Travels

I have been fortunate enough to have had many opportunities for travel.  On this page, I will put up information about my trips, including hopefully some links pictures and journal entry excerpts, along with any other random babblings I feel are related.

Germany '94
This was my first experience as a Rotary Exchange Student.  I went on a Short-Term Exchange (1 month) to Ahauss, Germany.  There I stayed with the Junnemann family.  At the end of the month, their youngest daughter, Christina, came to stay with my family in the USA for one month.

England '95
After my exchange to Germany, I was bitten by the travel bug.  Sitting in my mom's office one day, she was bemoaning the fact that they had one space for an exchange to England and they just didn't have anyone to fill.  Jokingly (because I didn't expect to be allowed to go), I said "I'll go!"  Lucky me, I was taken seriously.  So I went to England for three weeks, staying in Sedgely with the Madley family.  At the end of the three week period the daughter, Elizabeth,  came back with me and stayed with my family.

Alaska '96
This was the trip that I hadn't planned on going on.  My parents planned an Alaska cruise to celebrate their anniversary in 1995.  Since I was going to be in England, I wouldn't go with them.  But then their cruise ship ran aground a week or so before they were supposed to leave for their trip.  The ship had to be repaired in dry dock, so their cruise was cancelled.  They received some nice ship credits and discounts as an apology from the cruise line.  It was because of those credits and discounts that I was able to go with then when they rescheduled their cruise for the next year!  Now, did I luck out or what?

Japan '96 - '97
This adventure (because it was much more than a simple trip)  is probably the most important one I have ever been on.  I  was in Japan from August of '96 to the end of June '97.  I lived with four Japanese families, went to Japanese high school, and generally lived the life of your typical high school student.  Assuming that the high school student lived in Japan.  This experience was what lead to my obsession with Japan.

Argentina '99
My trip to Argentina was different than my previous international travels because I was not going with Rotary.  But I wasn't going with my parents, either.  Instead, I was accompanying a family friend and her daughter (who was my age) and staying with the family of a former exchange student to Texas, Ruth Esquenazi.  The Esquenazi home was in Cordoba, though we did get the chance to travel to Buenos Aires as well.  I learned a little Spanish (with an Argentine accent) and also found out the great differences between Eastern culture, Western culture, and the culture unique to those south of the Equator.  

Hawaii '00
Ah, Hawaii.  Truly paradise, especially for me.  Sun, surf, surfers, beaches, and the Japanese language even more prevalent than Spanish in Texas.  For two wonderful months I lived in an apartment one block from Waikiki beach, worked for a Hawaiian company, and went to University of Hawaii Manoa.  I'm still trying to convince Dan that we need to move to Hawaii.  I suppose he might need to go there at least once before he agrees, though.

Japan '00
This trip consisted of a delegation of five students and two professors chosen to go to Cornell College's sister school in Tokyo.  The university was celebrating their 150th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the junior college.  On this trip, I stayed in the dorms, went to classes, and generally got a taste of what it would be like to college student in Japan.

The Mediterranean '02
This trip was what I consider to be my first real international "vacation".  It was the first time traveling abroad that I did not stay in host homes or some other type of non-touristy housing.  This was my honeymoon trip.  Dan and I cruised from Venice to Barcelona, stopping in Italy, Malta, Greece, Spain and Monaco.

Japan '04
Back to Sendai!  It was fantastic to go back to Sendai, see all my friends and experience Sendai's Tanabata Festival.  It was only a week, but we packed a lot in!

Baja '05
A fun 4-day cruise my parents took us on that started in LA and went  to San Diego, Catalina Island, and Ensenada, Mexico.   I think all of us really enjoyed ourselves!

Maui '06
Dan and I went to Maui for our friends', Miho and Kei, wedding.  It was so gorgeous and beautiful, we had a great time.  And it was made even better by getting to be a part of our friends' wedding festivities!  

Last updated 05-Jun-06