        citiesMy review of Northern VirginiaI’m from there, Centreville to be exact, and I know that people always think of Virginia as all farms and stuff, but Northern Virginia is not like that at all. It’s right outside of DC so it’s really busy all the time and traffic seriously rivals Atlanta’s. It could probably be its own state because it is no where near what the rest of Virginia is like. It’s always hot and humid and pretty much gross during the summer, but in the winter you can still get a lot of snow, which I like a lot. It was a really fun place to grow up because it was like a city, but still had like a hometown kind of feel. Alyssa Hutchison My Review of San Francisco I have a relative who has lived/been in San Fancisco for a few years now. I visited them last year and the year before that and really liked the city. I found it very interesting how San Francisco is such a diverse and compact city, versus Atlanta, which is diverse, but covers so much more area. I also enjoyed the climate alot more, mainly summers there versus summers here. Although it can be a little chilly and windy there is usually little to no humidity and the temperatures are also more constant. Joseph Newman My Review of Boston I decided to write a review of Boston because I live about 30 minutes from the city. My favorite part about Boston is the way it’s divided into sections. First is East Boston, where the airport is located, mostly surrounded by water. Then there is the North End - home to most of the Italian restaurants. In downtown Boston you will find Beacon Hill where all the governmental buildings are located, including the State House. Many Irish immigrants have made their home in South Boston, notorious for it’s shipping docks and its rough and tough gang leaders like Whitey Bulger. As you get farther from the water and go past the Boston Common, you will come across Fenway Park and a couple prominent skyscrapers such as the John Hancock tower and the Prudential building. Another favorite feature of mine in Boston is the subway. There are a few separate lines that can take you anywhere in the city. Overall, it’s a very underrated city. Tyler Collins My review of Pasadena, California: I was really impressed with this city for the short week that I spent there over the Summer. Although I never actually saw most of the "tourist" areas, I got to know a lot of the local people and found them to be some of the nicest I have ever met. My very first day there, a group of kids who shared my friends' and my interests drove us to eat at a restaurant called in and out. They told us that this place was kind of the "McDonalds" of the West coast. The one day that we spent at the beach was really pleasant also. The sunset accompanied by the local fair and water was gorgeous. All in all, California really reminded me of that show Rocket Power that used to come on Nickelodeon.It's a dangerous place to walk at night though (three of the girls on tour with me were robbed at gun point); however, I would definitely recommend making a trip there. The weather is unbelievable! Jimenez, Caitlin Poquoson, Virginia Poquoson is a small city on the coast of southern Virginia. It’s full of marshes and creeks, and look very similar to the geography commonly seen in Nicholas Sparks books. There are about 14,000 people living in Poquoson, so it’s about as big at Georgia Tech. There are now two stoplights and two grocery stores, right across the street from each other. Poquoson is a quiet, southern, fishing town that now houses most of NASA Langley’s empolyees. It’s about half an hour away from Bush Gardens, Williamsburg and right in the middle of the “historic triangle,” or Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. It’s also about 45 minutes from VA Beach and 2 hours from the outer banx. If you plan on visiting, bring a fishing pole, kayak, bathing suit, and surfboard, and plan for water adventures.Cait Meree Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico I visited several places in Mexico this summer- mostly where I have family- but Zacatecas is one of the most beautiful cities I toured. It was a mining city from where people have extracted a large amount of silver. Its mines still contain resources, but to extract them would require explosives (which would destroy the city). The roads and houses are constructed completely of stone. It is not a huge city, and although people do travel by cars and there is a lot of traffic, the air and atmosphere seemed very clean to me. The architecture of the city, especially of the cathedrals, is magnificent. It has incredible views from mountain tops such as from el Cerro de la Bufa. Zacatecas is a city rich with history, culture, and places to see. Jasmin Gonzalez Martha's Vineyard Ok, so Martha’s Vineyard is pretty much the coolest place ever. Great food, great shopping, great scenery and sights. We rented a Jeep and drove all the way around the island to see all the lighthouses, beaches and amazing houses. And Vineyard Vines has a huge store there! Definitely the best place to vacation in the summer! Paige Thomas Ankara, Turkey I lived in Ankara for 14 years overall, going back and forth to Seoul, but I was able to realize the development in the not-the-biggest city in the world. However, it would be one great place to visit as you are able to see the skyscrapers being built and new designes put in place. Moreover, as it still is a developing nation, many places around Ankara still have to old spin to their structural design. But definitely, as Turkey itself is full of history and entertainment, it cannot be missed out in a holiday trip to Europe. Inbeom