Travel

Finding family at Savior Children Foundation: My volunteer experience in Ghana

I'm sitting under the large, metal pavilion in a plastic chair alongside the kids. All of the other volunteers have left, so I'm alone -- as I have been the past two days. Mr. Patrick sits at the front of the room, reading a story about Moses. The kids, ranging from 5 to 18 years, listen intently as I panic about the time that ticks by on my watch. 5:27 p.m., it reads. Somehow, five weeks has dwindled down to three minutes, and I am not ready to leave.

Anxiety above the Virgin Islands

South of the typical French experience

It was the morning after France had beaten Croatia to win the 2018 World Cup. I sat on a plane at 8 a.m., preparing to land at Charles De Gaulle Airport. My mother, sister and I boarded a train, and in just a few stops, we were standing in the heart of Paris with our suitcases in hand.

Portugal: Where the old world meets the new

When I was a kid, I read a book in which one of the characters had the ability to see into the past. If she concentrated, she could watch everything that had ever happened in a certain place. I've often wished I could have that power, but never more so than when strolling the steep narrow streets of Portugal.

Experiencing 'Dead Season' in Northern Michigan

If you look up Good Old Books online, you'll find that the Leland, Michigan, used and rare bookstore is only open from mid-May to mid-October. But if, on a cold winter afternoon, you walk up to a gray-blue, bi-level home with an "OLD, RARE BOOKS" sign posted in the yard, you'll find a note signed by George and Mary Ball.

Older and Wiser in Washington, D.C.

I walk up the escalator into the center of the National Mall and sigh.

Lilly and Me: A snowstorm in Shenandoah

The most disappointing aspect of my spring break backpacking trip was not that it got cut short.

Setting sights on Boston (again)

The first time I visited Boston, I was dead-set on attending Northeastern University, and the universe seemed to be telling me this was a good idea. It was August, a balmy 80 degrees, and my assigned tour guide was, objectively, the hottest one (I say "objectively" because our group somehow ended up three times as big as everyone else's, and entirely female).

Christianity and conversations on the beach

I debated back and forth for a couple of weeks about my spring break plans, but I eventually decided that being beachside was more favorable than snowed in. So, I traveled to Panama City Beach for a week of sunshine.

Stepping into Anne Frank's home

Step. Wait. Step. Wait.

Attending church abroad: More museum than mass

The gray and blue stone shoots out over the tops of the uniform orange shingles of Bruges' buildings. Equally beautiful, yet somehow out of place, St. Salvator's Cathedral towers over the carefully crafted, old-timey Bruges like a grandfather sitting next to a 20-year-old with full makeup, striving to look old enough to get into a bar. The authenticity sometimes missing in the tourist packed streets oozes off of the cathedral.

Outside Oxford: Dayton's Oregon District

Parks and Recommendations

Your roommate booked a cruise to Cancun. Your sorority sister is headed to Breckenridge to hit the slopes. Even your Stats professor is bragging about their planned trip up to Windsor to win big at the blackjack tables.

Barcelona protests touch the lives of Miami students abroad

On October 1, 2017, the citizens of Catalonia voted to declare independence from Spain.

Why do we travel?

They say there are no stupid questions, just stupid answers. So the question, "why do we travel?" can't be dumb. However, (and I would bold, italicize and underline that word if possible) there are some answers that are so lacking in intelligence that I find myself staring into the void wondering where we went wrong.

A Magical Christmas in Quebec

I've been thinking a lot about magic lately.

Overload in New Orleans

I spent the flight home from New Orleans cradling my head on a paperback-size excuse for a tray table, feeling vaguely like I should be hospitalized but not knowing for what ailment or for how long.

TMS Travel: Your guide to Fall Break

As we finish up midterms and put the closing touches on our mid-semester essays, it's time to put the books away, let our brains relax and have some fun on Fall Break.

Outside Oxford: Rabbits 'Intrude' on Hamilton sculpture park

The bunnies dot the grassy lawn atop Pyramid Hill. Some lean back, relaxed, their droopy ears flopping on the ground. Others stand tall on their hind legs, reaching up with their curious noses, sniffing the leaves of the trees. The park is their playground, and they can be spotted across the hill, exploring, enjoying the calm and misty environment.

Day tripper: A guide to Indianapolis

At just shy of a two-hour drive from Oxford, Indiana's capital city is a great bet if you've been procrastinating on your Fall Break travel plans. If youstay longer than a day, there are plenty activities to fill your weekend, but if your time and money are limited, you can still make a day trip worth your while. Not including gas, this whole itinerary will cost you about $50.