Looking Back At Summer 2017

While many DHS students spent their summer months in Darien working or doing summer homework, some lucky students ventured to foreign destinations to make the most of their time off of school. I spoke to two of these students to get low-down on the travels they embarked on this summer. 

Junior George Thompson was one of these lucky students. He savored the last week of summer by flying across the Atlantic to the boot-shaped country, Italy.

Thompson commented on the reasoning behind this trip, “My mom had been there before and she wanted to show her kids the country and the culture within it.”

Once he arrived, George didn’t stay in one city. Within Italy he visited Florence, Tuscany, Venice, Capri, and even slept in Rome for a night; he had a jam-packed itinerary. In each city, Thompson got a taste of the culture by walking to local beaches, shopping, and doing a lot of people watching. In addition, George got hands-on experience, and really felt like a local, when he got to watch Venetian glass blowing, explore a vineyard in Florence, and even take a cooking class in Tuscany. 

This may already seem like the trip of a lifetime, but there’s more. As Thompson told me about all of his Italian adventures, he emphasized the highlight of the trip, “My favorite part of the trip was going on a Gondola down the canal streets in Venice. I had always seen photos of it so it was cool to finally do it myself.” In addition to riding down these canals, George got to wake up and eat his breakfast on a balcony while watching the Gondolas flow down them. 

Thompson didn’t forget to mention how great the food was in Italy. George told me about one of his favorite meals, “In Tuscany, I had the best truffle pasta I’ve ever had.” This says a lot coming from a truffle pasta lover and officially confirms all the theories I’ve heard about the exquisite taste of Italian food.

When I asked Thompson to reflect on this trip of a lifetime he answered, “It was interesting to observe the language, food, and culture of this country. I would recommend visiting Italy, or any country in Europe, at some point in your life, it’s a very eye-opening experience.”

Around the same time George was taking off to Italy, senior Maeve Donoghue was boarding her flight to Australia to visit her brother who was participating in a study abroad program. Although August is Australia’s winter, Maeve said it’s the best time to visit as Australia’s rainy season lands during their summer months- December through February. Therefore, the “winter” weather was perfect; it was warm enough to swim and snorkel, but not so hot that they had to stay inside all day. The Donoghue’s embraced this weather as they ventured from the top of Byron Bay Lighthouse to the depths of The Great Barrier Reef. 

When I asked Maeve about what she liked best about Australia, she not only emphasized how amazing all the views were, but how great the hospitality was, “Everyone was super nice- every waiter, hotel staff, or even cab driver. I feel like in America they don’t greet tourists with the hospitality they did.”

Maeve described the endless opportunities for adventure in Australia, “You could be at these amazing beaches near your hotel and then drive 10 minutes inland and be in the rainforest.” She followed up by telling me about how she got to white water raft, tour a rain forest, hike mountains, and even have dinner with Aboriginals, the Australian Natives, all within the week she was there. Although Maeve got to experience so much, she wishes she had time to go to major Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. 

This trip was a great way for Maeve to end summer; she was able to escape the stress and uptight vibes in Darien and venture to a place where people were incredibly laid back. That must have been the perfect break before heading back into school.

So, if you are already thinking about Summer 2018 like I am, take note of these amazing adventures George and Maeve went on. Start persuading your parents now so you too can come back to school next fall with amazing stories about your summer travels!