Tiger Hunters
The rustic orange color of mud had completely taken over my black converse high-tops, my hands, and my knees by the time we got through the dense forest. The mud combined with the water flowing from...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust
I briefly allow my mind to wander....
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Eyes Widen and Heart Soars
Picture this: You're walking down a cobblestone street, to the left you can see a small glimpse of the canal that runs through the town and to the right...
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In the Steps of History
The first three days went by so quickly, I hardly even remembered to text anyone back home or let my mom know how everything was going. My new Dutch friends were kind enough to answer many of the questions...
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Lost and…
Aruba, home to Dutch chocolate and clear water, was proving hot, brown and spurious as my family of nine bounced across the desert in a rustic van frantically searching the unforgiving landscape for...
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I Do
I am, by far, the least musically inclined person I know. Yet that doesn’t...
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48 Hours in London
Comely cornerside shops selling fish and chips, ancient yet steadfast Gothic architecture among sleek silver skyscrapers, the thick whirl of a gray-tinged Thames -...
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A Day in Their Shoes
On February 17th, 2017, I embarked on a 12 day trip throughout Eastern Europe with a group of students I had never met before. See, I was a senior at the time, well the only senior on a trip full of...
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My Journey of Discovering the Meaning of “Sí Se Puede”
The world is a marvelous place, home to many cultures, beautiful scenery, and many undiscovered beauties. Since I was a child, I dreamt of traveling this beautiful blue marble, called Earth. I had no...
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Galveston: The (Not So) Pristine, Sunny and Glamorous Beach Getaway
It rained so hard on the drive down to the island that the only thing I could see sometimes was the taillights of the car in front of us. Since the sun rose the sky had been grey, and the car crept forward...
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The Pounds I Gained from Paris to Provence
In a word association test pertaining to France, people will likely come up with answers such as Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Tour de France. However, I had the opportunity to visit France with my family...
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The Trip of a Lifetime
When I was a little girl, the best presents I would receive were from my grandmother. My chest would cinch with anticipation as I spotted one of her coveted parcels lying in the doorway. Inside would...
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5 Tips for Experiencing England
In June of 2017 I traveled to England, with a group of High-School students to explore British Literature and Culture. I traveled to Oxford, Stratford, Bath, Warwick, Canterbury, London, etcI. was...
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Shoot for the Stars
Every family has their ups and downs. Every family is different, every family loves in different ways. Every family is at least slightly crazy, and if this in't true for your family, you haven't spent...
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An Unexpected Present
As we approach our destination of Lake Tahoe, California, a drastic shift from our home town gradually emerges. The tall buildings which ruled the city are replaced with densely packed fir trees, stretched...
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The Korean Summer Sun
The smell; that’s the first thing I noticed when my plane touched down in South Korea on July 17, 2016. The smell was nothing like I’d ever experienced before,...
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A Muggy, Mesmerizing Madness: Airports
I am not an avid traveler. I fly occasionally--once or twice a year, sometimes not at all. I wish it was more. My family always drove wherever we went, enduring the cramped car trips to cut expenses....
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Mockingbird’s Call to Humanity
It was blasted cold, and being the Texas girl I am, I was bundled in layers of thick jackets and mittens. After having waited in a long line outside and then confronted by a picky squad of security, I...
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Cleveland!
As we traveled across the sleepy Ohio landscape, no one imagined the history we were about to encounter. We made our way through the tree lined streets till we were greeted by Alan Canfora, a self proclaimed...
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Shoebox Campout – The Things A Person Will Do When They Are Hungry
There is an annual boy scout campout my troop does every year called Shoebox Campout. Of all the trips that our troops does in the year, this is one of the most challenging. For one weekend,...
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Lost in Iceland
One year ago I had the opportunity to journey to Iceland with my father in hopes of finding an adventure. Beside the island’s infamous volcanic eruptions and music from Bjork, Iceland is home to a...
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Sunshine, Sand, Seaturtles, and Summer Fun!
My small hometown in the Sunshine State is the perfect place to visit throughout the year with its perennial temperatures averaging a perfect 75 degrees. The town originally began around the late 19th...
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Yaquina Head: A Journey Never to be Forgotten
The vast ocean lay in front of me, a massive blanket with no end in sight. Overhead, streaks of cirrus clouds graced the pale blue sky like the wings of an enormous Trumpeter Swan. Beneath my feet lay...
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Dragon Army’s Adventure Legacy : What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Our Memories for Ever
Nostalgia. Nostalgia. Nostalgia. I can still recall the crisp, rushing wind as it grazed my face from every angle. As we twisted and turned so rapidly, the darkness of the night was engulfed by the...
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Death on the Bridge of Life
Calm waters shift slowly on one side. Driven, velocious cars journey on the other. A living form of juxtaposition. I feel the shadows of those who marched on the Edmund Pettus Bridge beside me. Heads up,...
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Hope in the Midst of Despair
The building looked innocent enough from the street. With its greying stone, plain rectangular structure, and uniform windows, it looked like simply another old office building that you could walk past,...
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