Post By Lauren Brooks

Summer of 2019 has been a busy one. Filled with excitement, adventures and most of all lots and lots of travel. During the year I am busy with school and work, but every summer my family tries to find time to take a vacation somewhere new. People always say “wait until you retire to travel, you will have more money and not have to work.” I beg to differ this point because saving up money every year and traveling young is incredibly important. Do it while you are physically able! Traveling is worth it, but it is incredibly tiring - do as much as you can when you’re young. Stop spending money on materialistic objects that will only last you a few years when you can make memories on trips that will last you a lifetime! 

I love to travel. Whether it is out of the country, in the United States or an hour away. This summer I traveled to far places, way outside of my comfort zone. Australia and Ireland. Both of these amazing experiences will stay with me forever and I will always remember the memories I made with my family and new friends. 

AUSTRALIA 

Just a few short days after my final exam of junior year at West Chester University, I was off on a 24 hour plane ride to Australia with my parents. Australia was never on my bucket list of places I wanted to go, however my twin sister Sarah chose to study abroad there for a semester and inspired my family to venture there! We traveled to Sydney, Wollongong and Port Douglas. I did so many things on this trip that were outside of my comfort zone. The plane ride in itself was nerve wracking being that it was incredibly long and over the pacific ocean for the ride’s majority. I snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef, climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, came close to scary crocodiles and held a koala. All of these memories with my family have ultimately given me more confidence and knowledge of our world. Before this trip, my idea of what Australia looked like and their culture was drastically different than its reality. I would recommend a trip there to anyone! It was amazing!

IRELAND

Just a week after getting back to the states from Australia I ventured on a new journey with West Chester’s Communication Department to Ireland. I went with 15 girls from my college along with my amazing professor, Dr. Lordan! Throughout the three week course abroad, we traveled to Dublin, Galway and Limerick and learned about the country’s media and culture. I had the opportunity to talk to Irish locals, radio hosts, irish times newspaper employees and even my Irish relatives who I met in Dublin for the first time. 

I was proud of myself for going on this trip because 1.) I didn’t know anyone when I signed up 2.) I had never gone out of the country without my parents before until this trip 3.) I was a lot of school work and a very busy schedule which made the trip tiring after my vacation to Australia. 

Some of my favorite places I went in Ireland were the Cliffs of Moher, Galway Connemara National Park, the Guinness Factory and Kilmainham Gaol. I especially enjoyed the traditional Irish music that I heard with the violins, fiddles and guitars. Ireland was a learning experience and truly a beautiful country to visit. I would love to go back and learn more about my heritage and see the town of Donegal where my family is from.