Winter break flew by, but for some students, it meant literally flying. Though plenty of us enjoyed staying indoors, watching television and sleeping, others took advantage of the extended time off and saw a bit more of the world. Some of our fellow Cavaliers were able to experience the icy winters of the North or the tropical temperatures of the South. Three of these students are Sophia Weigel, Jonnathan Gonzalez and Lucianne Vivas.

Sophia Weigel, a freshman in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, flew eight hours to the historic city of London, England. Weigel was able to visit one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the world, the London Eye. From there she was able to go to Harrod’s, a historically high-end shopping mall, and Kensington Palace, which houses the British Royal Family. While she was there, Weigel was able to attend the musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theater. After sightseeing in London, she and her family hit the road on their way to Bath, United Kingdom. Weigel’s favorite moments were visiting the Jane Eyre Center and enjoying the architecture of Bath. Her biggest struggle was the weather. “The cold was unbearable; it was 50 degrees but it felt like 30,” Weigel said.

The next Cavalier is Jonnathan Gonzalez who flew 1,233 miles from Miami to Toronto, Canada. Jonnathan, a sophomore in the Academy of Finance (AOF), decided to spend Christmas and celebrate the New Year with his friends and family in Canada over winter break. On his trip, Gonzalez traveled to downtown Toronto and visited the Toronto Aquarium and the CN Tower, which rises 1,815 feet above the downtown area. “The most memorable part of my trip was going up the CN Tower and taking in the beautiful view of the snow and the growing city,” Gonzalez said. While still in downtown, he was able to go to the Air Canada Center to watch the Toronto Raptors against the Milwaukee Bucks. For New Year’s Day, he and his family went to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and enjoyed the beautiful views from his hotel window. Throughout his trip, Gonzalez experienced temperatures in the -20s and -30s with windchill. “The trick is the layering of shirts and jackets and not staying outside for more than 30 minutes to not get frostbite,” Gonzalez said.

Next is Lucianne Vivas, a junior in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, who went to a warmer part of the world. Vivas flew to Panama for New Year’s Eve to see her family that lives there. In Panama, she went to a historical site, Panama Viejo, the former capital of Panama. Vivas and her family later went to see the Panama Canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. After, Vivas visited Las Tablas, a city on the Pacific coast, to see the annual New Year’s parade held there. “Going to Las Tablas was the most memorable part of my trip because I was able to spend time with my family and relax,” Vivas said.

Now back to waking up early and no longer being able to sleep in, all that is left is to reminisce the memories of the places traveled. These Cavaliers will always remember their experiences in these beautiful cities during the winter time.