Tag Archives: featured

Guatemala: Expectations

1/30/20 I like to know what's going on. Unfortunately, I don't always in my host family. I have a couple of instances of this that come to mind. The first is with my host brother Jacob. He is in the army but comes home for weekends. Two weekends ago, I went along to take him back … Continue Reading ››
Chichicastenango vendors

Guatemala: Observations on a Roof in Zona 7 de Mixco

The sun makes a halo in the air pollution as it falls behind the mountains. A slight breeze plays with the leaves, my hair, and the laundry line. My brother’s Honda jacket still hangs there. How many days has it been now? Several dogs engage in territory disputes, paws and head visible over brightly-painted roof-edge walls. Barking. Grackles soar … Continue Reading ››
Chichicastenango vendors

Guatemala: An introduction

La Primera Semana (The First Week) We arrived on Jan. 9, and now it's Jan. 19.  10 days feel more like 30 days.  Highlights and low-lights have included me coming down with tonsillitis for the 3rd time in 2 months, quickly getting antibiotics thanks to Peyton's "host" cousin who is a doctor, hiking Pacaya Volcano (about … Continue Reading ››

Europe: A final thought

I haven’t really been able to process everything I’ve just seen and experienced and done over the past three and a half months, and I think it is going to take me some time to do so. I’ve learned so many things. But one thing that sticks out to me as of this moment that … Continue Reading ››
On the Mönchsberg with the city of Salzburg behind us

Europe: Immigration in Austria

24 October 2019* On September 27th, I had the privilege of playing soccer alongside refugees in a tournament that was part of “Langer Tag der Flucht” (long day of the escape), a full day event devoted to the stories of refugees in Vienna, Austria.  As I was enjoying the sport I love and practicing my amateur … Continue Reading ››
On the Mönchsberg with the city of Salzburg behind us

Europe: insights to the Holocaust

4 November 2019 When we started learning about the Holocaust in Europe, specifically in Vienna, I felt like being American, being so far removed from these tragedies, had made it difficult to understand them until I was there in the countries where they took place.  It impacted me greatly to be standing in the plaza where … Continue Reading ››
On the Mönchsberg with the city of Salzburg behind us

Europe: Budapest

14 October 2019 One huge difference between Europe and North America is that you can take a three-hour train ride to get to another country and never have your passport checked! Thursday morning, our group met at Hauptbahnhof and took a train to Budapest, Hungary. During our three full days in a new city, we had … Continue Reading ››
On the Mönchsberg with the city of Salzburg behind us

Europe: Taking the opportunity

9 October 2019 I spent the fall semester of 2018 in DC with the Washington Community Scholars’ Program. I have the privilege of spending this semester in Europe studying art and theater. Theater is one thing that my two cross-culturals have in common. While I was in DC I worked as the … Continue Reading ››
On the Mönchsberg with the city of Salzburg behind us

Europe: Salzburg and Vienna

Highlights of Salzburg:

  • Walking through old-town Salzburg
  • Visiting stunning baroque churches like the University Church and the Salzburg Cathedral
  • Hiking up Mönchsberg to visit Salzburg fortress
  • Taking a cable car up the Untersberg and hiking to the top
  • Day-trip to Bavaria, where we took a boat to King’s Lake and visited salt mines\
    • … Continue Reading ››
    On the Mönchsberg with the city of Salzburg behind us