Spring break is a time for people all across the world to enjoy some time off; a “break” from the everyday hustle bustle, work, and school. It’s a time for families join together, friends to share experiences, and for memories to be made. So with that said, what better to do than travel!
Traveling can be entirely beneficial in so many ways. Visiting new places allows individuals to expose themselves to eye-opening experiences, with a new insight to unique people, cultures, and environments that would be hard to find around your local hometown. Trips abroad also help you discover yourself, find new senses of life purpose and direction, or even just appreciate your own home even more.
Looking at humanity as a whole, people all over the globe share an equal purpose on the earth. Traveling awakens our minds to the fact that we all share similar needs and have similar moral values, regardless of the soil we live on! You may realize how little you knew about the world, or how easy it can actually be to make friends.Traveling affects the inner psychology, changes the way people portray varying societies, and emphasizes the importance of interconnectedness across our planet Earth. From the Gobi desert of China, to the architecturally beautiful Ancient Rome, to the hum and scramble on the streets of Shanghai, people worldwide can receive the positive welfare from traveling.
At Timber Creek High School, many students have embraced these travel benefits, enlightening their minds with knowledge, and experiencing new and exciting lifestyles! Sophomore Peyton Olson shares her journey to Beaver Creek, a small town on the outskirts of Avon, Colorado. Here, the majority of people spend their time doing things outside, where the low elevations are warmer, with ideal temperatures for activities like tennis a
nd golf, and the higher elevations, such as those on the mountainside, are perfect for skiing and snowboarding. Olson mentioned that many of the cultural characteristics in Avon, were unlike anything she had seen before! “While I was there, I saw these shops that the locals referred to as ‘dispensaries,’” she explains, “which is basically like a recreational and medical marijuana store…It was just completely unusual for me since I am not used to smoking as being the ‘cultural norm.’” However, not only was Olson amazed by her new discoveries, in fact, she also learned of many historical time periods and events that have comprised Avon into becoming the intriguing city it is today. Olson described how the Native American Indians used to reside in the mountains and how the Colorado River water source was vital for their survival. “They even eat a lot of bison here,” Olson states, “the Indians relied on it as one of their primary food sources, and it has just continued to be a large cultural characteristic of Colorado since.”
About 2,700 miles away from Avon, freshman Brock Doonan spent his Spring Break vacation visiting the city of Antigua, Guatemala. The dominant language in this central american city was Spanish, which Doonan full-heartedly enjoyed learning. He explained that the longer he was there, the more language he caught onto, and consequently grew eager to learn 
more about the diverse culture. While he was there, Doonan visited many of the tourist sites and landmarks, however, he was more amazed by the local towns and villages across Antigua. “It was very different,” he explains, “the conditions were much poorer than I was used to and there were vendors on every block, where kids from the ages seven to fifteen were selling things to make a profit for their families.” In Antigua, some of the people lived in small homes, some with even just a tin roof and no door. But despite the conditions, the people of Guatemala held contented attitudes, pleased with their lives and finding happiness in small things. “No one could afford cars, but no one seemed to want them anyways,” Doonan says, “instead, they would just be thrilled to play a game of soccer!”
Not too far from Antigua, another Central American country is living it up! Joshua Almodovar, a senior at Timber Creek visited Cozumel, an island in the Caribbean off the coast the Mexico, that is quite different from the ordinary communities of Orlando, Florida. Famous for their beautiful beaches and diving ex
cursions, the lifestyle of Cozumel is very laid back. Almodovar shares his experience, charmed by the coastal areas as well as the local neighborhoods he visited. He explained that compared to the United States, the economy in Cozumel was entirely different as well. “The people’s average incomes over there are much less than those in the states,” he says, “but this also means that prices, mortgages, and taxes to be lower as well, which sounds pretty good to me!” The senior also talked about the food he ate, a Spanish meal, clearly impressed with the cooks. “It was the best rice, beans, and chicken I had ever had,” Almodovar exclaimed, “and definitely the most fire guac I’ve ever eaten.”
Traveling can be one of the most thrilling experience. Taking trips is pure exposure to the cultural diversity of the world, and the best way to meet new people all across the globe.