One day in 2008, I got a call from my older sister, telling me that our father had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and the doctor had given him three months to live. I was living in Minnesota at the time, far away from Ogden, Utah.
 
I quickly arranged to go back home. 

I headed out to “take care” of Dad for a while. 

I moved back home, back into the old house he raised us in, and I learned once again how strong and determined he was.  

#StandForLove. 

Have you seen Kinky Boots yet? Maybe not - it's only been on Broadway for 5 years, and it's already a global sensation. This musical, which has a rich history, started out as a BBC documentary based on a real story. A long and winding road led to a movie, and then this Broadway smash musical. It's an important story of history, family, friends, and finding and staying true to yourself. Kinky Boots is on tour - get your tickets, as this is a show worth seeing.

Maria Castello is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied English writing and literature. During her time in college, she spent a semester studying in London, where she interned with a small publishing company. She loved her study abroad experience so much she is now planning to attend graduate school and pursue a career in international education. She loves classic novels, tortoiseshell cats, and green tea, and is currently learning to speak Italian.  

Do you follow one of my favorite authors? David Downie, a native San Franciscan, lived in New York, Providence, Rome, and Milan before moving to Paris in the mid-80s. He divides his time between France and Italy. His travel, food, and arts features have appeared in leading print and on-line publications including Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Saveur, Epicurious.com, and Gault & Millau, the premier French food guide. He is the author of over a dozen nonfiction books, including the highly acclaimed Paris, Paris and A Passion for Paris.

Eliza Wick is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a major in the History of Art and Architecture and a minor in Museum Studies. She originally attended the University of Kentucky, but changed majors in the middle of her time there and other factors led her to transfer to Pitt. Eliza recently completed the London Field Studies Program with the Office of Undergraduate Research and Study Abroad and she is currently an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Pamela Douglas Webster studied European history while traveling in nine different countries at the end of her college career. After working in private historical societies and nonprofits, she learned how to sail. She now lives on board a 34 foot sailboat with her husband and dog and cruises the Chesapeake Bay and eastern United States. She works and plays at pet-friendly travel and blogs about life on board with her dog at http://www.somethingwagging.com.

My name is Mariah Robinson and I am a 21 year-old US university student completing my last two years of undergrad through study abroad programs around the world! I am enrolled at the University of Miami, Florida, but I have completed a Fulbright student program in the UK, spent semesters at universities in France and Australia, and am currently completing my degree in International Studies and Environmental Science at the Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina.