Iceland: Living in a Fairytale
As I stood above the thundering waters, I wished I could fly. My mom was at the railing next to me, staring into the mist as the rain splattered upon our heads. The waving green...
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Ogunquit: Beautiful Place by the Sea
Maine is a beautiful state nestled on the coast of New England. It kisses the chilly Atlantic Ocean while spreading its arms toward the Canadian Province, Quebec. It’s filled with natural...
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How to Have a Successful African Safari
Cameras clicked. Everyone sat motionless. I peered through a pair of binoculars at five cheetahs laying in the afternoon shade. My family was in one of the four safari vehicles that...
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Blinding Beauty
Arriving at 10:00 pm anywhere can be a little unsettling. I’ve seen a total of 8 cars in 45 minutes since I got here. It’s quiet. Too quiet. Just the eerie lights that reflect off of the stagnant,...
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Learning with Elephants
I have always heard that trips enlighten, and yes, that is true. After a trip to Thailand,...
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The Lesson Taught By Concrete
20 hours, 12 empty cups of off-brand ramen noodles, 2 cramped legs, and there I was passing through Washington on my way to the great big apple. We, my father and I, vainly opted to take the train instead...
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Breaking My Cultural Iceberg: India’s Diversity
You awake to the aroma of spices while putting on your school uniform, but it’s a new place. You say “????????!” to greet your host mother and sister, but it's a new language. The culture slowly...
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Religion and Revelry in Cuba
A window of opportunity opened last year, and through it I had the chance to travel to Cuba with my family, on a journey to trace my father’s heritage. He and his family fled during the revolution, each...
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Wild Travels in the Wild West
Many summer vacations include relaxing on the beach or lounging in a hammock under a blue sky with warm sun. However, my summer vacation was much less relaxing but surprisingly every bit as enjoyable. My...
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Beauty Amongst Poverty
The first thing I distinctly remember was the stifling temperature and humidity. Although it was summer back in Pennsylvania, I didn’t have the slightest idea of the meaning of “heat” until I...
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Falling For Niagara
I am from central Texas, where we only have two seasons; hot and less hot. Because of this, fall is a beautiful season I never had the chance to appreciate until I visited New England in November, 2016....
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Reflections from the Last Frontier
Summer in Alaska was the wilderness that embodies a grand adventure. There were looming mountains covered in dark green forests with strips of white just visible at the peaks, uninhabited islands shrouded...
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DESTINATION STAY-CATION
To paraphrase Proust, ‘discovery is not in the place, but in the eyes’. As a rising senior and competitive skater, my free time is limited. Like...
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Summer Ice Cream
A few years ago, my family had rented a house in Massachusetts with a pool to spend a week’s vacation. En route to our destination, we had gone to a local ice cream store, SoCo Creamery; the primary...
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The Blue Morpho of Tortuguero
A slight flutter in the corner of my eye captures my attention. I turn my head to catch a glimpse of the brilliant, shimmery blue morpho butterfly. As a butterfly enthusiast, I drink in...
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Capturing the Heart of Athens
The most unexpected moments sometimes turn out to be the ones that influence you the most. This was the force of the mighty Syntagma Square, the prominent historic area in Athens, Greece. It...
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Through Dust and Debris: Exploring a Buried City
If you take one look at Instagram posts under the hashtag “#vacation”, chances are you’ll see photos of people surrounded by palm trees, tanning beds, and beachside pool service in some far off...
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From Zebras To Love
“It’s a zebra!!!” Not hidden behind barred gates or three inch glass but standing directly in front of me. I leaned in close, throwing all caution to the wind with this seemingly-harmless...
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En el Corazón de la Furia Roja
The time is approximately 7:00 AM as I bid farewell to my grandmother inside of the...
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Dirt Roads and Land Cruisers: Why I Love Africa
The warm night air envelopes my face as I stretch my legs after an 8-hour flight. My mom, brothers, and I wait outside as my dad goes off in search of our driver, Stefan. I smile to myself. The familiar...
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A Volcano and a Hitchhiker Open My Eyes
We had been on Big Island for a week, enjoying the vibrant blue water and colorful Hawaiian reefs, when our family decided we wanted something more adventurous. Naturally, we decided to visit a volcano...
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Graceful Song for Beyond the Grave
A full expanse of mountainous Korean land stretched out before us with little hill-like graves embodying the terraced plot of land. Pine trees swayed in the wind as the setting sun’s rays warmed their...
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Dust Motes
The dust motes. They floated with the ambience of rolling hills. A suspended colloid, only visible with a shaft of early morning sunlight piercing through the window of the electric bus, making those...
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There Are Rats All Over the World
Venice, Italy is like no other place in all the world. Venetian beauty cascades from atop the clanging San Marco bell tower all the way down into its teaming maze of canals. Walking the narrow,...
