Wild and Free by Allie Welch

a travel magazine for the adventurous soul

This publication was designed by Allie Welch for the purpose of Professor Hogan's Typography course at Hochschule Trier for the summer semester of 2015.

All photographs were taken by Allie Welch, unless otherwise noted. All stories were written by Allie Welch, unless otherwise noted.

Please read it and look at it and learn all about my travels over a span of five months. I hope it inspires you as much as this semester has inspired me.

welcome to my adventure, I want you to join. “All good things are wild and free.” A quote I read during my travels in London that has stuck with me ever since. At first I just liked it because it felt light hearted and whimsical. But as I travel and see more of the world I realize how true it really is. Traveling around, moving to a new city, and living in a new culture has caused me to realize the importance of seeing the good in everything. It’s these good, beautiful, wild, free moments and things in our lives that provide joy amongst the struggles we face. Another thing traveling has brought attention to in my life is what things around me truly bring joy. And what this journey continues to teach me is that my heart loves to see the good in nature. It can’t help but feel wild and free when staring up at the mountains or running into the waves of the ocean. I think it’s an amazing thing that a grown adult can continue to be humbled by the view of a mountain range, no matter how many times he or see has seen one in his or her life. It’s these elements of nature that help us look into our souls and see who we are and what we want out of this crazy life. And so for the purpose of documenting my travels, I have

realized there are four elements of nature that have stood out to me during my adventures. Mountains, oceans, flowers, and rivers. All different elements of nature that bring happiness to my soul no matter the day or time. These are the good things that are wild and free that capture my spirit and that’s a feeling I never want to let go of even long after my travels. So this magazine is divided up into the four elements of nature, and filled with photo stories, interviews, personal stories, and articles that have inspired me during my travels. You will find a little bit of each in every part, and I hope that it will give you an insight to my heart and mind. I also hope these pages can be even just a small bit of inspiration to do something adventurous in life. Do something that scares you. Do something that forces you take a risk. Do something thats wild and free.

the OCE A N S pg 54

pg 8

the MOUNTAINS

the FLOWERS pg 164

pg 116

the RIVERS

the MOUNTAINS

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pg. 12

hiking through the fog a photo story on a trip to Mt. Etna, Siciliy, Italy

pg. 26

the moral bucket list an excerpt from New York Times that challenged me to rethink my purpose of life

pg. 34

chasing cultures an interview with my brother and fellow traveler, Dylan Welch

pg. 44

up in the alps a photo story on an exploration of Switzerland

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Traveler there is no path. Paths are made by walking. ++ Antonio Machado

hiking through the fog a photo story on a trip to Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy

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Close your eyes and imagine nothing but white fog all around you. All you can hear is the crunching of snow. Sometimes you see flakes slowly falling from the sky. The temperature is low, but between your deep breaths and upward steps you do not notice. The only thing you can make out ahead of you is two people: Your guide, Danielo, and a fellow hiker. You have been traveling from city to city and it is strange how just now in this moment is when you feel most at home in the middle of nowhere. The silence of the snow provides a peace you cannot buy but you have to find. As the sweat is building up you realize how good it feels to sweat again, and how good it feels to hike again. My trip to Mt. Etna left me in love with Sicily and affirmed the fact that nature is better than cities every time.

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9:00 AM - Get picked up by Danielo and start the trek up the mountain in our rad land rover with the rest of the hiking crew. There were other americans, swiss, and italians. Two other college students. 10:00 AM - Make it to the trail head. Gather snow shoes, jackets, water bottles, all material needed. turn on GoPro. Figure out how to put on snow shoes cause theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re weird. Ready for some adventure.

11:45 AM - Make it to the “beautiful outlook” of the hike, that just looks pure white to us because the fog is thick today. Danielo jokes that he’ll show us pictures of what it looks like later at lunch. NOON - Start our way back down the mountain to grab lunch. Without Danielo, we would have no idea which way to step because you can barely see in front of you. Walking on an angle is hard in snow shoes, don’t be embarrassed if you fall.

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sometimes, nature is perfect.

++ left & right: mountain views from Mt. Etna Photo of Danielo taken by Abigail Hammack

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1:00 PM - Eat lunch at a restaurant at the mountain base. four course meal with four pieces of bread. wine & champagne. Abby said “we either get tired or drink more alcohol” so... accidentally get tipsy at lunch. 2:30 PM - Leave lunch to go on a short hike around the volcano craters nearby. It’s a little chilly at this point because Danielo was suppose to bring you a coat, but luckily he lets you borrow his fleece pullover. Because Danielo rocks.

3:30 PM - Stand in awe of the volcanoes craters. also stand in awe of kids you see sledding down them. How cool are those kids? We get to hike up and around the craters and touch the volcanic rocks. 4:00 PM - Made our way back down the mountain in search of more adventure because Danielo said he was going to take us to a cave with bats. The beautiful views never stopped as we drove down the mountains.

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5:00 PM - Our trustee (and bumpy) jeep took us halfway down the mountain where we found the cave pictured above. We climbed down into it via snow stairs, and crouch walked around following Danielo’s lead and viewed bats along the way. We got cool cave protection hats and flashlights so we could see in the dark. 7:00 PM - Rode back into the center of town, where Danielo dropped all of us off where we were staying. The adventure filled day won’t be forgotten and Danielo’s knowledge and tour will always be high in my heart.

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++ photo hiking on Mt. Etna taken by Abigail Hammack

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the moral bucket list an excerpt from New York Times that challenged me to rethink my purpose of life

an article by David Brooks

About once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light. These people can be in any walk of life. They seem deeply good. They listen well. They make you feel funny and valued. You often catch them looking after other people and as they do so their laugh is musical and their manner is infused with gratitude. They are not thinking about what wonderful work they are doing. They are not thinking about themselves at all. When I meet such a person it brightens my whole day. But I confess I often have a sadder thought: It occurs to me that I’ve achieved a decent level of career success, but I have not achieved that. I have not achieved that generosity of spirit, or that depth of character. A few years ago I realized that I wanted to be a bit more like those people. I realized that if I wanted to do that I was going to have to work harder to save my own soul. I was going to have to have the sort of moral adventures that produce that kind of goodness. I was going to have to be better at balancing my life. It occurred to me that there were two sets of virtues, the résumé virtues and the eulogy virtues. The résumé virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace. The eulogy virtues are

the ones that are talked about at your funeral — whether you were kind, brave, honest or faithful. Were you capable of deep love? We all know that the eulogy virtues are more important than the résumé ones. But our culture and our educational systems spend more time teaching the skills and strategies you need for career success than the qualities you need to radiate that sort of inner light. Many of us are clearer on how to build an external career than on how to build inner character. But if you live for external achievement, years pass and the deepest parts of you go unexplored and unstructured. You lack a moral vocabulary. It is easy to slip into a self-satisfied moral mediocrity. You grade yourself on a forgiving curve. You figure as long as you are not obviously hurting anybody and people seem to like you, you must be O.K. But you live with an unconscious boredom, separated from the deepest meaning of life and the highest moral joys. Gradually, a humiliating gap opens between your actual self and your desired self, between you and those incandescent souls you sometimes meet. So a few years ago I set out to discover how those deeply good people got that way. I didn’t know if I could follow their road to character

++ above: photo by kaitlyn rippel on a mountain in ecuador. below: view of the alps taken in Interlaken, Switzerland.

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I came to the conclusion that wonderful people are made, not born.

