Category: First Semester Passion Blog

During my time in Barcelona, my friends and I went to Italy for a weekend. Although we were only there for a few days, I still thoroughly enjoyed the trip and got to see many wonderful things that the country had to offer.

First, we flew into Florence. After checking into our hostel, we walked to a local market for dinner. I got to eat authentic Florentine pizza and got have a nice glass of wine with my dinner. Following that lovely meal, my friends and I went to the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). On the bridge, we had a beautiful view of the arno river and the surrounding buildings. The next day, we wandered around the city exploring the local shops and culture. I got to see the Florence Cathedral and was in awe of its structural and artistic beauty. We eventually found ourselves in a bodega (wine shop). My friends and I got to sip authentic Italian wine while having a breath-taking view of the hills. After that, we walked to the top of a large hill that overlooked the city. We met some other Americans there and ended up hanging out with them that night.

Our flight back to Spain was through Pisa, so the next day we took a train to Pisa. The train ride through the countryside was very enjoyable as I got to stare out the window and see the beautiful Italian countryside. After the arrival to Pisa, I got to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa; I won’t lie, it was kind of a hike but the view at the top was worth it. I felt like a bird; I could see the whole city and the surrounding hills and trees. Following this, my friends and I went to the airport for our flight back to Barcelona. We got to see three cities in one day (Florence, Pisa, and Barcelona). Although the visit was short, I can say that I loved every minute of it and that I would love to go back.

What I loved about Florence and Pisa is how authentically Italian the cities are. There are no skyscrapers or large buildings and the roads are barely wide enough for cars to drive. The people are friendly and of course the food is amazing. The city seems like it has barely changed over the last few hundred years. Italy has a traditional and very rustic vibe that I enjoyed and believe that many others would enjoy too.

After staying in Spain for a month, I ventured another 14 hours across the globe to Thailand. This is the second country that I have visited in Asia, after China (not considering layovers in Qatar and Tokyo). I was very excited to return to Asia and see the many beautiful things Thailand had to offer.

After landing in Bangkok, I reunited with some of my previous group members at the airport. After dropping our bags off at the hotel, we went on a boat tour through the city on the Chao Phraya river. After the boat ride, we continued to walk through the city and tried some authentic Thai food. Something that surprised me is that Thai people typically don’t use chopsticks for food other than noodles; I also hit my head several times when walking into restaraunts, as the average heigh is 5′ 5.9″ for males. We visited several temples within Bangkok; as a predominantly Buddhist country, Thailand has over 40k temples. At one of these temples, a I received a yellow bracelet from a monk; it was supposed to bring good luck and I have not removed it since. On our last day in Bangkok, we visited the mall. It was at least 7 stories and even had a movie theatre.

After Bangkok, we took a train to Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand. We then drove a few hours to an elephant rehabilitation center called Elephant Valley. For 5 days, I worked at the valley cleaning up elephant droppings (did not actually smell that bad), bathing elephants, and helping to plant grass for them to eat. Being this close to such large yet majestic creatures was a fascinating experience. Every morning, I would wake up and see an elephant. We got to see them eat, sleep, and play around in the water. I will never forget this amazing experience around these incredible animals.

Finally, we drove a few more hours north to the city of Chiang Rai. We participated in a general tour of the city and visited a few temples. Unfortunately, the trip had to end early because of the coronavirus and I was forced to return home. It was unfortunate because that week, we were supposed to teach Thai kids English and after that, we were supposed to visit the beach at Krabi before reuniting with our other group members at a castle outside of London.

Although I did not get to do everything on my intinerary, I still enjoyed Thailand very much. The weather is hot and humid, but the people are some of the nicest I’ve ever met. Unlike a lot of Asian countries, cars will actually stop when you cross the road. The food is EXTREMELY spicy (our version of spicy is their mild) and the temples are beautiful. Thailand is one of my favorite places that I’ve visited and I hope to return someday to complete the activities that I did not get to do because of coronavirus.

 

After visiting Amsterdam, I then traveled to Paris for a few days. Paris is a wonderful city full of magnificent monuments, architecture, and people. During my stay here, I had the privelege of visiting many of the hallmarks of French culture and experienced Parisian life firsthand.

After getting off the train and checking into the hostel, I then went on a walking tour of the city seeing things such as the Eiffel Tour, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Notre Dame Cathedral (albeit still under repairs). I also took part of a boat tour on the Seine River, which flows through the city. Here I was able to really see the whole city and the way it glows at night.

Obviously it wouldn’t have been a trip to Paris if I did not go to the Louvre. I had been to art museums before but I had never seen so many vast and diverse collections of art in one place. Personally, I enjoyed the Egyptian Art they had the most but also found myself intrigued by the African Art section and of course your typical Renaissance Art. There was a really long line to see the Mona Lisa but I could still see the painting from a good distance away. I felt a strong feeling of awe and wonder seeing the most famous painting in the world in person. One tip for going to Louvre is have a map or plan because I did manage to get lost inside.

