Gettin’ Carried Away

I’ve been to Canada twice. The first time, I was 17 years old, and I was traveling with my high school chorus. The second time, I was just a year older, and I attended the World Youth Day festivities with my church’s youth group. If you don’t know what the heck World Youth Day is, don’t worry, I’ll explain later. Anyway, I feel that some people don’t give our neighbor to the north enough credit. There’s plenty to do and see up there. You just have to be willing to take the trip! Here’s what I did about six years ago.

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At my high school, every other year, either the chorus or the orchestra gets to take a trip somewhere within North America. Some students have traveled to New York City, Atlanta or San Francisco! So when I was told that we would be traveling to Toronto, ON Canada, I was less than excited. Same goes for my trip with my church’s youth group.

My church was planning to send interested members of the youth group to World Youth Day in Canada. World Youth Day is an international event that attracts young adults from all over the world who share similar beliefs in the Catholic faith. This event takes place every three years, and has been held in places such as Rome, Buenos Aires, Paris and, most recently, Sydney.

The idea of the festival sounded amazing! I’d get to see the Pope and meet other kids from all over the world. However, the location seemed boring. I was even more perturbed when I discovered that both my chorus and my youth group would be driving on coach buses for a little over nine hours there and back. However, I decided to give it a chance, and I am so glad I did. Here’s why…

1. No parents

Sure, you have chaperones and teachers accompanying you on the trip. But how often do you get to go to another country by yourself, without one of your own parents?

2. Road trip!

A nine hour drive may be daunting, but there are many ways to make the time go by faster! First of all, on my first journey to Canada, I was on a bus with 40 or 50 girls in my class. There was lots of story telling and joke telling. And did I forget to mention that my first visit to Canada was a chorus trip? One of my favorite things to do is to sing. I do it all the time, and I can’t go a day without listening to music. Luckily, many of my classmates shared that passion, and we sang, complete with harmonies, for much of the drive.

And when it came to my youth group, I was traveling with friends I’d known since was I was four years old! I think the farthest we’d ever traveled was to Springfield, the capital of Illinois, on an 8th grade school field trip. You also get to drive through some amazing U.S. states and stop at an oasis or two for some snacks!

3. Niagara Falls

This natural wonder rests between Buffalo, New York USA and Toronto, Ontario Canada. It’s beautiful. It serves a purpose (as a source of hydroelectric power). It’s been attracting tourists since the 18th century!

4. Exploring

On school/church trips, you are more than likely going to do tons of sightseeing. Aside from Niagara Falls, I’ve also visited the CN Tower (which was the tallest free standing structure in the world for 31 years) and I was able to attend a performance of The Lion King (a hit Broadway musical)! And even though we were chaperoned, we were also given some freedom to roam around close by, and we were given designated times to meet the group at a spot in the city or at the hotel. This means we were able to shop at local malls or sit on park benches and people watch!

Keep in mind, there is plenty more out there in Canada land. If you are not at the mercy of a group, get out there and explore! Check out this cool site for some suggestions.

“Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America.” - Bruce Catton: journalist, historian and Pulitzer Prize winner.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a baseball fanatic. I like to play basketball. I like to go to Blackhawks games. I like to watch the Bears (when they are doing well). But I absolutely love everything that has to do with baseball. My hope is to see all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums before I’m 30 years old. Currently, I have visited Yankee Stadium (in New York), Angel Stadium (in California), Wrigley Field (home of the Chicago Cubs) and Comiskey Park (aka U.S. Cellular Field), where my beloved Chicago White Sox play hard, create miracles and win big. I could tell you all about my experiences at each stadium, but I am most excited about visiting the next two parks I get to check off my list!

Fenway Park

In less than one week, I will have attended a Major League Baseball game at one of America’s most cherished ballparks: Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Personally, I am in awe of this trip, and I am not even standing in front of the stadium yet!

Fenway Park is the home of baseball greats Cy Young, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski, and it is where baseball legend, Babe Ruth, started his Major League career. The Great Bambino’s trade to the Yankees in 1919 is what many fans claim to be the reason for the Red Sox’s “World Series draught.” In October 2004, the Sox played two of four World Series games at Fenway and went on to sweep the Saint Louis Cardinals, winning the championship for the first time in 86 years. This memorable feat was captured in the major motion picture Fever Pitch, which stars Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. This famous ballpark is where I will be watching my favorite team, the Chicago White Sox, take on the Boston Red Sox as they attempt to come out on top in their respective divisions by the end of September.

Miller Park

I feel very fortunate to live in a centrally located section of the United States. My house happens to be within a manageable driving distance from 8 of the 30 Major League stadiums. At the end of September, I will be driving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin with four of my friends to see the Brewers face the Chicago Cubs inside their home stadium, Miller Park.

I’ve been to Wisconsin many times, swimming around the Dells, boating in the lake behind my cousin’s cottage and scoring three-pointers in numerous basketball tournaments. However, I’ve never been to a baseball game while visiting our northern neighbor, so I am pretty stoked about that. And with one whole month left in the regular season, the game that I attend on September 26 could be a deciding factor as to which team will advance to the postseason. Currently, the second place Brewers and the first place Cubs are the only two teams in the National League Central Division fighting for that coveted slot in the playoffs.

