El Palacio Real
A few months ago, during my spring break in March, I was presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was offered a chance to visit the capital of Spain, Madrid. Sadly, I won’t be able...
Read More 2 min read
The Glass Bottles
“An di! An di! (Eat more!)” My aunt weaves through the small kitchen carrying bowls of hu tieu: vercimilli noodles in a warm, savory broth. It is raucous and rowdy...
Read More 3 min read
Assisting the Needy Ones
This June, I traveled with my youth group from Calvary Baptist Church on June 23, 2012, to Baltimore, Maryland, to share God’s love by being a presence in the downtown area and assisting where...
Read More 2 min read
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times
Last summer, my grandparents took my two siblings, my older cousin and I on to Europe, starting with the quintessential visit to London, and ending with a week-long tour of Ireland. My grandparents...
Read More 3 min read
Ruined.
It was my very first time. I had never been out of the country before this, and I had no idea what to expect. I had seen TV commercials of slums in third world countries, but...
Read More 3 min read
Rendezvous With The Rapids
The mist carried by the brisk wind stung my cheeks to a bright pink just as Shadrach’s, our seasoned river guide. On the banks, green in various stages of battle struggled out from under the oppressive...
Read More 3 min read
The Treasures of Texas
What began as a visit to seldom-seen family in Austin quickly transformed into the most inspiring experience of my life. In Southern California, we don’t have this so called “nature”—not...
Read More 3 min read
The Full Jamaican Experience. “Ya mon!”
Fear can hinder you from enduring a once in a lifetime experience, such as what I almost missed out on during my trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica. During our trip, my family and I decided to go on a...
Read More 3 min read
More than beach bums!
Growing up my parents made sure they kept me safe and out of trouble whether that meant putting seemingly unnecessary restrictions on more or not. So when I discovered I would be allowed to...
Read More 2 min read
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
Last month, my family embarked on a trip to Bangladesh. My parents were more than excited to go. I, on the other hand, was not so happy. My somber attitude stemmed from my last visit to Bangladesh....
Read More 3 min read
When You Wish Upon A Star
A personal all-time favorite trip of mine would definitely have to be going to Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida this...
Read More 3 min read
An Eye Opening Exerience
There are many recollections of memorable family vacations and reunions, however there is one vacation that stands out. It was a cruise vacation on the Royal Caribbean ship liberty...
Read More 2 min read
The Beauty of the Falls
When you imagine beauty do you see a magnificent waterfall streaming water into a river below? I do, and that’s why my recent trip to Niagara Falls was...
Read More 3 min read
New England Odyssey XIX
With the turn of a key, our sails unfurled. Our vessel - the Kingsmen charter bus – would soon brave the vast expanse of the Eastern...
Read More 3 min read
.JPG)
5am Morning Call to My “Dream Vacation”
Finally, the day I had worked extremely hard for to board my flight all the way to Hawaii, was here. I had dreamed of waking up on the beach at my own leisure and being pleasantly entertained by fire dancers...
Read More 3 min read
Philmont Adventure
I am an Eagle Scout who recently went to Philmont, New Mexico. Philmont is a Boy Scout high adventure camp that challenges the scout’s ability to survive in the wilderness. Our...
Read More 3 min read
A Glance Through El Salvador-Tinted Glasses
This summer I entered a world different than me, where the distractions that I am so conveniently accustomed to did not exist. I have gained a new perspective of the world and a passion for missions...
Read More 2 min read
An EPIC Adventure (Traveling through “Disneyland for Grownups”)
It was not supposed to be anything other than getting my oldest brother, Andrew, settled into his new job at Epic Systems Corporation in Verona, Wisconsin. At least, that is what I first thought. ...
Read More 3 min read
The Great and Mighty Sequoia National Park
Sequoia. A breath taking sight to behold no matter what season. A haven for people seeking an escape from their daily stressful routines. The park is blessed with wise old trees towering at unbelievable...
Read More 2 min read
Disney World or Bust….Or That Was What I Thought!
The large pretzel jar was labeled “Disney World or Bust” and was almost filled to the top with coins. My family had been saving for our family trip for two years and we knew this...
Read More 2 min read
Meeting Myself
If you haven’t seen Barcelona at twilight, you will never really understand the true meaning of the word “beautiful.” I toured Barcelona on a cold, yet refreshing December day....
Read More 3 min read
Family Vacation to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
Spring break, 2012, and my parents, my three younger siblings, and I left North Carolina for a two day stay in a lakeside home at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. The...
Read More 3 min read
A Valuable Exploration
In my mind, I pictured groomed, pristine streets overflowing with fashion-conscious, fast-walking citizens. I’d been to cities before, I knew what to expect—but the moment...
Read More 3 min read
The Big, The Beautiful, The Bison and The Broken
Throughout my life I’ve traveled across the United States after my parents set the goal for me to see the 48 continental states before going to college. However no trip has compared to...