++ view of the Swiss alps taken while walking along the side of the mountains in gimmelwald, Switzerland

(I’m a pundit, more or less paid to appear smarter and better than I really am). But I at least wanted to know what the road looked like. I came to the conclusion that wonderful people are made, not born — that the people I admired had achieved an unfakeable inner virtue, built slowly from specific moral and spiritual accomplishments. If we wanted to be gimmicky, we could say these accomplishments amounted to a moral bucket list, the experiences one should have on the way toward the richest possible inner life. Here, quickly, are some of them: THE HUMILITY SHIFT ++ We live in the culture of the Big Me. The meritocracy wants you to promote yourself. Social media wants you to broadcast a highlight reel of your life. Your parents and teachers were always telling you how wonderful you were. But all the people I’ve ever deeply admired are profoundly honest about their own weaknesses. They have identified their core sin, whether it is selfishness, the desperate need for approval, cowardice, hardheartedness or whatever. They have traced how that core sin leads to the behavior that makes them feel ashamed. They have achieved a profound humility, which has best been defined as an intense self-awareness from a position of other-centeredness. SELF-DEFEAT ++ External success is achieved through competition with others. But character is built during the confrontation with your own weakness. Dwight Eisenhower, for example, realized early on that his core sin was his temper. He developed a moderate, cheerful exterior because he knew he needed to project optimism and confidence to lead. He did silly things

to tame his anger. He took the names of the people he hated, wrote them down on slips of paper and tore them up and threw them in the garbage. Over a lifetime of self-confrontation, he developed a mature temperament. He made himself strong in his weakest places. THE DEPENDENCY LEAP ++ Many people give away the book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” as a graduation gift. This book suggests that life is an autonomous journey. We master certain skills and experience adventures and certain challenges on our way to individual success. This individualist worldview suggests that character is this little iron figure of willpower inside. But people on the road to character understand that no person can achieve self-mastery on his or her own. Individual will, reason and compassion are not strong enough to consistently defeat selfishness, pride and self-deception. We all need redemptive assistance from outside. People on this road see life as a process of commitment making. Character is defined by how deeply rooted you are. Have you developed deep connections that hold you up in times of challenge and push you toward the good? In the realm of the intellect, a person of character has achieved a settled philosophy about fundamental things. In the realm of emotion, she is embedded in a web of unconditional loves. In the realm of action, she is committed to tasks that can’t be completed in a single lifetime. ENERGIZING LOVE ++ Dorothy Day led a disorganized life when she was young: drinking, carousing, a suicide attempt or two, following her desires, unable to find direction. But the birth of her daughter changed her. She wrote of that birth, “If I had written the greatest book,

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composed the greatest symphony, painted the most beautiful painting or carved the most exquisite figure I could not have felt the more exalted creator than I did when they placed my child in my arms.” That kind of love decenters the self. It reminds you that your true riches are in another. Most of all, this love electrifies. It puts you in a state of need and makes it delightful to serve what you love. Day’s love for her daughter spilled outward and upward. As she wrote, “No human creature could receive or contain so vast a flood of love and joy as I often felt after the birth of my child. With this came the need to worship, to adore.” She made unshakable commitments in all directions. She became a Catholic, started a radical newspaper, opened settlement houses for the poor and lived among the poor, embracing shared poverty as a way to build community, to not only do good, but be good. This gift of love overcame, sometimes, the natural self-centeredness all of us feel. THE CALL WITHIN THE CALL ++ We all go into professions for many reasons: money, status, security. But some people have experiences that turn a career into a calling. These experiences quiet the self. All that matters is living up to the standard of excellence inherent in their craft. Frances Perkins was a young woman who was an activist for progressive causes at the start of the 20th century. She was polite and a bit genteel. But one day she stumbled across the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, and watched dozens of garment workers hurl themselves to their deaths rather than be burned alive. That experience shamed her moral sense and purified her ambition. It was her call within a call. After that, she turned herself into an instrument for the cause of workers’ rights. She was

willing to work with anybody, compromise with anybody, push through hesitation. She even changed her appearance so she could become a more effective instrument for the movement. She became the first woman in a United States cabinet, under Franklin D. Roosevelt, and emerged as one of the great civic figures of the 20th century. THE CONSCIENCE LEAP ++ In most lives there’s a moment when people strip away all the branding and status symbols, all the prestige that goes with having gone to a certain school or been born into a certain family. They leap out beyond the utilitarian logic and crash through the barriers of their fears. The novelist George Eliot (her real name was Mary Ann Evans) was a mess as a young woman, emotionally needy, falling for every man she met and being rejected. Finally, in her mid-30s she met a guy named George Lewes. Lewes was estranged from his wife, but legally he was married. If Eliot went with Lewes she would be labeled an adulterer by society. She’d lose her friends, be cut off by her family. It took her a week to decide, but she went with Lewes. “Light and easily broken ties are what I neither desire theoretically nor could live for practically. Women who are satisfied with such ties do not act as I have done,” she wrote. She chose well. Her character stabilized. Her capacity for empathetic understanding expanded. She lived in a state of steady, devoted love with Lewes, the kind of second love that comes after a person is older, scarred a bit and enmeshed in responsibilities. He served her and helped her become one of the greatest novelists of any age. Together they turned neediness into constancy.

All the people I have ever deeply admired are profoundly honest about their own weaknesses.

++ photo taken from

below in Interlaken,

Switzerland.

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Commencement speakers are always telling young people to follow their passions. Be true to yourself. This is a vision of life that begins with self and ends with self. But people on the road to inner light do not find their vocations by asking, what do I want from life? They ask, what is life asking of me? How can I match my intrinsic talent with one of the world’s deep needs? Their lives often follow a pattern of defeat, recognition, redemption. They have moments of pain and suffering. But they turn those moments into occasions of radical self-understanding — by keeping a journal or making art. As Paul Tillich put it, suffering introduces you to yourself and reminds you that you are not the person you thought you were. The people on this road see the moments of suffering as pieces of a larger narrative. They are not really living for happiness, as it is conventionally defined. They see life as a moral drama and feel fulfilled only when they are enmeshed in a struggle on behalf of some ideal. This is a philosophy for stumblers. The stumbler scuffs through life, a little off balance. But the stumbler faces her imperfect nature with unvarnished honesty, with the opposite of squeamishness. Recognizing her limitations, the stumbler at least has a serious foe to overcome and transcend. The stumbler has an outstretched arm, ready to receive and offer assistance. Her friends are there for deep conversation, comfort and advice. External ambitions are never satisfied because there’s always something more to achieve. But the stumblers occasionally experience moments of joy. There’s joy in freely chosen obedience to organizations, ideas and people. There’s joy in

mutual stumbling. There’s an aesthetic joy we feel when we see morally good action, when we run across someone who is quiet and humble and good, when we see that however old we are, there’s lots to do ahead. The stumbler doesn’t build her life by being better than others, but by being better than she used to be. Unexpectedly, there are transcendent moments of deep tranquility. For most of their lives their inner and outer ambitions are strong and in balance. But eventually, at moments of rare joy, career ambitions pause, the ego rests, the stumbler looks out at a picnic or dinner or a valley and is overwhelmed by a feeling of limitless gratitude, and an acceptance of the fact that life has treated her much better than she deserves.

Those are the people we want to be. ++ photo of the alps in Interlaken, Switzerland

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chasing cultures

an interview with Dylan Welch AGE: 24 OCCUPATION: excursion guide CURRENT LOCATION: Chile

++ photo taken by Dylan Welch on the job in Chile.

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what are three words you would use to describe yourself? inquisitive, wanderlust, and simple

what is the impact of travel?

I dream to completely assimilate myself into another culture to the point where I am no longer viewed as a foreigner. ++ photo taken by Dylan Welch on the job in Chile.

The biggest impact of travel is on yourself; it opens up your mind to new people, opinions, and ideas you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have experienced otherwise.

tell me about a dream you have. To completely assimilate myself into another culture to the point where I'm no longer viewed as a foreigner.

why is life abroad important? It's important to experience life in another person's shoes because you become more empathetic with their world view and ideals.

tell me a story about meeting a stranger during your travels. I once met a guy on the Mexican border in Reynosa. He was from New York and had lived there for 35 years, spoke English perfectly with no accent whatsoever. This guy was clearly 100% American no questions asked. He was being deported however to Mexico, a completely foreign country to him, because he was brought to the US as an infant and wasn't born there legally. He no longer had any family in Mexico and hardly spoke the language despite his Mexican heritage. He asked me if I could help translate what the Mexican border officials were asking him and that's where we started to talk; that day really opened up my eyes to the injustices of the US immigration system and the hardships minorities go through in a foreign country.

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++ CHILE: both photographs taken by Dylan Welch while on the job in Chile. Some days Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll receive photo messages from him filled with so many beautiful pictures taken while he is at work. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absolutely brilliant.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The biggest impact of travel is on yourself; it opens up your mind to new people, opinions, and ideas you would not have experienced otherwise.â&#x20AC;?

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tell me about a time you embarrassed yourself during your travels. I was in a Brazilian bakery and once asked for Pau Doce instead of P達o Doce. P達o with the nasally 達 means bread and the other one, Pau, is stick but can also be slang for a man's part of the body. So I asked for Sweet Stick and the whole shop erupted in laughter; I had no idea what I said, got embarrassed, and just left without buying anything.

what things in life bring you the most joy? Traveling, trying new things, and meeting new people.

if you had to give advice to someone who wanted to move to another country what would you say? Learn the language and become part of the culture. It will improve you as a person and the natives of that culture will respect you more for making an effort to blend in.

what are the most important parts of life? Whatever makes you happy and a better overall person.

all good things are wild and free, what does that quote mean to you It means to live in the moment and don't worry about past mistakes and future endeavors. Be spontaneous and live life by your own means.