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The True Meaning that Lies Beyond the Ocean
“The ocean is everything I want to be. Beautiful, mysterious, wild, and free.” The first time I laid my eyes on the ocean, I instantly fell in love. Ever since I was a young child I...
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A Glimpse Into My Future
"What colleges are you applying to?" "Do you know what you want to major in?" "Are you going to get a dorm or live at home?" Every high school senior has heard these questions...
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The Unexpected Joys In Bread, Cobblestones, and Graffiti
During every vacation that my family takes together, I insist that we must visit various historical sites. When we travelled to France, I fought for a detour to Normandy. When in London, I dragged them...
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First of Many Best Friend Adventures
The last wedding on my mom’s side of the family was finalized, and my family’s attendance was most certainly required. This was the perfect trip for my best...
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“I Think We Might Die” – Tempting Fate at ‘The Bowl’
It was 5:30 am and my mom was egregiously speeding through Arches National Park in Utah. The speed limit was 25 around long, looping curves and roads that wound between towering spires of red sandstone,...
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Bewitched in Barcelona
There is no such thing as being over-prepared! I think to myself as I scour “Best Things to Do in Barcelona” lists, read restaurant reviews, and print tickets. My family is going to Barcelona...
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The Concept of a Home
All around the world, people define the word “home” differently. No matter the language it is pronounced in, every person has their own deeper, more individualistic perspective on the concept of...
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New York’s Unexpected Beauties
The city was breathtaking, an enchanting and magnetic place I will never forget. The hustle and bustle of New Yorkers trying to get to where they need to be, tourists snapping pictures at every location,...
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Day Trip to an Underwater Paradise – Kapalua Bay, Maui
The first time I went snorkeling, I received a mouthful of salty seawater and had only spent minutes in the wind-swept water before scampering back to...
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The Birth of the Lakeside Varsity Canoe Team
It was a misty June day when a hearty outdoorsman, a math teacher, and an eclectic mix of ten disheveled teenagers arrived at one of the best kept secrets of the Pacific Northwest. Only one of them...
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How I Traveled the World (and Time) in One Day
As I walk through this tunnel of bamboo and listen to the wind whistling...
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Amber Eyes
Swish. Swish. The sound of a lion’s tail moves through the African bushes. I’m in Kenya at one of Kenya’s national nature reserves. Kenya is famous in East Africa for their reserves and safaris....
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An Ocean Away
Craning my neck and shielding my eyes from the sun, I admired the massive, intimidating, and beautiful structure that towered in front of me. As I waited I listened to the medley of voices around me,...
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My Trip Alaska
Alaska is amazing. Millions of people vacation there every summer, and I was one of the lucky ones. In July 2016, I traveled there from my home in Everett, Wash.,...
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History Below The Streets
I’m eighty meters underground. To some, that number conjures images of a claustrophobic space far beneath the earth, perhaps an abandoned mine shaft or a well that was sealed off long ago. Both are...
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The Philippines
On television, I would always see the perfect American family, a happily married couple with a few children. You don’t usually think of just a mother and daughter but that’s what my family was. I...
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A Misrepresented City and a Thousand Discoveries
Cambodia, Armenia, Bosnia, Sudan, Germany, and Rwanda. Each of these nations has one common thread,...
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El Casado
“¿Puedo tener el casado?” The waitress from Tierra Mia smiled at me. “I speak English, honey. You’d like la comida típica?” I nodded my head up and down, careful not to further...
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Journey of the Heart: My Time in Togo
Every summer, I go on a mission trip through Seacoast Church. It has been my personal tradition since my freshman year of high school that has taken me to Costa Rica, Thailand, and many destinations...
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A Window Into Her Past
Ever since I made my first venture outside of my home country, the United States, when I was 11, I have had a passionate desire to travel abroad. After Nicaragua, I was continually...
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Siblings of the Sea: Ethereal Encounter on the Island of Lanai
I heard them first. The soloist belting out high pitched whistles, each one a burst...
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A Drive Down Memory Lane
I looked to my mother and saw a tear roll down her worn face as she said “We’re here love, this is where my father fished and...
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An Underwater World of Wonder: A Glimpse Into My Future
Softly…softly… Whisper in my ears Swell towards the land Spray on me your tears Let me hold you in my hand Softly…softly… Quickly, quickly! Rush towards the shore High tide is coming Breaking...
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Paris Lies Hidden Behind Florist Petals and Train Station Clocks
I arrived in Paris by train. Greeted by graffiti bricks and a sun strong enough to dry out my damp soul. I had spent the past week in cloudy London surrounded by grand cathedrals and gardens fit for...
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