While Miller Park is not as historical as Fenway, seeing that it only opened in 2001, it’s still a modern marvel to me. It is only 1 of 3 parks that has a retractable roof. This allows the Brewers to either play outside on a nice night under the stars or to play inside an enclosed stadium, keeping dry while the rain comes pouring down. Newer stadiums may lack the charm the historical parks portray, but it only means that you need to look for other features that make each park unique. For example, two brand-new LED scoreboards were placed inside Miller Park just two years ago! One of them is referred to as the “out of town” scoreboard, which is constantly updated with info about other Major League games being played that same day the Brewers are playing. You get to see the score and the number of hits, errors and outs, in addition to an image of the field displaying the runners on base! Where will you find that in a 100-something-year-old stadium?

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When is all is said and done, at the end of September, I will have seen 6 of the 30 Major League Baseball parks. And lucky for me, many of the parks I have yet to see are situated in states that I have yet to visit. So as I get closer to achieving my goal of seeing all 50 states by the age of 50, I will also have traveled to every Major League Baseball stadium. And with that mission accomplished, when it comes to my travel game, I’d say I hit one out of the park!

The arrival of the new millennium signified a myriad of changes throughout the entire world.

• Finland elected its first female president, Tarja Halonen.

• The first resident crew entered the International Space Station.

• And I took what would be my first of many trips far, far away from home.

My father had recently moved to the West Coast, and I wanted to visit him. Traveling never really even crossed my mind. After all, I was only 15 years old. All I wanted to do was to see my dad. When I told my mother, she said, “Why not?” I was shocked that she would even consider letting me fly half way across the country by myself. Even though she is extremely protective of her babies, my mom has always given me the freedom to do as I pleased “as long as it didn’t hurt anybody.” So, the day I asked if I could go to Cali, my mom searched and searched for flights and finally booked me on American Airlines. Now, I could sit here for hours and talk about the four short days I spent with my father in Orange County and Los Angeles. However, I’d rather tell you what I learned from my very first solo trip.

Pack light

I was headed to California for only four days. Technically, it was three if you put the two “flying days” together. Anyway, my mom taught me that I only needed the essentials: toiletries, underwear (c’mon, we all need it) a pair of jeans, a pair of shorts, some shirts, a sweatshirt and a dressy outfit… just in case. You always need to be prepared for changes in the weather. Yet, you don’t need to bring four pairs of jeans, three sweatshirts, five pairs of shoes, etc. Not only will you leave zero room in your suitcase for souvenirs, but you also have to keep in mind that sometimes it is you, and only you, that has to lug the suitcase around everywhere. With the airline policies constantly changing, you can only carry on (and check) a bag that holds a certain amount of weight. Also, with fuel prices rapidly rising, you don’t want to incur some bogus surcharge because you just had to pack your favorite sweater, your second favorite sweater and a third “I kind of think this is ugly, but I’m bringing it anyway” sweater.

Pack in advance

I am notorious for packing the morning of my trip. I find myself running around the house, desperately trying to get everything ready, finally finishing with about 30 second to spare. DO NOT DO THIS. If you are taking a small trip, pack a day or two ahead of time. If your journey is going to be long, especially if the destination is considerably far away, start your packing a week early. The best advice my mom ever gave me when it comes to packing is that you should make a checklist. Write down all the things you would like to take, down to the smallest detail. If you want to take cough drops and Q-tips, write it down! If you want to take your red pair of socks and your blue underwear, write it down! As you pack each item, check it off the list. And make sure you take the list with you so that you can double check each item when you pack to come home.

Check the rules and regulations

For the most part, every airline in the United States boasts the same rules when it comes to carrying on liquids. Most airlines will tell you that liquids can be carried on an aircraft in a “3.4-oz container or smaller and transported in a one-quart clear, plastic, zip-top bag. See American Airlines. Most of the airlines also allow one carry-on bag and one personal bag (aka a purse, a backpack, a laptop). There are size and weight regulations for both carry-on and checked luggage. And some airlines even charge you for extra baggage. For example, after May 1, 2008, jetBlue started charging for a second checked bag. Do some research before you book your flight.

Have the necessary credentials in hand

Whether you are showing your driver’s license, your state I.D. or your passport, keep these items in your hand as you approach the ticket agent, the security checkpoint people and the flight attendants. Sometimes, you do not have to show identification when you board the plane. Unless instructed to do otherwise, always have your I.D. out and ready to show airline personnel and airport security.

Breathe

Sure, there are a lot of preparations when it comes to taking a trip. But all the care and concern is worth it. Stranded in your hotel room during a sun shower? Not when you have packed your umbrella! Afraid to hit up the town when the weather suddenly drops 30 degrees? Not when you find that hoodie you packed! As long as you take your time, pack what’s necessary and do your homework, you can rest assured that you will thoroughly enjoy the rest of your trip. You might not want to come home!