++ photo taken by Dylan Welch while on the job in Chile.

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The choice is yours to make, Time is yours to take; Some dive into the sea, Some toil upon the stone. To live is to fly, All low and high So shake the dust off your wings And the sleep out of your eyes. ++ Townes Van Zandt

up in the alps a photo story on an exploration of Switzerland

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It had been too long since I layed eyes on the Rockie mountains of Colorado, and my heart was craving some time in the mountains. When my fellow KU travelers and I decided to take a trip to Switzerland I could not have been more excited to have my feet on top of a mountain and my head in the clouds. Because nothing beats that. Our five day trip in early April covered four different Switzerland towns â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Interlaken, Gimmelwald, Lauterbrunnen and Thun. We accidentally visited during off season, so many things were closed. And everything in Swiss is expensive. But that did not stop us from finding ourselves amongst the clouds and indulging in Swiss Chocolate.

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++ photos along the bottom all taken on a hike on Harder Klum trail. photo to the right taken on the way to the hostel.

SWISS PERFECTION ++ Everything we saw in Switzerland was so beautiful at the sight it looked fake. When we saw the lakes in Interlaken at first Claire even noted that the water was so blue it had to be dyed because there is no way water is that blue, right? But wrong. Even though it looks fake its real it’s all real because the Lord makes beautiful things. Even now reflecting on the pictures of the alps, it’s hard for me to believe that my iPhone 6 took such an amazing picture. And then I remember that’s actually how it looked. You couldn’t take a bad picture if you tried, and I probably could have started at the alps in Gimmelwald for too many days too long. It was peaceful, serene, unreal, and I cannot wait until I get to see those Swiss Alps again. But for now, I can forever reminisce on our travels there. INTERLAKEN ++ It wouldn’t be right to not document every important part of our trip, and that includes the overnight train from hell. Like most of our overnight journeys, we have four or five changes meaning no sleep for us. But worse, we got on a wrong train from the beginning which messed up our whole journey. Let’s just say we learned some trains can split in half and go a different direction (whoops) and I don’t

think any of us will forget wandering around the german train at three in the morning trying to find seats that weren’t reserved. But, the sleepless confusing night was worth it because it took us to the alps. And as soon as we stumbled into town, we found ourselves blown away immediately at the mountain views that constantly surrounded us. The lady at the hostel told us about a short hike up the Harder Klum (not to be confused with Heidi Klum) trail that took you to an outlook point right in town. Immediately I knew we needed to find ourselves on that trail, and luckily the others agreed as well. I’ll never forget how good it felt to be walking upward along the snowy trees, and the two hour hike up made for a magical workout. It was just the beginning of the alps taking my breath away over and over and over again. I’m glad we hiked to the view instead of taking a paid ride. GIMMELWALD OR GRINDELWALD ++ One of my favorite parts of the trip was when we made our way to two little mountain towns, Gimmelwald and Interlaken. Little did we know we accidentally visited these towns on the first day of off season, so much of the towns were shut down. But it didn’t stop us from exploring, walk-

ing, and climbing up for some killer views. And honestly the silence was peaceful. As we walked along a path up the mountain and through Gimmelwald, it had me dreaming of owning a little mountain house of my own in the middle of nowhere. One of the most funny memories from this town was trying to find a perfect picture spot. We had creeped on Evan’s friend’s instagram and saw she took a photo in Gimmelwald in this beautiful spot, and we just needed to find the same spot. It was like hide and seek: Insta version. And once we finally found it, it turned out to be in someone’s backyard. But that didn’t stop us from creeping in and taking pictures with the good view. We even befriended a cat (potentially the house owner’s?) along the way, and had a small photo shoot with the beautiful view. Goal complete.

Immediately I knew we needed to find ourselves on that trail.

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++ left & right: panoramic view of the Swiss alps taken from a hike in gimmelwald, switzerland

Our day trip to Gimmelwald turned out to be a little different than expected, as we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know it was the first day of low season where nothing was open. The ski slopes were still running, but it was the last day, and there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t many people around. What could have been frustrating turned out to be refreshing because we got to walk around a mountain ghost town and just enjoy the view for what it was.

We frolicked around and up the mountains all day, rarely seeing other people. Along our walk we saw horses and goats and other animals, and it almost felt like they were friends we were meeting along the way. We eventually made it to another town with civilization, which was good for a water break, but most of the time it felt like we had the whole Swiss Alps to ourselves. And I liked it that way.

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++ left & right: frolicking around on the snow melted alps and views from the lakes in Interlaken.

I will never forget walking amongst the Gimmelwald ghost town.

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++ left & right: photo from the perfect photo spot in gimmelwald & view from the hike up Harder Klum trail.

THUN ++ Sometimes when traveling you accidentally stumble on things better than you could have found them, and that’s exactly what happened when we traveled to Thun on our last day in Switzerland. We had spent our previous days in beautiful but empty towns because of off season. So on our last day we decided to travel by bus to a town about an hour away called Thun, just looking for something different. And what we found surprised us, because it was a bustling city with open shops, restaurants, people, and yet again more killer Swiss views. We all perked up at the sight of a bustling town, and explored all Thun had to offer. We walked around the markets, up and down the water, and we even took some time to sit and taken in the mountain and lake view. It was on this trip that we donned sitting in silence while experiencing the life moment a “Tim moment”

because of something Tim put on his tumblr, and we’ll forever remember to stop in life and have “Tim moments” every now and then. A REFLECTION ++ Even now its still hard to believe the beauty of the Swiss Alps that is the reality of the Swiss Alps. The view of those perfect mountains made me wish I were skiing down them, and maybe one day I will be able to (when I have an income). Our time in Switzerland was filled with time amongst nature, simple moments, unexpected restaurants, and a hilarious three liter beer tower split with my girl Jules that I will never forget. I’m glad we found the time to train to this beautifully surreal place, and spend some time in awe of the mountains. Cause that is irreplaceable.

Switzerland was an absolute snow globe. Everywhere you looked was a postcard view.

the OCE A N S

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pg. 58

diving into the mediterannean a photo story on a trip to the Italian coast

pg. 70

an open letter to dreamers an article accompanied by photographs from my adventures around Ireland

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finding home on foreign land an interview with Kaitlyn Rippel

pg. 76

the glittering spanish seas a photo story on my travels around Spain

pg. 110

le sud de france a photo story about the exploration of cities along the coast of France

pg. 90

it is time for Africa a photo story on a trip to another continent that showed me a whole new world

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Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ++ Ralph Waldo Emerson

diving into the Mediterranean a photo story on a trip to the Italian coast

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You know those seas you imagine that are more blue than pantone swatches and glitter like paradise. Well, that is what I found with the Mediterranean Sea. Lucky enough, my cousins were planning a trip to the coast of Italy and I got to tag along. My cousins are like siblings to me, and it was a surreal opportunity that we got to travel in Europe together. We flew into Naples, drove around the Italian mountains, swam in the Italian seas, and toured the island of Capri. And of course the trip left me forever dreaming of Italian espresso.

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live in the sunshine. swim in the sea. drink the wild air.

COUSINS FOR ADVENTURE ++ My trip to Italy with my cousins came at the perfect time. It was about halfway through my time abroad, and I was craving spending some time with my family. And luckily Kale and Kelsie are like my siblings since we were so close growing up. And their significant others, Brooke and Ed, feel like family as well. So I couldn’t wait to get a little vacation during my already five month vacation, and spend some time by the sea. Not only that, but they were great travel companions because we did not waste any time and got all of the adventure activities in, even though we were only there for three days. MT. VESUVIUS ++ As soon as we got off the plane and picked up the rental car, we were on our way to our first tourist stop. Mt. Vesuvius was about an hour drive away and driving through the Italian mountains was magical (and a little scary). I vow to never drive in Italy. The very short hike/ walk to the viewpoint at Mt. Vesuvius was very touristy, but worth the tourists and ten euro. It was surreal to see the volcano that exploded and created the destruction of Pompeii, which was a story I learned about in elementary school. The mountain to ocean views on the hike up was my favorite part. I’ll never get sick of that kind of view. And after walking on top of Mt. Vesuvius, we made our way to tour Pompeii. This part of the day got hot. Very hot. But again, a piece of history you just have to see when you’re there. I think what struck me the most is how preserved the city was. You actually feel like you’re walking around like the people of Pompeii were. Thoughts of the volcano erupting and destroying the village was heartbreaking and a little bit chilling. A historical experience I won’t ever forget.

