Although spring break came and went faster than expected, many of us enjoyed the sunny days at the beach trying to get our summer tans before summer truly begins. However, our fellow Cavaliers Sara Ebrahimi, Bowen Murley and Alex Yelamos had the privilege to travel and experience other cultures.

Sara Ebrahimi, a freshman in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, flew to the artistic and architecturally interesting city of Barcelona, Spain. Just a couple of hours away, she and her family drove to Valencia, Spain where they were able to meet with family friends and sightsee. When staying in Málaga, she was able to go to the beach and drive to neighboring cities. On her trip, Sara visited the famous Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. “It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen,” Ebrahimi said. On a later road trip, traveled to Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory that is 2.6 square miles. At its highest point, Ebrahimi was able to see two continents at the same time: Europe and Africa. Sara’s most notable moment in Gibraltar was visiting the native monkeys. “I was taking a picture of my mom with a monkey and it almost bit her finger; it was super funny,” Ebrahimi said.

Bowen Murley, a sophomore in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, went to Chicago, Illinois with her mom. While in the city, Bowen stopped by Chicago’s Art Institute and took a stroll in downtown Chicago. Sightseeing with her cousin as a tour guide, Bowen took a 30-minute drive north to the town of Evanston, where she enjoyed good food and visited “Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop.” Even though it was cold and windy, Murley was able to visit the Chicago Botanical Gardens and their greenhouses. “The greenhouse is where I got to see what a Chicago spring looks like since spring hasn’t actually begun there,” Murley said.

Alex Yelamos, a junior in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, traveled to the historic city of London, United Kingdom. While visiting his sister, he was able to see the Victoria and Albert Museum, famous for its art and design. Just a bit north of London, Yelamos took a tour of Highgate Cemetery and stayed a few days in the town of Camden. His favorite part of the trip was getting a tattoo of a thorn based on the song “The Boy with the Thorn in His Side” by The Smiths. Even though it was rainy and grey in the city of London, he was able to spend quality time with his sister.

Although spring break has ended and early mornings commence once more, the memories of spring break will keep the spirit alive as testing season approaches.