Besides visiting the typical tourist destinations, I got to meet some interesting people while navigating through the streets of Paris. A friend and I met and had dinner with two fashion designers from New York; I also had a long conversion with a bartender who thought I was English (not sure how the accent didn’t scream American). It was during these fun new experiences when I heard the news of Kobe Bryan’t passing. I will never forget where I was that night, eating cheese and crackers in a downtown restaraunt. Finally, to end on a brighter note, I attended a Cabaret show. The dancers were brilliant and the atmosphere was very vibrant.

Overall, I would say Paris is a fantastic place. It is a city full of historical and cultural significance; I understand why some consider it to be the most beautiful city in the world. Although my stay was limited to a few days, I would love to visit again someday.

 

For this blog post, I will be sharing my experiences from when I visited the city of Amsterdam last January. Of course, visiting during January, it was always freezing outside; unfortunately for me, I did not pack a sufficient winter coat so the city felt very chilly to me. Although I froze like an icicle, the weather had no bearing over my enjoyment of the city.

Amsterdam retains its Dutch authenticity. Unlike a lot of American cities, there were no skyscrapers or large buldings; most were not even more than a few stories tall. The buidlings all have similiar architecture with bricks and bright colors. The roads are very narrow in Amsterdam so you don’t see a lot of cars; people prefer to ride bikes and there are definitely more bikes than cars. Cars are not even necessary, as most activities within the city are within ten minutes of the central metro station. The close proximity of almost everything in the city made me appreciate the complex design of the city.

Amsterdam is adapted to water, as the Amstel river runs through the city. There are lots of bridges and canals running among the narrower streets. A tour guide told me that the city had to put up fences around the water to prevent drunken English tourists from falling in the water (seriously). My favorite activities from the city were trying the street food and a boat tour of the city. Amsterdam has lots of street vendors selling all types of fooc, but my favorite was definitely the stroopwafel. Stroopwafels consist of two thin waffles stuck together with a thick layer of caramel in the middle. On a cold January morning, it was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. During the boat tour, I got to see the beauty of the city and just how well-connected it was. Finally, the Dutch people themselves are some of the nicest people I have ever met. The Netherlands has the highest proficiency of non-native English speakers with nearly 70% of the population speaking it; they are also very friendly and kind when giving directions or suggesting what to do in the city.

Overall, Amsterdam is one of the most friendly and easy cities to navigate for tourists. You can enjoy authentic Dutch culture while also being able to communicate and find your way (if you speak English). I would definitely suggest visiting Amsterdam but would also suggest brining warm clothes, as that was a grave mistake that I made.

Until last January, I had never visited Europe. That all changed when I arrived in London on January 20th, 2020. Although I only spent four days in the city, I was able to see many of the things that London had to offer.

Although London is in another English speaking country, I defintely felt that London was a very different city. Just the way that the city was laid out and the way all the building appeared to me seemed foreign; not to mention all the cars driving on the left side of the road. I went on a few walking tours around the city. I saw many places such as the Royal Palace, Big Ben, and the London Bridge. London also has a lot of wonderful and interesting street art. Near the Southbank Centre, I visited a skate park with lots of wonderful graffiti. I also visited another part of the city where almost every building was filled with graffiti. There were many different styles and works from many artists including famous artists like Banksy. My favorite activity that I did in London was the Jack the Ripper tour. While I’ve always found the cases of the infamous serial killer to be intriguing, it was the tour guide who made the tour interesting. He spoke in a very odd and humerous way downplaying the gruesome crimes that had been committed decades before. He wore 19th century clothes, spoke in a Victorian manner, and even carried around a lamp.

I also had my first real experience traveling through the city subway system. At first, it was a little hard for me to figure out which train to get on or where I was going; luckily, I was part of a very large group. Unfortunately, I lost my original subway card so I had to scramble to purchase a new one. Fortunately for me, I did not get pickpocketed while I was on the metro.

Overall, London was a very beautiful and interesting city. I saw many great and interesting things while also experiencing Europe for the first time with my peers. The only negative thing I have to say about the city is that it can be a little expensive; I brought 100 British Pounds cash with me and it was all gone after the first day. But I wouldn’t let that discourage anyone from visiting this wonderful city and I hope that I have the privelege to reutrn one day.

 

The summer after my junior year, as part of meeting my service requirements, I took part in my school’s service trip to Belize. Belize is located in Central America bordering Guatemala to the west and Mexico to the north. Unlike its neighbors, Spanish is not widely spoken; as a former British colony, English and Belizean Creole are the most popular languages. Going into the trip, I expected to just build a house and maybe see some marine life, but this trip impacted me in ways I would have never expected.

For the first part of my trip, my classmates, three teacher/faculty chaperones, and myself visited San Pedro. Here, we went snorkeling off the coast of the island. Unlike many beaches in the United States, the water is very clear and you can actually see. On the boat rides out to the snorkeling spots we would sometimes see rays swimming alongside the boat.The water had many different colors too; sometimes the water was light blue, turquoise, and even green. We were able to see and swim alongside lots of marine life;I was actually able to touch the fin of a shark. One of my friends even got bitten by an octopus. The beauty of the Belizean waters is indescribable and full of marine diversity.