++ top left: the view from our air bnb. bottom left: view from the beach in Italy.

TAKE ME TO THE SEA ++ I don’t think I could have been an ounce happier when we planned to have a beach day for our second day in Italy. To me, there’s no feeling like laying by the ocean. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m from Kansas or if its because this truly feels like magic, but I love it. We found ourselves on a private beach called Marina Del Cantone. The day consisted of laying out on beach chairs, with beach side service of pizza and beer. Honestly, a girl couldn’t ask for anything more. At one point Kelsie and I went to go explore and walk on some rocks in the sea, and as we were traveling there an Italian man shooting footage for a local reality show stopped us to ask us some questions. It was precious because he was around fifty years old and asked us where we were from, and other simple questions like that. Kelsie and I then proceeded to brag about how we were italian TV stars, because we basically are now. The rest of the day we got to drive to the Amalfi coast. I think one of the best parts of this trip was just having the chance to drive around the Italian coast and take in the views, something I don’t get to do on other trips.

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THE ROYAL TOUR ++ After stepping off of the ferry onto Capri island, we had been given instructions from a friend of Kelsie’s to find “an old man with a mattress in his boat”. This was supposedly how we could get a private boat tour of the island, and was the way to go she said. Sure enough, one of the first people to stop us on our way walking into the island was one of these men and we bargain a price with him for our tour. He said we could bring our own food and drinks and he would ride us around. It seemed too good to be true. After an espresso stop, we grabbed some drinks and snacks and hopped on the boat. This was hands down the coolest part of the trip, as it was really special we got to have

the boat all to ourselves. I have not had such a private and surreal tour experience in my time in Europe, and I’m really glad we sprung for this private trip. The best part came when we got to jump off of the boat and swim through a cave. The water was freezing, but it was worth every goosebump. Our guide even had goggles we could put on to swim around and explore the seas. I drank way too much salt water from giggling out of happiness, but really that’s the best way to live life.

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“for whatever it is (like you or me) it’s always ourselves we find in the sea” ++ EE. CUMMINGS “for whatever it is (like you or me) it’s always ourselves we find in the sea” ++ EE. CUMMINGS “for whatever it is (like you or me) it’s always ourselves we find in the sea” ++ EE. CUMMINGS

“for whatever it is (like you or me) it’s always ourselves we find in the sea” ++ EE. CUMMINGS

++ kelsie sitting amongst the waves on Marina Del Cantone.

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One of my absolutely favorite moments from the trip was when we were touring the island of Capri, and we got to jump into the cold but perfectly blue sea. Kelsie and I held hands and jumped in at the same time, screaming immediately when we poked our heads out for air because the water was freezing. After we got to swim through the cave, and use goggles to explore underwater. My mermaid dreams became a reality.

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an open letter to dreamers an article accompanied by photographs from my adventures around Ireland

an article by Kohl Crecelius

DEAR DREAMERS ++

To those who don’t believe in a 12 step program for life. To those who trade comfort for passion. To you who are challenging the way things are “supposed to be”… keep going. Chase after your dream, this unique calling that only you can pursue. The one that is the perfect storm of your skills, experiences, and desire welling up inside of you. Do that… because selfishly, I need you to. I’m sure that thing you are making will be great, HOWEVER, you must realize that the goods you are making, the service you provide, or the art you create is only half of what you are offering to this world. It’s the intangible that I crave. The inspiration I extract from watching people dare greatly. The world is starving for it. As much as you think you are doing this for yourself, you are wrong. You are offering something far more to the world around you than you will ever realize. It’s not about scale. It’s about being the most authentic you, you can be.

If the weight of it seems too heavy. If you feel you can’t make it through another year (or another week), remember that there are others that need you to press on. I need to believe that others are believing in their dreams more than they are believing in themselves. And this is what gives me the strength to believe in me. This is my open letter to dreamers. Share this with someone who needs to hear it.

++ Logan Hassig standing amongst the beautiful mountains in the Wicklow National Forest in Ireland.

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++ left: a gopro shot of the bike ride along the Dingle Peninsula. right: Logan frolicking through the Wicklow Mountains on our hike.

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++ top: view from our hike in Wicklow National Park. bottom: a cloudy view of the Dingle Peninsula.

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Where else can you be as free as by yourself in the middle of nowhere, or in the middle of the ocean, or on the peak of a mountain. Adventure is freedom. ++ Daniel Norris

the glittering spanish seas a photo story on my travels around spain

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The beaches of Barcelona were dripping with chill vibes, the city of Seville was painted with bright reds and sunshine yellows, and Valencia filled our souls with live music we will forever be thankful for. Spain took a piece of my heart bigger than any other country has, and it was a little sad looking out the window on our flight back home wondering if it would be my last time on spanish soil. But I am sure some day the country will be calling me back and I will not be able to say no. I was able to travel to Spain two times during my time in Europe, each special for its own reason. Both times were filled with old friends, new friends, and forever memories.

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Our first stop on our tour of Spain was Valencia, for my birthday and a music festival. I spent the first day of my 22nd year swimming around in the Spanish seas, and I think I will always look back on this birthday with wanderlust. I was worried about being homesick, but sweet messages, words, and calls from friends and family made me feel so special. The happiness that radiated from that day carried on for so long. We started with brunch in our Air Bnb, layed out on the beach all day, had amazing paella at a restaurant along the beach, and then finished the day with cake and candles by the ocean and moonlight.

++ swimming in the ocean on my twenty second birthday.

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Festival de les Arts in Valencia was a perfect mix of culture, art, beer, and some killer Spanish music. While attending the festival meant we did not get to see a lot of Valencia, it was worth it to attend an artsy event with a bunch of hipster locals. One time when I was ordering a beer with mostly English and a couple of words in Spanish the guy asked me - do you guys like the music? Clearly confused why if we didn’t speak spanish we were there. To which I replied, “OF COURSE!” because music is music and it was perfect.

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Our next stop? Barcelona. A place that I had already been once, and that was near and dear to my heart. I had fallen in love with it on my first trip there, and I could not wait to get back. And this time proved as amazing as the first. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big city, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on a beach providing the most killer vibes. We spent the first night eating amazing Tapas and drinking mojitos on the beach for the sunset. And as a bonus my friend Logan was in town as well â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and it always feels so refreshing to meet up with friends from back home in Europe. A favorite memory is when her and I chatted about what matters in life walking along the coast.

The next few days in Barcelona included biking along the beach, napping on the beach, swimming in the freezing ocean, and hiking up to El Bunker del Carmelo for a perfect sunset view. Somehow we had amazing meals every time we ate in Barcelona - something that almost never happens while traveling - and two of those meals included brunch. So basically, I died and went to heaven. Some of my favorite spots to eat there were Milk, Brunch & Cake, and Taquieros Tamarindos. Go to Taquieros and get the Mango Margarita!

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The first time I went to Barcelona, I was there for 48 hours with one of my lovely friends from back home, Mary Hamilton. The first night we ran to the beach to catch sunset, it was an hour walk from our hostel, but time flew by because Mary is a beautiful soul and we had so many real life talks. Which is what we all really need as humans and friends. We fell in love with Barcelona after running onto the sand instantly, and the next day had a perfect beach day filled with brunch, illegal frolicking, and biking along the beach.

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Seville, Spain you truly are a gem. The last stop on our Spanish tour took me by surprise. Seville, Spain you truly are a gem. It was so refreshing to be in a smaller city with typical Spanish architecture, locals, and tapas. Something very different than the bustling, touristy city that Barcelona was. Walking up and down the streets felt like what you imagined Spain would be, and we even got to see a Flamenco dance show. The view from the cathedral in the middle of the city was one of my favorite church views, because it was a view of the ornate city.

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Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. ++ Terry Pratchet

it is time for Africa a photo story on a trip to another continent that showed me a whole new world

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Streets flooded with blue and white buildings, mountains in the distance, bustling markets, and camel rides along the sea. Morocco, Africa was different than every place I have been. I was not in Europe any more, and honestly that was so refreshing. It was enlightening to see how people live in other parts of the world. Traveling has taught me that just because someone does it different does not mean they are doing it wrong. Africa showed me so much realness and life.