Lee San Diego, California If you are ever headed toward southern California, the one place you must visit if you haven't already is San Diego (insert Anchorman joke here). From its numerous beautiful beaches and palm tree-lined streets to it array of great eateries and shopping opportunities, this city has a great deal to offer. I come there every summer to spend time with family there, and it is always a great experience. The weather there is also wonderful, particularly due to its proximity to the ocean. It's a magnificent place to vacation at, and I would recommend it to anyone. Ailien Vuong Monterrey, Mexico I lived there for two years, and it certainly is not the stereotypical image of Mexico that most Americans have in mind. Monterrey is very much a modern city. It is located close enough to the Texas border to stimulate commercial trade, yet far enough away to separate itself from the infamous drug-trafficking that so many Hollywood movies have made famous. Downtown Monterrey has all of the amenities of any major American city, a hint of European styling, and yet has managed to keep its identity uniquely Mexican. The city is embraced by the Sierra Leon Mountain Range, and is 30 minutes away from idealistic outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, spelunking, horseback riding, and rock climbing. Its location has kept it hidden to much of the world for many years simply because it is not on the beach, but Monterrey is a gem waiting to be discovered. I go every four months and find something new to do every time. Anybody considering a trip to Monterrey would not be let down. Cameron Stewart  My review of Seoul, South Korea I'm from Savannah, but my mother is from South Korea. I went last year and the country of Korea is absolutely gorgeous. The mountains and the landscape have a very nice feel. Especially for someone like me who is used to just flat plains. However, the capital city of Seoul is massive. My cousin called it "a monster." People there do not care if you're standing in the way and they will push you if they're in a hurry. This isn't considered rude though. It's just their culture. It was quite a bit of culture shock even for someone who grew up with Korean culture. People in Seoul have their own dialect from the rest of the country just like Northern states vs. Southern states. The weather is pretty nice if you can get pass all the smog. Even though it has the usual problems of a major city, I would definitely go back. The fashion and stores along the sides of the streets are something that you shouldn't pass up. It was a really good place to learn another culture and would recommend going if you love the city. Tami King Swainsboro, Georgia I suppose the most obvious choice for my review would be Swainsboro since it is my hometown. It is an incredibly small place, with only about eight thousand residents in the city proper. That is probably the best part though. Everyone knows you by name and there is real family history there. People are down to earth and incredibly friendly. Life is a lot slower and there seems to be all the time in the world to just sit on the porch and socialize with friends and neighbors. It’s the only place I would ever want to live. Lance Fulghum Chicago We drove up to Chicago to visit some family members. I had read about all the sky scrapers and seen many pictures, but seeing the buildings from close was a totally different experience. It was mostly mirrored buildings with the reflection of buildings around them. They were all so high that seeing the top of the buildings was actually difficult. The Museum of Science and Technology of Chicago was phenomenon. They had actual plains and trains with all the layers shown through the parts that were cut out. The most fantastic part was the weekly changes of embryos shown with actual embryos in jars. I never thought I would like anything about science and technology but this museum was amazing. The ground floor of the museum was built like Chicago 150 years ago. They also had this Future Land that had all the models of future Chicago with highways going around the skyscrapers and some incredible buildings. You should all visit Chicago and most definitely the Museum. Shiva Talebi Rio de Janeiro, Brazil This summer, while studying in Argentina, a few of us decided to take a side trip to Rio de Janeiro for a week, despite the plentiful warnings we had previously received that Rio is a particularly unsafe city, especially for foreigners. My aunt, who grew up in Brazil, had my mom convinced that she would be receiving a finger of mine in the mail and ransom letter by the end of the week. Just so you know, I am currently using all of my fingers to type this review. I have also witnessed capoeira dancing, swum in waves that must have lifted me twice my height, run off a cliff with a hang-glider on my back, made the mistake of using an illegitimate "tourist company" to take me to see Corcovado (we're not exactly sure how we survived that furious car drive up the mountain), fed a feisty monkey, watched my first sunrise on the beach after having stayed awake all night, walked through favellas (where I bought my first painting, which sits on my window sill), attended a football game at Maracana, one of the biggest stadiums in the world, made my way through a huge crowd at a Brazilian pop concert right on the beach (where a shoe came flying out of nowhere and hit me), and endless other seemingly perfect memories. That was my week there, one I would repeat in a heartbeat. What will yours be like? Jenny Drinkard  Link to this Page
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