Read More 2 min read
A Superpower I Didn’t Know I Had: Mission Trip to Ensenada, Mexico
Last Spring Break, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with my church youth group. Our team had two goals for our stay in Ensenada, Mexico: to build a house for a family in the area and...
Read More 3 min read
Cruise Through Radiator Aprings
Schools out for the summer but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop learning. An education doesn’t always present itself in the form of text books, life experience is a valuable...
Read More 2 min read
The View of Hong Kong from a Double Decker Bus
After a stressful junior year of High School, nothing could describe how happy I felt when the airplane lifted off the ground of Chicago. I had been anticipating this trip for months, waiting to...
Read More 3 min read
Definition of Culture
The number of ways to acknowledge another human’s presence is infinite. Waves of the hand, nods of the head, or even twitches of the mouth are all methods of salutation; however, the most unique...
Read More 3 min read
TCU trip.
In the past five years, my family and I have traveled to many different states. I have family spread out all over the world. I love being able to take a vacation and travel to see them. I can honestly...
Read More 3 min read
The summer adventure of a lifetime: Summer vacation 2007
In the summer of 2007 my family and I took a trip to Europe. Throughout the trip we explored Berlin Germany, Zurich Switzerland, and Barcelona Spain. Although we had a blast, our main mission in...
Read More 3 min read
Assimilating with Nature
Traveling can be a very relaxing and rejuvenating experience, specifically when traveling to an area that is open in a variety of natural aspects. Every summer my family travels to San Luis Potosi,...
Read More 2 min read
Summer days in my Second Home
The sun danced in the sky, on this warm summer day in Bavaria, Germany. After days of rain, the spirit of delight hung in the air, as young and old greeted the clear blue sky. This summer, was spent...
Read More 3 min read
Pourquoi Pas?
This is me, the health freak who won’t even put dressing on her salad, indulging in ice cream and crepes daily. The same girl who won’t touch beef chomps down on blood sausage and organ meat. When...
Read More 3 min read
Locks of Love
The Louvre: a famous palace-turned-museum most famous for housing the well-known Mona Lisa, or la Jaconde,...
Read More 2 min read
Where are the spies in Washington D.C.?
As we stepped out of our car and onto the gravel parking lot, I knew we were going on an adventure that was completely new to me and my family. As we waited for the Amtrak train bound for Chicago to arrive,...
Read More 3 min read
Uniquely Similar
I woke up to a hint of sunlight, feeling strange that I was not in my own bed. Then it came to me: I was in Madrid, Spain, 3,000 miles and an ocean away from the United States. I weaved my way through...
Read More 2 min read
The Mountain’s Message of Hope
Every time my phone rings I hear the sound of crickets chirping. This ringtone has special meaning to me. When those crickets start to sing their sweet melody, memories of Guatemala come to my mind....
Read More 2 min read
The Lives That Were Touched In the City of New Orleans
I view traveling as a privilege, not a right. People travel for many different reasons such as: relaxation or luxury. I like to use traveling to learn about different cultures, people, and history....
Read More 2 min read
An ocean of sounds
As we walked, passing small stores, people’s shadows and Nigerian men selling coach bags on the streets, we realized that Camila had been crying for about twenty minutes. Her chapped lips were...
Read More 2 min read
My Trip to MCAD
From the time that I was able to hold a pencil in my hand, I have been drawing. Art has been a part of me my entire life, even through there were times when I wasn’t...
Read More 3 min read
Boston, MA.: A Look into How the Other Coast Lives
In September of my junior year of high school, I took an unofficial visit to Boston University. Aside from the school’s stellar academics and...
Read More 3 min read
My 17th Birthday in Belgium
In January of this year, 2012, I went to Belgium with my mom to celebrate my 17th birthday. This trip really changed my life. We only went for three short days, but in those three days I experienced...
Read More 4 min read
New York City Is a Place To Be
New York City is a place to be. Looking at the city of dreams from a distance, I saw a prestigious monument signifying freedom and hope. I heard the man in the subway effortlessly...
Read More 3 min read
Kenya 2012
As I boarded Emirates Flight 222 from Dallas to Dubai, a million things were rushing through my mind. Worries as big as living in an utterly foreign culture for seventeen days and as small as wondering...
Read More 3 min read
Where the Past Meets the Present
The ocean is truth. It doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not, and it doesn’t...
Read More 3 min read
Fulfilling Dreams in Ireland
As a competitive Irish Dancer for 9 years, I had always dreamed of taking a trip to tour the country of Ireland. I felt that it would help me understand where the roots of my dancing came from, as...
Read More 3 min read
Roatan, Honduras: A Change In Me For The Better
Last summer, when I was 14 years old, my parents, grandmother, sister, and I took a trip to Roatan, Honduras. When we left, I had the normal thoughts of a teenage girl on my mind. Would...
Read More 3 min read
Disability Taught me Love
I stood in front of that small fence that was only keeping the children and me apart. Shocking. No, a word that means much more than shocking. Horrifying? Terrifying? What happened to these children?...
Read More 3 min read