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9:00 AM - Depart the hotel for our first Moroccan city, Chefchaouen. The morning started with a tour from Abdul Salam, a Chefchaouen local. Thank goodness for the tour because it felt easy to get lost in this blue city. The walls of all the buildings are painted blue and white for religious reasons and to keep cool. 1:00 PM - Lunch at Aladdin cafe, which was decorated appropriately given the name. After lunch, it was market time. Which meant bargaining and running away from the salesmen. I got a killer leather fanny pack.

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9:00 AM - Depart the hotel for our second day touring Morocco. The first day included so many new beautiful views, cultures, and customs so I’m stoked to see what today has in store. 12:00 PM - Take a camel ride along the African coast. While we’re waiting for our ride we get to hang with the camels. Although the ride was short, it was surreal. And the camels were a little feisty. 2:00 PM - After lunch, we have free time to explore Asilah. The coast has a beautiful lookout, and we get to watch kids jump from the lookout into the ocean. I’m jealous I don’t have my swimsuit on.

++ left & right: panoramic view of Chefchaoeun also known as the blue city in Morocco, Africa.

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finding home on foreign land an interview with Kaitlyn Rippel AGE: 21 OCCUPATION: student CURRENT LOCATION: Ecuador

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++ photo by Kaitlyn Rippel taken in Ecuador.

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what are three words you would use to describe yourself? genuine, eager, and kind

what is the impact of travel? For me, it has widened my scope of what is beautiful and it has widened my understanding of what the world can teach me. It shows me people and myself in a new light- exposing my weaknesses and making vulnerability more accessible. It gives me energy to continue to know our world more deeply and richly.

tell me about a dream you have. I have a deep desire to see the culture around money, materialism, and success change. I’m very passionate about social entrepreneurship and its ability to spark innovation and lead change for social problems. It’s always been a dream of mine to start something that matters. I’ve also recently taken an interest in the injustices facing our Native American populations. To me, there is something beautiful and raw, both simplistic and complex, about indigenous populations. I think it’d be really cool to learn about what these populations need today and to try to bring social entrepreneurship to that.

why is life abroad important? People say you should go abroad because it exposes the world- it reveals the world. I think it exposes us. In all our flaws and weaknesses. But through this, through recognizing these weaknesses, and understanding the injustices in our world, I think it’s our job to find the beauty.

tell me a story about meeting a stranger during your travels. My dear friend Lizzie, once a stranger and now a good friend, single-handedly impacted me more than any other person during my experience abroad. Lizzie lives life wide-eyed and full of questions and relates to others with a humble and authentic confidence in who she is as she both silently and outwardly demands the same from those around her. The best way I can describe her impact on my life is that she was good for me soul, teaching me without knowing it how to be real in my weaknesses.

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++ photos by Kaitlyn Rippel taken during her study abroad semester in Ecuador.

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Be raw. ... if you are real in your weaknesses, you will allow the world to teach you something.

++ photos by Kaitlyn Rippel

taken during her study abroad

semester in Ecuador.

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tell me about a time you embarrassed yourself during your travels. It was one of my very first days in Ecuador, and I was headed to check out the historic district of Quito with a few friends. We had talked with someone about directions using the “ecovias” (bus system), and we were excited for our first attempt at navigating the city. Well, as we’re trying to walk into the loading station for the bus, we unknowingly were trying to enter through the exit. The turnstile made a very loud noise when we tried to spin it the wrong way, and as if that wasn’t sight and sound enough, we then had to walk all the way around the crowded small station on display for the Ecuadorians while they all giggled quietly to themselves.

what things in life bring you the most joy? Long and real talks with good friends about things that matter, preferably over brunch; beautifully crafted words; wildflowers and green grass; people who see life in all it’s greatness; moments of change; coffee and mountain air.

if you had to give advice to someone who wanted to move to another country what would you say? Be raw. You’ll feel vulnerable and exposed, but if you’re real in your weaknesses, you’ll allow the world to teach you something. And never say no to adventure.

what are the most important parts of life? I think it’s different for everyone. For me, I want to live a responsible life. I’ve had the opportunity to see other parts of the world and to see injustice, and because of this, I don’t think I can live without a constant desire to be a part of positive change.

all good things are wild and free, what does that quote mean to you This encompasses so much of what I’ve learned during my semester abroad. It’s the essence of understanding how freedom from what the world says about how we’re supposed to live life or what we’re told “makes sense”- freedom to live authenticallycan light our souls on fire, spark change, and bring utter joy.

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because words are the most powerful. because beautifully crafted words can ignite the soul. and the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.

++ photo by Kaitlyn Rippel taken at Laguna de Cuicocha.

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We must not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we began and to know the place for the first time. ++ T.S. Elliot

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the south of france a photo story about the exploration of cities along the coast of France

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Ingrid Michaelson was not kidding when she said let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France. Montpelier was full of French charm and the rocks of the beaches of Nice turned out to be more dreamy than I thought. The architecture of Montpelier was enchanting and it did not hurt that every once in a while you could see some mountains peaking through.

I could have never expected the infatuation I would have for Montpelier, France. I could have never expected the infatuation I would have for Montpelier, France. The town had such a young, artsy feel and there were mountains and oceans in the distance. Walking around the city we found random bits of beautifulness through flowers, doors, architecture, the whole city was begging to be explored. My favorite moment was when we stumbled upon a studio of eight different illustrators, and we got to talk to one of them about her work. When we asked her where she was from she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;well, a lot of places really.â&#x20AC;? Life goals, right there.

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I thought I had tried good pastries in Europe but I had not until I got to France.

FRENCH PERFECTIONS ++ While there were many things to enjoy about the south of France, one of my favorite things were the pastries there. I thought I had tried good pastries in Europe but I hadn’t until I had been to France. We bought SO MANY pastries there and I honestly wish we would have bought more. There was a local Boulangerie near our Air BnB and we went for breakfast and for snacks two days in a row. There was also an adorable bakery with break breakfast and brunch down the way, that made me pancakes smothered with Nutella. Obviously, the place stole my heart. One of my favorite memories was when we grabbed pastries from the Boulangerie and took the food to the sea side to sit and eat and sit on our espresso by the sea. CREEPY PERFECTIONS ++ Our day trip to Monaco was memorable, but it was almost creepy how perfect everything was there. You could almost smell the money in the air. And don’t get me wrong, it was really nice. But it almost felt weird being in a place that was so expensive and perfect and nice when you knew that there were places in the world that people didn’t even have access to clean water. It’s an experience I’m glad I had, but for some reason while we were there it really hit me hard that there was so much money in this place.

THE PEBBLES ++ Traveling to the south of France was my first time on a beach in Europe, and at first I was a little disappointed when I heard it was rock beaches. I was sad that I wouldn’t really like it and I was craving some time at a “real” beach, but I was still willing to give these beaches a shot. And when we got there to our disappointment the weather wasn’t too warm yet. But we got up early with the hopes of hitting the beach at some point, and luckily I wore my swimmies under my dress. Around noon on the second day we were there we took to the beach because the sun was beaming. I didn’t even have a towel to lay on, but just my dress when I took it off. And as much as I was scared of lying on those pebbles, they were so smooth to the touch. Because like I said before, everything here was nearly perfect. We layed out and I fell asleep under the french sun. Some of the rocks on the beach even sparkled.

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++ far left: flowers from a market in Nice. middle: the beautiful boulangerie that filled our souls with good things. right: dancing around on the rock in Nice.

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the RIVERS

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biking the trendy city a photo story on riding around Amsterdam

pg. 140

a city of expectations a photo story on my weekend in Paris

pg. 150

an aussie in america an interview with Greta Kulpa

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pg. 128

falling for my new home a photo story on my German home, Trier.

pg. 136

unplanned moments of happiness eight reasons why crashing on Abigail's couch in florence was the best decision ever

pg. 156

a posh time in the city a photo story on my first stop abroad, London.

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The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things. ++ Henry Ward Beecher

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biking the trendy city a photo story on riding around Amsterdam

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I do not know why, but I never expected Amsterdam. I never could have imagined how trendy, refreshing, and inviting the city felt. It did not feel too big, especially when riding around on bikes, and it seemed like there was a trendy restaurant, coffee shop, or thrift store on every corner. I did not expect it when going there, but I left a little part of my heart in Amsterdam. And better yet, we traveled there with some of our Erasmus friends which made the trip unique. It left me wanting to travel back to The Netherlands and explore more someday.

