"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go" -Dr. Seuss
The places I've been...I have been to so many different places, met numerous groups of different people from all different back grounds, nationalities, skin colors, economic standings, and the list goes on. One thing I have learned in all my travels is to accept. Accept things I can't control. Accept people for who they are. Accept that maybe i don't belong somewhere, but maybe I do. Accept that sometimes, a lot of time, most times, rare times, occasional times, that things don't work out the way I'd hoped and dreamed. In all of this accepting I've also learned to draw inspiration from everywhere I've been and everyone I've met, everyone I haven't met, and everyone I would hope to meet. So, in creating this section I hope to let my readers delve a little more deeply into where I get my ideas from. I'll start with the first places I travelled to and go right along up to date.
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New EnglandWhat is there to be said about New England except that it is home. People come from all over the world to experience unique to New England things such as foliage, Boston accents, and history. New England was the original landing place of the Pilgrims all those years ago and still holds tight to it's roots. Boston itself was the center of the Revolution; without this we would not have a country. New England, for those who may not know, consists of 6 states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. All of these states are different and have their own as
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CaliforniaI started traveling at the ripe age of 6. My aunt Michelle lived "out there" for 12+ years, so my family decided to send me with my other aunt, Catherine, to visit. At that time neither of then had children and me being only 6 I gave them absolute hell, to this day they will not let me forget it. As the years went on I traveled several more times to various places through out the Golden State, including Carmel, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Fremont, and several other cities. I got to do all kinds of things from run down the steep beach hills in Carmel to learning new swimming techniques at University of California Santa Cruz.
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ArubaAruba is somewhere I would really love to go back to. My aunt Catherine had her wedding on the beach here when I was a sophomore in high school. I was only 14 so I really didn't appreciate how beautiful it was as much as I should have, but looking back I would thoroughly enjoy returning to those white sand beaches and crisp blue waters.
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FranceI have now been to France twice; I went the first time in high school on a school trip. We stayed in Paris for 2 days, then stayed with a host family for 10 days (I stayed in a small town called Janze, I also travelled to Rennes while with them), then back to Paris for 2 days. This past trip was while I was abroad and I made my return to Paris. I would, ideally, like to travel southern France when I get a chance.
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ScotlandOh, Scotland, how you have won my heart. This past semester I studied abroad at University of Stirling, Scotland. I fell in love with not only the school and the people, but the country itself. It is such a romantic, beautiful, awe inspiring place. I found myself again, I found my creativity, but most of all I found a place where my heart belongs. I knew from the minute I stepped into the country that I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. There is so much to love and be amazed by, from the scenery to the hospitality, from the castles to the crazy weather, from the small villages to the big cities (of which there are few). All in all, Scotland, of all the places I've been, has won a special place in my heart which will forever remain true. While in Scotland I travelled from Edinburgh to Stirling, and visited several other places including Inverness, Glasgow, Perth, Fife, Bridge of Allan, Aviemore, and many more. I plan on traveling more over the next couple years.
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IbizaIbiza...well, it was an interesting place. Not 100% sure that I would return to this island, but I did go there. My friend, Jennifer and I traveled here this past Easter weekend. As Spain is a Catholic country, nothing was open...nothing. So, Jen and I wandered around San Antoni bay and met some lovely English boys. The weather was mild, the beaches were pretty, but we were more than ecstatic to be heading back to Scotland after a couple days.
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EnglandWhile in Scotland I got the opportunity to travel to England. I went to a small town called Stratford-Upon-Avon. Some may know it as the birthplace of Shakespeare. I know it as one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The town itself is hundreds of years old, with much of its original architecture still intact. I even go to visit Shakespeare's original house. I also went to Warwick Castle, one of the most famous and well preserved castles in England. I hope to travel more around England whilst in Scotland.
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HollandOver Easter Break of 2012, I was fortunate enough to visit the beautiful country of Holland! I went to the hometown of the Stephenson family, Coevorden. We, along with my fellow American Chris Stone, took a lovely, but chilly, walk to a nearby town called Dalen where I got to see my first, real-life windmill. The next day, we went to Amsterdam. We wandered around for a few hours exploring everything from the city center to the Red Light District. It is an amazing city with gorgeous architecture and incredible amounts of history. The weather was wonderful for us so it made the visit very pleasant.
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SpainI spent from July 14 to July 29 2012 in the wonderful town of Calonge, in the Catalonian District of Spain with the equally lovely Stephenson family. We went to several other cities, including Pals and Begur, but spent most of our time locally. I got to swim in the Mediterranean, lay on the rocks and sand next to it and sun bathe. Coming back to Scotland was really difficult after being in the sun for so long. The weather during the day never sunk below 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the sun was always shining. Because it is south of Scotland, it did not stay as light as late, but that's okay, the darkness was a welcome respite from the heat of the day. I would highly recommend this area for anyone wanting to visit Spain!
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GeorgiaAt the beginning of September 2013, my little brother graduated from Army Basic Training at Fort Benning, in Georgia. The ceremony was incredible and included examples of soldiers, all dressed in period uniform, from each of the American wars. We landed in Atlanta and didn't see much of it. We spent most of out time between Fort Benning and Columbus. At Fort Benning, we went to the Infantry Museum. I highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in the history of the Infantry or who is just feeling patriotic that day. It is a pristine museum with hours worth of information and images to take it. The weather was incredibly hot, but very different from New England heat, even Spanish heat. It was a short but wonderful trip, and I would like to visit Georgia again to see more of it.
Washington (state)I have had the good fortune of being able to visit the wonderful state of Washington. I have been to several cities, including Yelm, Olympia, and Seattle. I have also been to Mount Saint Helen as well as the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. While in Seattle, I went to the Chihuly Glass Museum and Garden. I highly recommend going if you are in the area, it is well worth the visit and a great place for some wonderful photos!
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Montreal, CanadaIn August of 2014, I traveled with my parents to the wonderful city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This was my first trip to what is known as America's hat and I felt very at home here. It reminded me quite a lot of Europe, mostly France. It brought me back to my days of living in Europe, and certainly made me "homesick"! While there, we explored the area, did a bus tour, and I competed in the FINA World Masters Championships. It was a phenomenal experience and I would certainly go back to Montreal!
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