For the service part of our trip, my classmates and I ventured to Belize City. Here, we helped to build houses for people with a program called Hand-In-Hand Ministries. In three nine hour work days, we were able to finish building the house. This was my first construction experience and it was a little difficult for me at first. I remember watching with my classmates in awe as one of the other volunteers, Mr. Barry, hammer nails in one try and with ease. Working in humid one hundred degree weather didn’t make it easier. But after all these obstacles, I will never forget the satisfaction of building that house with my classmates.

For the last part of this trip, we stayed in a resort in the western part of the country close to the border with Guatemala. This wasn’t your typical five star resort; we stayed in huts on a large property by a river. My group and I visited some ancient Mayan temples, went tubing down the river, and went swimming at a cenote. Here, I really got to see the rural aspects of the country and not just the tourist hotspots.

Even though people typically visit Belize for its tropical paradise, the country has a lot more to offer. There is a lot of ancient history to explore but also a distinct people and culture. I met lots of very interesting and nice people including native Mayans, a former Belizean professional soccer player, a volunteer named Randy, and a hot sauce creator who had also had the surname Galvez (unrelated). I took part in many new experiences that I will never forget and I do suggest visiting the country some day.

When I first went to China three summers ago, I experienced quite a bit of culture shock. From eating scorpions and cucumber flavored chips to seeing vending machines selling Jack Daniels, I saw and experienced many new things. At the same time, I was amazed at all the differences and enjoyed every minute of it. This post is about the second country I visited outside of the United States, and the first time I ever went halfway around the world.

At the beginning of the summer after my sophomore year of high-school, I was a part of my school’s first trip to China. The group consisted of fourteen of my classmates, two teachers, myself, and a Chinese guide named Arthur; we all bonded quickly through our shared experiences together. After 16 hours of flying, we landed in Beijing. During my time there, the group and I visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the National Museum, the Pearl Market, and several Buddhist temples. I’ve always loved Chinese history and culture and it was an amazing experience to be able to experience it first hand.

After staying in Beijing for about a week, my group and I went to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. It was a thrilling experience standing on such a significant historical artifact but it also came with a breathtaking view and a lot of stairs. The night before, we stayed in a rural village and were able to see how people lived outside the city. After the Great Wall, we took a bus to Shanghai. After an initial tour of the city, we visited the Oriental Pearl TV Tower; I was able to see the entire city beneath my feet. We also visited the Madame Tussauds Shanghai, a wax museum, and spoke to an American representative of Under Armour in Shanghai. I learned that Under Amour was trying to branch out into China but marketed themselves as more luxury clothing rather than athletics, another difference between China and home. After staying in Shanghai for a few days, we returned to Beijing for a few more days and then sadly returned home after two weeks of seeing the country.

This trip will always have a special place in my heart. I was my first time going to Asia and I loved all the little differences. These include never seeing dog with a leash on, the exotic foods, Chinese people wearing t-shirts with english profanity, and even seeking a goose walk around the Beijing University where I stayed. Although public perception of China now may be a little bit complicated, once international travel resumes, I would definitely suggest visiting such a cultural and historically rich place.

Traveling and seeing the world has always been a big part of me. I’ve always had my aspirations to see the world and I am very fortunate to have been able to travel to so many cool places. For the first official post of this topic, I figured it would be appropriate to talk about my first experience out of the country, seeing Niagara Falls and Toronto with my family. Although it is not far from our borders, it was still a special and memorable experience for me, as I was able to add one tally for foreign countries that I have visited.

I first visited Canada with my family in June of 2013. I remember being very excited to leave the country for the first time, but not so excited to sit in a car with my sisters for 8 hours. Eventually, we made it to the Sheraton Hotel and were able to get a first glimpse of the city. The next day, we went to Niagara Falls. We went on one of those ferry tours through the falls; wearing ponchos and sunglasses, we were able to see the beauty of this landmark up close. Our hotel also had an amazing view of the waterfall and there were even fireworks some nights. I will never forget the beauty, grace, and tenacity of Niagra Falls.

After seeing Niagara Falls, my family and I ventured to downtownToronto. We did many activities such as a double-decker tour bus of the city, visiting the Royal Ontario Museum, and went to the St. Lawrence Market. My family and I also took a ferry to see the Toronto islands one day. These activities allowed me to see what Toronto had to offer but also what life in another country is like. We also went to a restaurant featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Stockyard. Even our hotel was a site to see itself. It was right in the middle of the city and even had a rooftop pool where we could see the lights and skyscrapers of downtown Toronto.

This vacation with my family will always have a special place with me. My first trip out of the country showed me that the world has plenty to offer outside of the United States but that I also didn’t have to travel halfway around the world to see it. This trip taught me about Canada, but also fueled my passion for visiting other countries. It seems fitting that my first foreign country visited would be our next door neighbor.