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From biking around every part of the city to touring the historic Anne Frank house, Amsterdam had some unforgettable first time experiences. It seems like every turn we made there was another trendy coffee shop, thrift store, or local. I have never been to a city that could be classified as a biking city as much as Amsterdam was, and it was such a fun way to get around. We rented these sketchy bikes from our sketchy hostel, and it was so perfect. Amsterdam had some good rides, some good times, and we were high on life.

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++ street views in Amsterdam always included boats, rivers, and beautiful architecture.

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The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it. ++ Karl Marxx

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falling for my new home a photo story on my German home, Trier.

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Down in southwest Germany there is a city called Trier, that I had never heard of two years ago. For five months I had the privilege of calling it home and I absolutely adore this place. It is crazy to think that I do not know if I will ever be back, but the people and experiences I have had here have stolen my heart forever.

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THE BIG MOVE ++ Although now I feel like I could never leave, moving to Germany was not the easiest transition in the world. I had come from traveling touristy cities with family and close friends, and now I was in a smaller city where not many people spoke English and I barely spoke any German. My new room was tiny with white walls, and was begging to be decorated with a little bit of my soul. There didn’t seem to be many people around yet, as school wouldn’t start for a month, and the weather was cold and dark outside. The other KU students and I took this as an opportunity to get some traveling in before we started school, which was amazing. But it was hard always coming back to an empty dorm, as I think my personality thrives off of being around people. SAVED BY SCHOOL ++ As soon as classes started, everything changed. Students seemed to be moving back to the dorms, international students were finally arriving, and there were even events set up that we could go to meet people. It was amazing how just in the first two weeks it felt like we knew ten times the amount of people that we had met the first three weeks we were here. This made Trier easy to fall in love with and made it easy to feel like home. Although we had to struggle through things like getting a Visa without knowing German, at least we had other international students to share our struggles with. We were all new to this place and, lucky for us, our common language was English. It was even easy to feel at home in the design school as there is a family community here. Not to mention the party on the first Monday of school, complete with drinking games, made it easy to meet people and get to know the design culture here.

++ top: sitting on the inside of porta nigra. bottom: sunset view of porta nigra, the roman ruins in town.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY ++ One of the most fun things about being a young person in Trier is the club scene. Although Trier is about the size of Lawrence, there are about five or more clubs where you can go and dance the night away ALL NIGHT LONG. Seriously, they’re open till 7 AM sometimes. And there are clubs for every different type of person. Villa Wueller is for the hipster designer, Metropolis and Safari Haus are for when you wanna shake your body to the top 40 hits, and really everyone can find a club for them. While its crazy to think I go clubbing in Europe almost every weekend when we are in Trier, it’s such a fun way to get together with all of our international friends. Sometimes we don’t even go out until 1 or 2 AM, which is crazy because back in the states that’s when we are coming home. I’ll miss dancing the night away with my girlfriends here. The best part about a night out? Kebab. There is a magical food here called Kebab that is made with the softest pita you’ve ever tasted, yogurt and garlic sauce, veggies, and shaved meat from a sketchy meat stick. It’s maybe not sanitary but it’s amazingly delicious and I will miss kebab more than some people that I’ve met here.

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++ left: panorama from the DJ by the river with our design friends. middle: found some fresh flowers on the first day of school. right: the cute, lovely, precious houses in Trier.

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FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD ++ From the hipster designers in our studio classes that we’ve met to the international friends we continue to meet here it’s been so amazing to see how the spontaneous lifestyle we have here causes us to meet new people from new countries on the daily sometime. That’s another big thing I don’t want to give up – meeting Europeans that have the coolest stories and the coolest dreams and better yet they’re not afraid to pursue them. Unlike the states, people here aren’t afraid to move to another country just because they want adventure

or stay single just because they realize they’re so young and this world is so big. Just the other night Julia and I met a random guy from Venezuela who taught us to salsa dance after the club one night and told us about all the countries he’s lived in. Maybe its just being from the midwest, but I feel like people don’t dream and act on it like that in the states. I love how inspiring it is.

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unplanned moments of happiness eight reasons why crashing on Abigail's couch in Florence was the best decision ever an article by Allie Welch

Sometimes your plane drops you off in a different city. Sometimes the buses don’t run until 30 minutes before your flight so you’re forced to take a Taxi. Sometimes you lose the number of the taxi place and have to wander around a city at 4 AM until you find one. Traveling abroad comes with many surprises and problems to solve, no matter how many hours you plan for your trip in advance. And while sometimes these are stressful “oh my gosh are we going to make it to the airport in time” moments, a lot of time they’re they “oh my gosh we couldn’t have planned how perfect this was if we tried” moments. And those, my friend, are the most magical kind. The kind where you can’t keep your face from breaking out in a smile if you try. The kind where you think to yourself, “Yep, this is what it’s all about.” ONE ++ The first unplanned moment of happiness actually came from a moment of stress, when my plane dropped me off in Pisa instead of Florence because of “high winds”. And while navigating alone in a foreign country for the first time was a little scary - I will never forget when I stepped out of my Taxi and heard Abigail yelling “Allie you’re here!” from the fourth story window. After hugs & laughter and lugging 80 pounds of luggage up the stairs, we went to get pizza. And on the way we passed by IL DUOMO, a building I had only previously seen on flash cards I was memoriz-

ing for an art history test. So this all encompassing moment of Abigail calling to me from her window, the hugs, and the sight of the Duomo will forever be in my mind. TWO ++ You know what they say, “Hop off the bridge and eat your gelato on the concrete slab that overlooks the river”. Or maybe thats just something I made up. But that’s exactly what we did when wandering around the city of Florence one day and thew view, the gelato, and the company was perfect. THREE ++ Okay so this moment was kind of planned because my friend Anna told me about this rooftop terrace cafe, but I couldn’t of imagined how perfect it would be. Abigail and I found it one afternoon and you know we went crazy taking pics, panos, and snaps of that view. The espresso was delicious, the tiramasu tasted like heaven, and we had real life chats about our travels and the future. Sure we may have ran around that patio like tourists taking pictures of every view, but we did the dang thing and it was perfect in every way. FOUR ++ When I think about our trip to Venice, I think about how the sea was a main character in our story. So many times we just sat by the sea. Sometimes while eating strawberries, sometimes while drinking champagne. It was blissful, peaceful, and exactly what we needed.

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++ above: abigail drinking italian espresso on the cafe rooftop. below: hangs at Ponte Vecchio, one of the best Florence spots

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and Hannah brought home nutella croissants when they came home from school as a fun afternoon surprise. And Abigail, I don’t know if I have loved you more than I did in that moment. Even just reading back over this post I can’t help but feel happy and comforted for how many blissful, exciting, scary, and humbling moments we shared and laughed about. Ironically Abigail and I have gotten to spend more time together in the past two weeks than we have in the states the past two years. But it’s refreshing to know that nothing will ever change our friendship no matter the time or place, and we’ll always be there for each other in moments when all we need is our friend yelling “Allie, you’re here” from the fourth story window.

The espresso was delicious, the tiramasu tasted like heaven, and we had real life chats about our travels and the future.

FIVE ++ Another unplanned happiness moment happened on the rooftop of the same coffee shop I was telling you about before. Madi, Hannah and I were exploring Florence when Abigail was in class and we ended up here watching the sunset. I came back from our coffee date so refreshed, because it was so wonderful to get to know Madi & Hannah as friends and to have meaningful conversation. We talked about our fears for the future, how studying abroad has changed those future plans for the better, and how the Lord knows how to paint a killer sunset. SIX ++ Hiking Mt. Etna was a favorite moment of Abigail and I’s, but I don’t think either of us foresaw that the hike would look something like this. Our surroundings were absolutely engulfed in fog. And as weird as it sounds, it was perfect. I distinctly remember one point of the hike where I could only see our guide Danileo in front of me and nothing but fog around me, and I couldn’t help but smile. I was just walking on this snowy mountain, tripping ever other step, and beaming. You can’t plan an overwhelming feeling of peace like that. SEVEN ++ If I could give one piece of advice to anyone else studying abroad, it would be to take a run or walk by yourself each place you go. Obviously once you feel familiar with the surroundings. Leave your place of stay, go alone, and don’t have a certain destination in mind. When I went on a run in Florence I knew I wanted to run along the river, but I didn’t know how far or the exploring I’d do along the way. This bit of graffiti stopped me dead in my tracks to capture a photo. You never know what you’ll find when you don’t have a destination. EIGHT ++ I thought it would be appropriate to end on a moment of food, as nothing can warm your heart quite like a nutella croissant. Also, Abigail and I have a mutual respect and understanding for the importance of delicious food in ones life, so it seemed fitting. Yesterday Abigail

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I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. ++ Roald Dahl

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a city of expectations a photo story on my weekend in Paris

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I am as cliche as it gets in this aspect, but ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of going to Paris. My bedroom back home is adorned with a Paris quilt I made in high school, and I could not wait to finally step foot in this magical city. And for being a girl that would choose mountains over the city any day, Paris certainly took my breath away. The glittering Eiffel Tower, the hipster flea markets, the art and history. And Abigail met up with the KU crew for this trip, and I will never forget popping bottles under the Eiffel Tower to celebrate her 21st birthday. Paris, you were a dream.

