By: Sloane Lindsay
Did you know that Ms. Lopez, the eighth grade Team Imagination math teacher, has traveled to over thirty countries? Yep, she goes all around the world to amazing places such as Iceland, Jordan, and Indonesia, which are her favorites so far!
Ms. Lopez has eaten some delightful food on her travels. She had a delectable fish soup in Iceland that she still dreams about today. She recalls, “I’ve never had anything like it and would never order it normally, but I loved it.” Fish is a very important part of Iceland because it’s a very typical food source, along with lamb and yogurt, and makes up about forty percent of their exports. Ms. Lopez also really enjoyed all of the food in the Middle Eastern country Jordan, especially the spices. Last but not least, her favorite part of Indonesian cuisine was a type of chili oil. “I love spicy food, so to be able to add as much as I wanted on everything was ideal.”
Of course we can’t forget about the astounding views. From Portugal to Hawaii, you can find both natural and human-made scenes that are sure to awe you. Ms. Lopez saw basalt columns and a volcano in Iceland, as well as the beautiful cliffs and ocean in Croatia. The famous Jordanian archaeological site and one of the oldest civilizations in the world, Petra, amazed her when she learned how its creation dated back to around 300 B.C.E. and was only just rediscovered in the nineteenth century C.E. She also visited Mount Batur, a hiking trail and active volcano.
Ms. Lopez was surprised that she didn’t get homesick, despite staying away from home for nearly two months last summer. “I felt like I was so busy and just continuously learning and exploring new things, so there never really was time to feel homesick,” she explains. Since she often travels by herself, meeting new people is one of the most interesting parts for her, because, “I love hearing their stories about how they got to be where they are and why they enjoy traveling.” She has kept in touch with many people, and even meets up with some of them in other countries. She plans to meet some friends in Greece next summer!
Traveling is even more enjoyable when you have family to share the experiences with. Ms. Lopez and her brother, whom she was never that close with until they became adults, loved getting to travel with each other. “These adventures brought us so much closer together and are memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” she shares.
Ms. Lopez has been to many places and is an inspiration to anyone wanting to travel. Her next stops are Scotland, the UK, and France. Perhaps she’ll see the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben, or try a beignet or fish and chips!