Paris Is A Promise that Aches
Paris forgives, knows, and goes with the flow. And, by example, you learn to value yourself and your dreams. While I walked along the Seine, my feet were screaming in my boots that I have lived...
Read More 3 min read
Majestic Walls, Tranquil Waters
The word vacation means different things to different people. To some people it might mean relaxing on the beaches of Hawaii, to others it may mean touring all over Europe, but to me it means a week...
Read More 3 min read
My Sweet Sixteen
The weekend I turned 16 was one I will never forget. My parents had a proposition for me: I could either have a sweet 16, or they’d get me a car when I turned 17. Obviously I chose the latter....
Read More 2 min read
My unforgettable vacation to Nigeria!
I haven't been to Nigeria over 10 years so when my dad told me that my family was going back to Nigeria for the summer, tears stared to follow down my face. There were many preparations to go to...
Read More 2 min read
Should Have Had Rice in Bryce
My family is known for our great spring break trips. We've traveled to Costa Rica, England, and Spain, to name a few. Yet the most memorable trip we took was not to another country. Spring break...
Read More 3 min read
Building an Altar on the Colorado Mountains
The wind bitterly nipped my face as I picked up speed. The snow-covered, majestic mountains surrounding me breathed promises of a higher power into the air. One moment …untouched by...
Read More 3 min read
A Trip You Can’t Learn In A Class Room!
2012 summer started off with my vacation to Virginia Beach, Virginia, a trip I would never forget. This summer was my second time going to Virginia Beach, and this time around I learned many new...
Read More 2 min read
Jordan – Über-friendly Hosts, Carved Out Buildings and Ridiculously Good Food
I think my mom was a little worried when I left Norway to go to Jordan for a week. She knew that I would visit a conference for three days and then live with my friend Hashem’s family for five more days,...
Read More 3 min read
Two Faces of Mexico
Mexico has gotten a bad reputation lately. Every week Americans hear about atrocities committed by the drug cartels. Yet, when I went on a cruise with my family to Mexico over spring...
Read More 3 min read
Jet Ski Jubilee
For as long as I can remember, my immediate family, my cousins, and I have always camped at a state park for a few days during summer vacation. That’s exactly what I was expecting during the...
Read More 2 min read
Goin’ tah Bahston….
I remember when my mom first came to me with the idea of going to Boston for a vacation. The emotions came quickly. First came excitement. Second came fear. When she said that we were going to Boston,...
Read More 3 min read
Music is the Language that Streches Across All Differences
Nashville, Tennessee is said to be the birthplace of country music. If the locals were asked, they would reply that the Grand Ole Opry is more specifically where country music was first played. I...
Read More 2 min read
Vacation Gone… Meaningful?
As I packed my bags for our last-minute family vacation to the Dominican Republic during spring break this year I was solely looking forward to the beach and all the time I will have to relax, tan,...
Read More 3 min read
Grand Day in Grand Tetons National Park
Last summer, I had the great opportunity of visiting the Grand Tetons National Park for a few days in Wyoming. My first favorite part had to be spending time with my family in such a beautiful park....
Read More 3 min read
Life-Changing Experience in India
Service is the performance of any duties or work for another. One human being lending a hand to one in need. Someone once said “You cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs...
Read More 1 min read
Discovering My Inner Self
Every kid dreams of visiting an exciting and exotic, yet foreign, place in their childhood. They want it to be a vacation spot with no rules, no parents, and definitely no school. When it’s...
Read More 3 min read
How God Healed me in the Alabama Heat
Last Sunday, my choir and I took a trip that would impact our lives. We were headed to tornado alley in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where a tornado had struck a multigenerational community. Prior to the...
Read More 3 min read
La Dominica–and 19 New Friends
In the summer of 2010, at the age of 15, I applied for a program with the Boston Red Sox. I had no idea what to expect, no knowledge of who I would meet, and only a small description of what I would...
Read More 3 min read
My Journey to Costa Rica
As the glistening sun peeked above the clouds I could see the outline of one of the most beautiful natural creations-a volcano. I have always dreamt of traveling around the world...
Read More 2 min read
“When Life Has Other Plans”
All my life, I’ve been blessed. However, I haven’t really had the opportunity to travel to very many exotic places. So, the summer before I turned 16, when my parents told me our...
Read More 2 min read
Running Through the Mountains of Big Pine, California
"I can’t feel my arm!" I cried out to my cross country teammates, as we were on our way to Big Pine, California. The drive was taking hours from Norwalk, where we were all from; so...
Read More 3 min read
.JPG)
A Favorite Experience
No other sight that I have ever laid eyes upon has moved me more that of the Roman Colosseum. I visited this legendary monument when I was fifteen years old, during a trip to Italy with International...
Read More 1 min read
Not Even Debbie Downer Can Spoil This Vacation
You could say that my last vacation was created out of spur-of-the-moment-excitedness, and the availability of a great hotel room at a discounted price. It was located in...
Read More 2 min read
Exploring Costa Rica
In April 2011 I traveled to Costa Rica with my aunt and her non-profit organization Finding Mona Lisa. When I first arrived there I almost got robbed by this man at the airport. Luckily my aunt was...
Read More 3 min read
Exploring China Through New Experiences and Adventures!
On March 9th of 2012, my family, friends and I embarked our adventure to China!We departed from Tampa International Airport and had our stop at the Detroit Airport. Once we left Detroit, we were...
Read More 2 min read
A Fire of Hope
Mixed feelings of excitement and fear filled my mind as I came upon my destination. I had imagined a town that was like mine, but it just needed a little push to get back on its feet - to get...
Read More 3 min read
“Say What?” The Beauties of Cultural Confusion
There was a school break during which we traveled to the classic old city of LiJiang, China. It’s located in Yunnan province in the Southwest of the country, right in the foothills of the Himalayas....
Read More 3 min read
Spring Break Trip to Greece
This past spring break I took a trip to Greece with my high school’s art department. We traveled with the tour company EF tours and although I had booked my spot thirteen months in advance,...
Read More 2 min read
Forever Bittersweet
Not always are trips worry-free and joyful. At least, that's what I thought when my mother, brother, and I embarked on a trip to my parents' native country of Poland to supposedly enrich...
Read More 3 min read
The Land of the Rising Sun
Just recently, I was lucky enough to be able to obtain the experience of living in Japan as a teenager and also as a tourist. This trip has brought so much memories, experience, and even improved...
Read More 2 min read
A True Heaven on Earth
When my dad had first told me I was going to Spain, I was elated. I was so happy to finally be doing something on my own and learning for myself....
Read More 3 min read
My Trip to Europe
In June of 2010, my family and I flew from Fayetteville, Arkansas to Dallas, Texas then onto Atlanta, Georgia so we could board our eleven hour flight to...
Read More 3 min read
Root Seeking Trip: More Than What Meets the Eye
In the summer of 2010, my dad had signed me up for a Root searching trip...
Read More 3 min read
A vacation and An Eye Opener
The summer of 2009 was one that changed me and my outlook on things as a person. Not only did I have different emotions about starting my freshmen year in high school, but I learned...
Read More 2 min read
Adventures in The Land Down Under
I was honored with the opportunity to travel the Continent of Australia “The Land Down Under” and after a year of creative fundraising, finally I had enough funds to accept People to...
Read More 2 min read
A New Beginning
The year was 2010. My High School Concert Band was taking a trip to Durango Colorado. My face was filled with excitement, which could easily be recognized, except no one would recognize it since...
Read More 3 min read
Moher Fun with Windy Weather!
Céad Meile Fáilte is an Irish saying meaning “Wish you 100,000 welcomes,” according to the kids guidebook we received on the first day of our tour. ...
Read More 3 min read
The Terrible Train Trip
Panic struck when we heard the conductor say, “
Read More 2 min read
Meeting Culture
As I walk into the airport, I am hit with the smell of dirt, sweat, and heat all mixed together. Outside the sky is pitch black but there are no stars to be seen due to the multitude of lights surrounding...
Read More 2 min read
What we don’t realize.
Guyana is someplace that can definitely be considered a third-world country full of poverty and corruption. Filled with humidity and humungous bugs, I considered it to be the serene place on Earth....
Read More 3 min read
A Quest for Sunshine
It was eight in the morning and the sun was already searing in the sky. I lay on top of my dry sleeping bag, something unheard of when you have camped in the Northwest your entire life. ...
Read More 3 min read
A Road Trip that Changed My Life
I have never apprehended the world prior to a road trip I acquired in 2011 down the West Coast. When you’re converging with family, enjoying surprises and amazing twists along the way…...
Read More 3 min read
Amtrak and Knitting and Fun…oh my!
The Amtrak train pulled out of the Clemson station, and we were off to my grandad's annual air force reunion. Every summer, he and his buddies get together in a different location....
Read More 2 min read
Eid – Festival that distinguishes the polar opposite social classes
As a Bangladeshi-Japanese student studying in the United States, I have learned to accept different cultures and values. When I traveled to Bangladesh two summers ago to see my relatives, I learned...
Read More 2 min read
My Name is Now Mzungu.
Hello! I am writing to you from Kampala, Uganda! It is 7:04pm on Wednesday night. The highlight of the day was definitely the Hospital visit. Katherine and I went to meet Nicolette for a tour of the Hospital.
Read More 2 min read
London Dazzles Brighter than the Crown Jewels
In the summer of 2011, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel Europe with People to People Ambassador Programs. Although we traversed six countries, England was the most vibrant and exciting...
Read More 2 min read
Education is the key to life.
Hello, My name is Julia Saravia, I am 17 years old and currently a senior at Oakland High, class of 2013. I have been living in Oakland, Ca for my whole life. I have been victim of crime and abuse...
Read More 2 min read