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The Eiffel tower was everything I had dreamed of and more. Paris, you were better than I could have ever imagined. I think Paris was one of my favorite big cities we went to, because the buildings were inviting and because of the Eiffel tower. There were so many iconic and inspiring things to do and see, I think we could have stayed all week and wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have gotten bored. Sure it may be touristy, but sitting by the Eiffel tower at night was a dream.

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once I once I went went thrifting thrifting in in paris paris and and felt felt like like the the coolest ever coolest ever because because I I was was thrifting thrifting in in paris. paris.

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++ top: view from the

top of Sacre Couer.

bottom: river views of

Paris and that beautiful

French architecture.

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There are not many things better than brunch in Paris in the springtime. Besides brunch in Paris all the time.

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Let me tell you about the horrible reality about trying to find brunch in Europe. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Well, sometimes you can, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a gem amongst breakfasts filled with only croissants and cold cuts. So when we found this brunch spot in Paris, it called for a celebration because folks that is REAL BACON in that photo. It was a cute little eclectic place that catered to English speakers, so cheers to that and to good brunch.

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an aussie in america an interview with Greta Kulpa AGE: 25 OCCUPATION: photo assistant CURRENT LOCATION: Australia & America

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++ photo by Greta during her travels in Colorado, USA.

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what are three words you would use to describe yourself? creative, adventurous and talkative

tell me about a dream you have. A dream I have is to travel the world, to all areas from Antarctica to Egypt to the developing counties and see how different people live and how everything varies; from the landscape to living conditions.

why is life abroad important? To me whats important is to be open and outgoing. Don’t be afraid to get out there and explore and meet new people and the locals and get them to show you their favourite spots. Whether it be the great bars and restaurants or the hidden out of the way ski runs that only the locals know about or a locals beach somewhere that you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

tell me a story about meeting a stranger during your travels. When I was in Los Angeles with my friend we went to Santa Monica beach and started chatting to one of those stereo typical good looking life guards that looks like he could have been on Baywatch. Anyway we asked him where the best local beach is that we should check out. He have us these quite difficult directions on how to get there and also said “if anyone asked you girls how you found out about this beach, don’t tell them I told you” because its a local favourite for surfing and is quite and beautiful. We ended up going there twice (once we found it) because it was so lovely.

tell me about a time you embarrassed yourself during your travels. I had been in America for over a year and I am from Australia and we drive on the other side of the road in Aus. I would still sometimes momentarily forget this and nearly get in the wrong side of the car, drivers seat instead of passengers seat, or if I’m driving I may start driving on the other side for a second before I remember and then when I get back to Australia I’ll do the same thing forgetting momentarily that I’m not in America anymore. That can definitely get embarrassing.

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++ photos by Greta during her travels in the United States.

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++ photo by Kaitlyn Rippel taken ___.

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Do not be afraid to get out there and meet the locals and get them to show you their favourite spots.

what things in life bring you the most joy? Being around happy smiling friends and family! Travel, being outdoors, skiing, beach, art, helping make a difference to people; whether it be tutoring kids for school, charity fundraising work or even just helping a friend build a table or something that they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to do themselves.

if you had to give advice to someone who wanted to move to another country what would you say? Make sure that if you move somewhere you go out to the local places and get to know the locals and make friends and explore the area. Get to know your new home. By making friends with the locals they can introduce you to more people who can introduce you to new and exciting things and places and as a bonus youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have fabulous new mates!

what are the most important parts of life? Be happy! family and friends, keep the environment alive, educate people on the endangered animals and how to preserve water.

all good things are wild and free, what does that quote mean to you To me that quote means that the best things in life are wild and free. Such as the outdoors; beach, mountains etc. Your favourite memories and experiences such as travel or spending time with your loved ones.

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What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. ++ T.S. Elliot

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a posh time in the city a photo story on my first stop abroad, London.

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Oh, London. You were full of so many beautiful accents, foods, people, and cultures. And best of all being in London meant spending my first weeks abroad with my cousin Kelsie. It is more fun touring a city when you have a built in tour guide and it is even more fun if that tour guide is basically the older sister you never had. So cheers to this amazing city with this amazing accent.

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++ street performers in London on Portebello Road.

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“where words fail, music speaks.” ++ Hans Christian Anderson “where words fail, music speaks.” ++ Hans Christian Anderson “where words fail, music speaks.” ++ Hans Christian Anderson

“where words fail, music speaks.” ++ Hans Christian Anderson

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COUSINS ABROAD ++ One of the best things about the beginning of my trip was that I was flying to London first to spend time with my older cousin, Kelsie. The fact that I got to start my trip abroad with her made me feel so much more relaxed about flying abroad. I wasn’t nervous about the upcoming months, but instead excited about the upcoming weeks. Growing up we spent lots of time together, she feels like my older sister. And since she had moved to London I hadn’t seen her much, so I was just so excited for my visit to her! So much so that I completely ignored jet lag – I arrived in London around 9 AM and stayed up until 2 AM that night. There was too much to do and too much to be excited about to feel the jet lag, I guess. TOURING WITH THE BRITS ++ Kelsie and Ed showed me all around the city, and it was so nice to have tour guides that knew their way around everywhere. I got to spend the weeks here just following their lead and looking at my surroundings in amazement. One of my favorite “tourist” spots that I went to with them was the Portobello Market. It was full of street musicians, flowers, bright colors, and vintage items. I bought an amazing floral print for a couple pounds, and I can’t wait to hang it up in my future homes and remember this trip forever and ever. TEA AT THREE ++ During my trip, Kelsie completely spoiled me and one of the ways she did this was by booking an afternoon tea, which is a british tradition. We arrived at the shop and they

had a pastry tower and a pot of tea all ready for us. Basically, we were in heaven. It was magical because we just sat for hours indulging in pastries and having girl talk over afternoon tea, and it was such a giggly and funny afternoon. We caught up on the past months of life on all things from jobs, school, to our most embarrassing moments when we had one too many drinks at a party. We laughed like stereotypical American girls, and I didn’t care for one minute that we might have been too loud cause we were having so much fun. AWAY FROM THE CITY ++ Another highlight of my trip was when we made our way to Stonehenge and got to see Ed’s childhood home along the way. His parents are both artists, and they’ve transformed an old schoolhouse into a family home. It’s quirky and perfect and even walking through the garden on a rainy, cold day was beautiful. They made us coffee and English pastries, and it was such a cool experience that you can’t just have as a random tourist.

++ top: lights in my favorite drink spot in London. right: tea at three with Kelsie, a favorite memory.

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pg. 168 when you look like a lost American a story about how getting lost in Spain introduced me to new friends and helped me find my way

pg. 174 finding flowers a photo story on nature's candy all over Europe

pg. 184 my spanish brother an interview with Tomas Ramirez

pg. 188 ciao, Italia a photo story on my two weeks in Italy

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when you look like a lost american a story about how getting lost in Spain introduced me to new friends and helped me find my way

an story by Allie Welch

One of the most important aspects of traveling is people. The people you travel with, the people you meet while traveling, the people you see from the country that you observe and learn from. It’s really amazing how meeting someone from the place you are traveling can forever leave an indention in your memory. This could be a good or bad memory, depending on your experience. But I like to believe that overall people are good, and I really do not think I could have made it through Europe without meeting all of these strangers as some have helped me navigate my way around these foreign places. A memory that sticks out to me when reminiscing on meeting people in Europe is the time I traveled to Madrid, Spain. It was almost midnight when my flight landed, and luckily I was going to stay with my friend Tomas for the night. Tomas lives in Madrid, and it had been years since he had traveled to the states to visit my family. I am so lucky he allowed me to stay with him for a night in Madrid, and the day before I flew to see him he sent me his address. He apologized, as he was not able to pick me up from the airport, but he assured me it was a long but quite easy journey to his place. At this time I didn’t have much access to Internet in Germany, but I happened to have a chance to pull up the directions according to Google Maps in

time to print them before my trip. The night before I left, I mentioned to my mom about how my flight was landing quite late and that Tomas couldn’t pick me up from the airport. I simply asked if there was any way to turn on my phone data for this trip in case I had some sort of emergency and needed to get directions to his house in the middle of the night. This of course just caused my mom to panic, and I regretted mentioning it immediately. I assured her over and over again that it would be okay and I wouldn’t get lost, although I myself wasn’t so sure. The directions on google maps seemed a little complicated, but I figured if all else failed I could pop into a bar or restaurant and pray they had wifi to re route myself on the walk to the apartment. As soon as I got off the plane, I headed straight to the tube station with my map in hand. Tomas had told me to get a tube map as well, but for some reason I was so antsy I didn’t want to do that. That was probably dumb. Anyways, I sat myself on the tube and gripped my map with an hour-long journey to Tomas’ ahead. A couple minutes after I sat down a Spanish man sitting across from me kind of smiled to himself and took out his earphones. Oh great, I thought, what is he going to say? I clearly scream American girl with my giant backpack and my map print

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++ Overlooking Salamanca, Spain with my friend Mary Hamilton. Photo by Mary Hamilton.

