Athens on Jet Lag 

What a whirlwind day one was! After long hours not keeping on our overnight flight from Boston to Munich, throwing back a free coffee in the airport and jumping on the next plane to Athens, I can’t believe we had enough steam to do some sightseeing.  First and foremost we had to make our way to our hotel. The information desk lady at the airport recommended the metro as the most efficient way to get there. So we paid our fare and stumbled on to claim seats since the luggage outnumbered us between carry-ons, backpacks and luggage. The way we […]

Continue Reading

Santorini Wish List

Most of my upcoming trip with my sister and friend will be spent on the island of Santorini. Known more for honeymooning than for groups of young 20 somethings, we will be soaking in the relaxed pace and quiet atmosphere for our girls trip. What am I looking forward to? Breathtaking views, delicious food, and even a donkey ride, check, check, check! We plan to take advantage of everything Santorini has to offer. Since we have more time in Santorini than in Athens we created a wish list of everything we hope to do while we are there. The Google Map […]

Continue Reading

Making the Most of Athens

I can’t believe we will take off for Greece in three short days! So exciting! Our first stop in Greece will be in Athens. We will arrive Saturday afternoon, and then leave Monday morning for Santorini. Because we will be in Athens for such a short time, we have mapped out all the things we want to see and do while we are there. That way we won’t miss anything.  Here is a look at our tentative plans: Saturday Get our bearings of the city once we have checked into the hotel by walking around the city. My camera sure is […]

Continue Reading

STEP Travel is Smart Travel

This weekend, to prepare for my trip to Greece, I registered with the US State Department in their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). It is free to enroll and there are several benefits in doing so. Travel Alerts- This came in handy when my sister (who registered before me) got an email letting us know all public workers in Greece are striking…including air traffic controllers. Meaning fights will be impacted, eek! Luckily everything seems to have worked itself out, but if there are any changes we will know. Gives the US Embassy a way to contact you in case of an […]

Continue Reading

Gaudi Mosaics

Students at my school have learned a lot about Spain since a group of nine teachers, including myself, returned from a trip there in February. The whole school has been involved, making connections to the culture and people in all areas of learning. One of my favorite projects that students are working on is in art class. Our art teacher, Mr. D, took the work of Antoni Gaudi and used it as inspiration for a mosaic project for students. One of Gaudi’s famous projects, Parc Guell in Barcelona, is a great example of mosaic work. Everywhere you look in the park, brightly […]

Continue Reading

Birthday Cheer 

The other day I received the sweetest gift for my birthday. The aide that works in my classroom knows how much I love to travel. She also knows my slight obsession with Helsinki and all things Finnish. So for my birthday she found the perfect gift that combines those two loves. She ordered me the cutest bracelet from WANDERER BRACELETS. It is a handmade bracelet made from water buffalo bone and string. Carved into the bone part are the coordinate points for Helsinki. Needless to say I was completely surprised and overwhelmed when I opened such a thoughtful gift. The bracelet […]

Continue Reading

Easter in Cuzco

Happy Easter weekend! Although this Easter will be spent at home with family, I will never forget the Easter I spent in the Andes in Cuzco, Peru. It was my first big trip without my family and I was a bit terrified to travel with a group of people I barely knew. The leap of faith was totally worth it! Traveling during a major holiday was an experience in itself. We were in Cuzco for Easter and the main square was abuzz with activity and people. Men and women were dressed in their Sunday finest. Indigenous Quechuan women walked through […]

Continue Reading

Preparing for Greece

Time to dust off my suitcase again, not that it has had much time to accumulate dust. In less than a month I will be on my way to Greece! After an overnight flight, transfer to a second flight in Germany, where my sister and I will meet up with a friend, we will be in Athens. We will spend a few days in Athens and then hop on another plane to take us to Santorini for the remainder of our trip. Honestly I can’t decide what I am most excited about as we plan out our time in Greece. Here is a […]

Continue Reading

First Time For Everything, Hostel Stay in Helsinki 

Well, I went ahead and did it. The other day I officially booked my flight to Helsinki and back home from Munich for my summer adventure. June can’t come fast enough! I am so excited to spend a few weeks exploring Finland, where my great grandparents came from, and then set out to see a few other places in Europe. Even better, my sister and I will get to spend some quality time getting to know relatives we have in Turku!  But before we meet our relatives, and before my sister arrives in Helsinki, I have decided to take a […]

Continue Reading

Alhambra

One of my favorite sites we visited in Spain was the Alhambra. What made this place extra special besides the beautiful views, intricate details and amazing history, was the fact that my mum and grandmother visited Alhambra when my mum was in high school. I felt an extra special connection to this site knowing that the two women that I love the most in this world had also seen it. I miss my grandmother, Gikee everyday and so visiting a place that she had seen and told me about made the experience all that more magical. Alhambra is located in Granada […]

Continue Reading