I left the hot 98 degree Santiago air to land in a snowstorm in Boston. After a 15-hour journey, the freezing air slapped me in the face as the automatic doors opened to let me out. Disorientated and dehydrated, I bumped into a man on my way out of the plane. “I’m so sorry. I am sorry,” I cried out.

“It’s ok,” he snarled back. Ahh, yes, the frigid air irritating my skin, the cold remarks of strangers refusing to make eye contact, and the monitor announcing flights every few minutes. Logan Airport, we meet again. 

I remember watching Billy Crystal in City Slickers and thinking ‘that must be what the west looks like’. Perhaps, I would feel much the same –an outsider in my own country and be that kid from the city (even though I lived 45 minutes outside, in the suburbs) in the great, surprising wide-open land. I’m proof that learning happens at any age. More often than not, there’s vital life learning that takes place outside of the traditional school doors. I was an ocean-loving island kid driving across the country that ended up in awe of Montana.

The painter and sculptor Dimitry Domani has an amazing story. Born in Romania, he grew up under the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. In 1978, Dimitry and five friends walked 75 miles trying to escape his oppressive homeland. They walked at night, swam the Danube River, and walked 5 more miles into Yugoslavia, where they were captured by the Yugoslavian police. At this point, he became a political prisoner in another communist country.

Montevideo took my breath away. Even before we landed, I knew I would fall in love with Uruguay. A small country located at the bottom of Argentina, Uruguay is cornered by the breathtaking Cordillera mountain range on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the right. Flying over the Cordillera was simultaneously exhilarating and petrifying. Luckily, I got a window seat and got a great view of the curvy mountains frosted with a touch of snow. We HAD to keep our seat belts buckled when flying over the mountains because of turbulence.

If you’re like me, a trip to the UK is more than welcome at any time. I love the new, organic food trends and high tea.

In my family, Snow Pudding is a must. It’s a tradition… and a very good one, in my opinion! What can go wrong with lemony, custardy, sugary goodness? This year, I actually joined in on making it (instead of watching my nana from the sidelines, impatiently waiting for it to be done).

Golden crisp on the outside with a chewy texture inside, just-fried donuts bear little resemblance to the bland varieties you’re likely to find at the grocers: Simply put, the homemade version is better.
 
Much better.
 
Donuts seem to have an unwarranted mystique of being difficult to make at home – perhaps because the dough can be a bit finicky. Or it may be because the final step involves a lengthy dip in a vat of bubbling oil.

There's a saying that we use in our study abroad program whenever someone wants a break, and I'm sure you've heard of it: self care, self love. As in: self care IS self love. I'm 21 years old and I'm exhausted. But I also think I'm invincible, which can prove to be dangerous, given my insatiable desire to explore the world around me.

As a special treat to you this month, I thought I’d include some tips and advice on what to teach in your ESL classroom over the holiday season. 

As kids, we never had to budget. And life was good. I started learning about budgeting when I became a fresh(wo)man in college. Initially, I was petrified of that word. I learned about bank accounts, food expenses, saving money (what little I had), and even balancing checkbooks. I started working two months after my 15th birthday so I could pay my phone bill. I really wanted a cell phone, but also understood that my dad was a single parent and I needed to help wherever I could.