They want to go to New York City. Not museums. Not a festival of some kind. Not a show. Not a historic tour. They wanted to go to the New York City that existed in their mind, and I knew that meant Times Square. The New York that they would recognize from movies. And, more importantly, the New York that all their friends would recognize in the pictures they were sure to post on social media.
And then it happened: it was like it just clicked. Every kid, on their own, found something that peaked their interest. Some were skipping rocks, others just sitting and enjoying the view, some looking at the small bugs and fish they could find, and others trying to balance on logs.
After three years of teaching the same group of students, St. Mike’s hadn’t just become this legendary place to me, but for many of my students, too. They had heard endless stories about the place, had earned tons of SMC swag in my classroom, and had even met some of the people from my stories when they came to visit me. This led me and Sarah to decide to offer a spring break trip for students to visit the Northeast, with St. Mike’s being the big attraction.
I have a deep and unwavering love for manatees. Many people don’t even know what manatees are, and those who do usually find them to be unattractive. I can’t explain why I love them, but I always have.
Malayaka House is a place of infinite possibilities and is constantly changing, yet it always feels the same each time you are there. Things change because there are 36+ kids these days and they grow, their interests change, and each volunteer that visits shares something a little different. It is why this place is great to visit once, and even greater to visit often.
When I have a long race coming up, I plan to get some extra rest, more hydration, and sit a little more than usual in order to prepare my legs. Other people do a number of more extreme or elaborate things. Maisie isn’t one of these other people. She is one of the easiest to please people I know, especially when the annoyances or discomforts are for the sake of more quality time with people she loves.
I love when I get to spend time, whether it’s a weekend or full week, living in one house with friends or family. There was something magical about spending 24 hours each day in close proximity to people you love.
When we made it around the final right-hand curve and suddenly the Pacific Ocean was below us to our left. We timed it perfectly, unknowingly, as the sun was about to set into the water.
Laying in the refreshing water with the sun beating down on me, the gorgeous landscape along the Nile River made me second guess that this was real life. It was one of those rare moments in life when I’ve stopped and thought to myself “life is perfect right now.”
“Don’t move or make a sound so you don’t get trampled by the elephant” was the only thought going through my head as I was awoken from my sleep in what I believed could have been the my last moments.