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Fiji (Photo creds: Leo Kaplan)
I went to Fiji when I was an 11 year old 6th grader. I want to start off by saying that I was really young, and I honestly don’t remember much about the trip. But what I do remember, I’ll write about. And some of what I don’t remember can be filled in by the photos taken by my stepdad that my mom emailed me when I asked for them. Continue reading
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Brussels, Belgium (Photo creds: me)
Due to poor research and planning, I ended up with only about 3 hours in Brussels, Belgium. So what could I have possibly done in only 3 hours? Plenty! Continue reading
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Negev Desert, Israel (Photo creds: me)
As I was born Jewish, I was given the incredible opportunity to take a ‘Birthright’ trip – anyone born Jewish outside of Israel gets a free 10 day trip to Israel, provided for and paid completely by the Israeli government. All I had to pay for myself was lunch and souvenirs. My 10 days in Israel were incredibly life changing for more than one reason, but from all the places in Israel that I visited, I enjoyed my time in the Negev the most. Continue reading
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Cinque Terre, Italy (Photo creds: me)
Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places I’ve ever stepped foot in. Cinque Terre is made up of 5 different terre’s, something I wasn’t aware of until I got there. For those of you who don’t know what that means, Cinque Terre is 5 separate towns north of La Spezia, on the coast of Italy. Each one is just as breathtaking as the one before. The 5 terre’s are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Continue reading
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New York City, USA (Photo creds: me)
For the most part, I was never much of a city girl. I was never a fan of LA, I actually dislike Los Angeles quite a lot. But New York City was different. The first time I went was on a school trip in 8th grade. I don’t remember much from that trip, and it was only for a few days. Fast forward…. 7 years? There’s 20 year old me, having just gotten home from my first real traveling experience – my birthright trip to Israel – and already craving being somewhere outside of California. Spontaneous thinking brought me the idea to go visit my cousin in New York. He used to live in the suburbs further outside of the city, but he’d been in the city ever since he started at his university. So I booked my flight to spend 3 weeks with my cousin, and then I waited. Continue reading
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Ios, Greece (Photo creds: me)
Greece is a beautiful country with countless beautiful islands and cities, my absolute favorite of all being Ios. While Santorini is definitely one of the more well known Greek islands, and most definitely a breathtaking one, my time in Ios was unforgettable and left Santorini in second place. For those people who are more aware of certain Greek islands, you’ve probably heard of Mykonos and heard about how it is a party island that comes with a great time. I’m here to tell you to go to lesser known Ios first! Obviously traveling is about so much more than partying. It is a way to experience new cultures in a place far out of your comfort zone, and to enrich yourself as a person by widening your horizons and seeing new places. But a little bit of partying never hurt anyone. Continue reading
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Vondelpark- Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Photo creds: Laura Branson)
Being a student comes with so many responsibilities and stress, especially being a student at UCSB, because school in the quarter system is NOT easy. It’s fast paced beyond anything I imagined, with another midterm or another paper ever single week. Throw in a job, an internship, and being Vice President of a club, and you’ve got me pulling my hair out day after day. Continue reading
Bit By Wanderlust 