travel
Family travel is complicated. And sometimes fun.
Hope Brigade Days
A few hour's drive outside of the busy city of Vancouver, British Columbia, is the town of Hope, B.C. Brigade Days have been celebrated in this community since 1968 and have become an important event in the town community. My entire family, at various times, has all enjoyed this event.
By Bruce Curle `4 years ago in Families
Adulting in Europe
I have had the good fortune to travel. Just out of my teens, old enough to appreciate the gift and young enough to make the most if it, I was sent off, along with my brothers, to run amok for months through Europe on a budget. We had so many adventures, travelling through countries without the binds of parents, which would change each one of us and create memories to treasure. Our dad was Swiss born and his chilled out parenting style was never more apparent as when he sent us off packing, passing out Euro rail passes, paper maps, and pocket money while waving and laughing. We would be gone for months with only each other, learning life lessons and collecting adult experiences. Day one with nerves for breakfast, we strapped on monster sized mountaineering backpacks and hiked across the creek to wait at the train tracks. We would leave at the crack of dawn to catch the earliest train from his Swiss chalet. We would grin wildly and wave at our Dad who smiled wisely while watching from the terrace. We would carefully map out the countries we planned to visit, assuring we would sleep on the trains for the duration of the travel and awake upon arriving in new cities. That was about as far out as our planning would allow. Once we were unleashed from our baggage, we would free style our visits. Finding places to stay on a budget and getting lost in the villages were typical days in our lives’ privileges. This was the year 2000, before tragedy struck the US and the internet created havoc. Although we were young and it wasn’t yet demanded, we were incredibly aware of our privilege and were bowled over with gratitude. Our Dad came from nothing and worked hard his whole life, but he instilled in us humility and the importance of generosity. Allowing us the opportunity to see parts of the world we only knew from books and movies, he gifted us with an appreciation for life in other cultures.
By Max Mariner4 years ago in Families
Family Origins
I. I grew up in Saint Albert, Alberta. Canada, to be more specific. All my family was there; so, I thought. Really it was just all the family that I knew. At seven years old I did not know that I had a whole other identity of people who claimed to be kin, a whole other family who shared pigments of my skin.
By Riley Forest4 years ago in Families
Toddler Travel
Recently my grandma, my daughter and I flew to Washington state to visit some family. One of the biggest things on my mind as we prepped for the trip was taking every precaution we could to make sure my two year old wasn't that one kid on the plane that everybody hates. Plan A was that she would sleep the entire time we were flying but Plan B and C were snacks and easy entertainment. Let's explore some of the steps I took to ensure my kid wasn't 'that kid' on our flights.
By Courtney Seever4 years ago in Families
A Time for Courage
Beneath the forest of towering masts, busy stevedores' calls echoed along the wharf as the bells of Saint Brigid's rang the six o'clock hour. Pipe smoke swirled around a pair of captains who stood between the entrances of two pubs, where they monitored their ships and glared away any sailors who considered ducking in for a last draught before their voyage. Seagulls bickered over fish guts a kitchen girl threw into the street in front of the Peculiar Puffin. The more weathered captain pulled a pocket watch from his waistcoat and pretended to look at it, gesturing toward a nearby shadow.
By Ben Waggoner4 years ago in Families
Back Home in the Middle of Nowhere
I have a complicated relationship with missing people. When I did my first stint away from home at sixteen, I was excited and champing at the bit to get out into the world. I spent five weeks away from home (granted, it was less than two hours’ distance), at a summer ballet program in a nearby city. The city, that distance of less than two hours, brought with it a culture shock in stark contrast to my hometown. I got used to subways, to walking, to my daily commute, to a diversity of people that rural, white America never showed me, to crossing the street to avoid the men loitering in front of corner grocery stores, fingers crossed no one would follow me home. At sixteen, I took on these challenges with an optimism older me both admires and misses. The change from country to city, from quiet to loud, from slow to busy happened quickly, so I put my hometown out of my mind and adapted.
By charlotte meilaender4 years ago in Families
The old becomes new again: Adelaide's Comes to the Taylor Hotel
New owner Cyndy Hayward learned early on and first-hand that the hotel has a special significance to peninsula residents. As soon as work on the building began, community members "rallied round" in support of efforts to restore the building and bring its original owner back into the public eye. Yes, "Adelaide's" is coming to town - named in honor of Mrs. William Taylor who, with her husband, opened the Taylor House as a hotel and boarding house in 1887.
By rahul kumar4 years ago in Families
Our Moment
“Hey, Johnny. Do you like applesauce?” Johnny was sitting right next to his dad, but his mind was almost 3,000 miles away. Johnny and his dad had gone on an “adventure” to Baja, California, and Johnny got no joy out of it. He would rather be back at home online gaming. He played super smash bros religiously as a Donkey Kong main (as they say in the smash community). Out of all his friends, Johnny was the best, and they all knew it. He would spend hours playing Super Smash Bros on his Nintendo Switch and studying all the game mechanics. Johnny would come home from school and play until the wee hours of the next day, and in the summer, it was almost a 24-hour affair. Sometimes he wouldn’t change clothes and even forgot to eat. He loved it.
By Kawan Glover4 years ago in Families
