nice solar system. Nine planets – oops, I mean eight...

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Student Article
Tampa Bay: The Hottest Place This Side of the Sunshine State

Every night, the sun sinks down into the depths of the turquoise waters of Tampa Bay, accompanied by cirrus clouds brilliantly streaked with warm hues, seagulls crying...

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Student Article
Sweet Simplicity

Around a flickering flame, four young boys lounge leisurely poking the inferno before them with sticks. Cheerily conversing, a few adventurous ones draw the smoldering sticks close...

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Student Article
My Small Town of Wadsworth

When a person hears I live in Wadsworth Ohio, they usually don’t give it a second thought, or say “oh, you mean Hick Ville!?” In my mind I think of how mentally blind some people...

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Student Article
Kemah: The crazy, cool, connected, yet calming community

Crashing waves, hovering seagulls stalking on tourists' bags of chips, the roar of the Boardwalk Bullet, and beetle boats that crawl swiftly through the active ocean: these are the ingredients...

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Student Article
Madtown Lives Up To Its Name

I came into this world crying and screaming at Meriter Hospital on March 7th 1995. From that moment I was blessed enough to call Madison, Wisconsin my home. When people think of Wisconsin they automatically...

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Student Article
Los Gatos: The Heart of the Bay Area

The idea of “small-town America” comes loaded with stereotype – one image that often comes to mind is that of the provincial, isolated hamlet overrun with fast food chains and big box...

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Student Article
Finding Home in a Grain of Sand

A desert by definition is dry. The sun scorches the desert as one squeezes the liquid from a towel. It's not easy to call a place like that home, and it isn't easy to get used to either. But on...

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Student Article
Rockin’ Ronkonkoma

For centuries, New York has been a hot spot of settlers and travelers alike. Off of the bottom of New York sprouts a little island call Long Island and on Long Island is a little town called Islip...

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Student Article
Franklin, Massachusetts: A Town Of Serenity

Franklin, Massachusettsis a residential town, and is not very well known to the common traveler. Many people travel around the world to see extraordinary landscapes, or to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime...

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Student Article
The Time I Ate A Guinea Pig

“Cuy, quiero cuy!” These were the desperate words that escaped my mouth as my family and I scrounged the Ecuadorian mountainside, searching high and low for the famous cuy;...

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Student Article
Life in the Village

Settled in a tucked away corner of southern Louisiana is the community of Watson. Watson, now in the process of becoming incorporated, is technically a village. Now, when thinking of a village, kind...

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Life Changing Experience

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Student Article
Small Town, Big Heart

Matthews, a humble town just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, is often overlooked as the perfect tourist getaway, where people of all ages enjoy a lifestyle of leisure and a unique quality of life....

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Student Article
Namaste – Welcome To India, The Country Of The Lotus

Namaste is the greeting used in India. It means: the divine light within me bows to the divine light within you. My family has visited India twice, and we hope to go there again in...

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Student Article
Timeless: A Cottage on Laurel Lake

Laughing. Smiling. Crying. Throwing family members off the dock. Swimming into the late hours of the night. Dazzling Fourth of July fireworks.  Hundreds of picturesque memories...

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Student Article
When In Rome…

Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved learning about Rome. One of the first chapter books I ever read was the Magic Tree House story about Roman times—I was especially fascinated by the...

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Student Article
So Cal: Welcome to Sun City

California is more than our beaches. It's more than our Hollywood billboard, our vineyards, or our L.A. Lakers. California is the state of endless possibilities. There is something for everyone....

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Student Article
Exploring the Essence of America: Mint Hill, NC

Flying down the 485 freeway through the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina, you might easily miss the exit marking my hometown. But if your a spirited adventurer keen on understanding the the patterns...

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Student Article
McHenry, Illinois: A Small Town With A Big Heart

When one thinks of northern Illinois they think of Chicago but, it is the suburbs of the Windy City that gave Chicago its’ reputation. Nestled midway between Chicago and Milwaukee,...

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Student Article
Mediocrity At Its Finest: A Tour of Stafford County, Virginia

Cleverly disguised as a bedroom community (or as the highway sign says, “A Certified Business Location”), Stafford County is the southernmost county in Northern Virginia, with supposedly...

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Student Article
Savor Sarasota

Sarasota, Florida- the home of the Ringling Museum of Art, extensive shopping, breathtaking bay, and the nation’s number one beach. I’m very proud to be able to call this town home, and...

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Student Article
Muskegon, Michigan!

In the Great Lakes State of Michigan, there is a city that was oncenicknamed the Lumber Queen of the Mid-West; this city is Muskegon. It obtained this nickname because of its resources, such as dense forests...

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Student Article
All About My Little Home Town, Kenosha Wisconsin

The city of Kenosha has many enjoyable things to see and do all year round.  You can go fishing or to the beach in the summer, or go sledding or ice-skating in the winter. ...

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Student Article
Rochester, New York

When looking for a prime vacation spot, none can beat the city of Rochester, New York. This city holds many attractions that appeal to a large variety of interests for all ages. Whether it's...

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Student Article
Hidden Gem

     It was a mile walk. Well, 0.9 miles exactly, if one plans to take the same walk I did, from the parking garage on the Country Club Plaza to Southmoreland Park. And what a beautiful...

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Student Article
Montgomery Alabama: Where the Past Meets the Future

          Montgomery Alabama offers a variety of activities that are not only fun, but also educational. The city provides a plethora of examples of our countries past while...

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Student Article
Quaint and Fierce: Burke, Virginia

Burke is a small little suburban town in Virginia, full of peaceful scenery, and a loving community. While it’s not the ideal picturesque town that would be used for a painting on the surface,...

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Student Article
Where Everyday Meets New Meaning

Located in Lincoln Heights in Lincoln Park right next to East Los Angeles College and a walk away from the USC Institute for Global Help, is a place that is rich with culture. Plaza De la Raza is...

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