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++ left: a quote from my wall in Trier. right: park views in Salamanca, Spain.

out. “Do you need some help?” he said across the tube to me. I giggled a little bit unsure of what to say. Do I need some help? I looked down at my map and then up at him. He looked to be about twenty-five years old, and was dressed quite nice in a suit. He had obviously just gotten off a flight as well, and he didn’t look like he would cause much harm. He looked like a really nice guy actually, and before I knew it the word “yeah” slipped out of my mouth and I stood up to go sit by him. I showed him my map, directions, and address of where I was going. Probably the first thing on this list of what not to do in the middle of the night when you’re in a foreign country. Right after all this was happening I thought to myself, well hope he’s not a murderer.

And what a beautiful coincidence it was, this guy was going to two next tube stops that I was too! So at this point he was either a stalker, or indeed a really nice guy who was just trying to help out a lost American girl to get some good karma points. Obviously, I was hoping for the second option. After looking at my map he asked basic questions like what I was doing here and who I was visiting. After explaining that I was visiting a friend but that he couldn’t meet me at the airport, he seemed a little worried. He told me that he thought the area I was going to didn’t seem well lit or like a good area in town and that I should probably call my friend to meet me at the last tube station so that I didn’t have to walk the last bit alone. Although I had absolutely no way of contacting Tomas because I

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didn’t have data, I assured him I would do this. That way even if he was an axe murderer, he thinks my friend is going to be there at the last tube station so he can’t kill me then right? After a great half hour of traveling with this mystery Spanish man, I learned some fun things about my new friend. Most importantly his name, Rodrigo, and how he had just gotten back from London for business, and honestly he could have told me anything in that perfect accent and I probably would have smiled and nodded blushing the entire time. There’s just something about an accent and there’s just something about a Spanish man. Swoon. And what came next is really what every little girl dreams of that will happen to her when a boy is talking to her…. He asked for my name to add me on Facebook. What a pick up line. And Rodrigo being the smooth charmer that he really is, even stood outside the tube door on his stop and made me spell my last name four times. “W-E-L-C-H” I enunciated out the train door. And for some stupid reason I was all smiley and giggly after he left. Maybe I was delirious from traveling all day? Oh well, by the help of Rodrigo I got to my last tube stop and now it was time to find my way to the apartment. After getting off at my stop, I saw exactly what Rodrigo meant when he said that stop was a little bit sketchy, not in a good area, and sort of desolate. There wasn’t really anybody around (shocking, where were all the people at one in the morning?), but luckily there was a lady in an information booth. So I walked up to her booth with my map, and pressed it again the glass and asked the dreadful question, “do you speak English?” Unfortunately, she didn’t, but God bless the Spanish for talking with their hands. She walked out of the station with me and pointed furiously with her hands

while telling me in Spanish how to get to the apartment. All I really got out of it were her gestures telling me to go right, right, left, right (or so I thought) and I waved goodbye and said “gracias”. As I was walking along I noticed absolutely nothing was open in the neighborhood so I prayed that I would find my way to the apartment. Luckily I found it with no problem, and hearing the voice of Tomas’ friend Laura on the other side of the intercom was like an angel. The next day Tomas mentioned that he lived in a little bit of the ghetto of Madrid, and I wondered to myself why he thought it would be safe for me to walk around alone at night in this area to find my way. But, I also took it as a compliment as he must have had faith in me that I could, and I did. As scary as it is to have these moments where you’re wandering around a foreign country in the dark and you aren’t sure where you are going, its these moments that make you better and stronger. After navigating myself around Spain alone I felt more independent than ever before. And in the end I even got a new Facebook friend out of it, so this one goes out to Rodrigo.

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left: bright spanish buildings in Salamanca, Spain. right: view from the cathedral in Salamanca, Spain.

so this one goes out to Rodrigo.

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Plant your own garden. And decorate your own soul. Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. ++ Chelsea Koksal

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finding flowers a photo story on nature's candy all over Europe

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My favorite kind of flowers are wild mountain flowers, but I will also settle for the picked ones in city markets. I hope flowers forever bring me as much joy always as they do now, because it truly is the little things that make the big picture of life so beautiful.

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This flower market in Montpelier, France was more than magical, with all these green cuties.

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++ left: found wild flowers from El Bunker del Carmelo. right: flower wall on our way up to the view at El Bunker del Carmelo. Both in Barcelona.

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one of my favorite barcelona views was of the cacti on our way up to El Bunker del Carmelo

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my spanish brother an interview with Tomas Ramirez AGE: 24 OCCUPATION: dance instructor CURRENT LOCATION: Madrid, Spain

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++ photo taken in Madrid while visiting Tomas.

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what are three words you would use to describe yourself? creativity, smile, backpacker

what is the impact of travel? It changes your way of thinking and your life completely.

tell me about a dream you have. Dance in front of a huge audience

why is life abroad important? Life abroad is important because you start giving more value to the things that really matters in your life.

tell me a story about meeting a stranger during your travels. I was in Vienna, I didnÂ´t have anywhere to sleep over so I decided to go dancing. At the club I met a completely stranger and It turned out that I spent the best weekend ever, without having to book a hotel!

tell me about a time you embarrassed yourself during your travels. When I try to speak in a language that I donÂ´t feel comfortable with, ItÂ´s embarrassing as it is fun.

what things in life bring you the most joy? Love, in any sort of ways.

if you had to give advice to someone who wanted to move to another country what would you say? Go for it, you are going to enjoy it.

what are the most important parts of life? Give the most of it (by it I mean, your life) every single time of your existence.

all good things are wild and free, what does that quote mean to you It means what it says, all good things are wild and free.

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And above all, watch with glittering eyes the world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe in magic wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find it. ++ Roald Dahl

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ciao, italia a photo story on my two weeks in Italy

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Italy has a special vibe, and it is not just because of the pizza and gelato. But while we are on the subject, damn that pizza is good. But what makes this country special is the rich culture and history that the locals embrace and exude. And that is something to be cherished. In Italy, you feel like you are in another world and it is one you do not want to leave.

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My trip to Florence started out with getting lost in Pisa, and ended up learning that maybe getting lost is the best way to travel. Abigail and I got to spend more time together in Florence than we did the past four years of college, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just really surreal that we ended up in Europe at the same time. Abigail taught me little Italian phrases, where to get the best pizza, and that nutella croissants are important.

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Sitting on the rooftop of La Ristorante gave the most amazing view of the city, mountains, and duomo and going there for sunset twice was a highlight of my trip. We also ate pizza at Gusta Pizza. You should probably go and get a whole pizza for yourself and eat the whole thing. Running to the Ponte Vecchio bridge and then towards the mountains - one of my favorite runs in Europe. Going to the Uffizi Gallery was one of the most influential museums Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been to in Europe because I had studied a lot of the artwork in school and it made viewing everything in person incredibly meaningful and surreal.

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the Uffizi taught me that sometimes the best thing you can do is look up.

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Florence will always have a special place in my heart, and I think it is partly because I got to spend two weeks there. It truly showed me the importance of staying in a place. Traveling is amazing but experiencing is different. And just staying two weeks barely gave me a taste - I see now how important it is to live in a place, immerse yourself in the culture, learn the language, meet the locals; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best thing to do.

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changed is you. ++ F. Scott Fitzgerald

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