Winter Break: New York City

Coming out of first semester, I was beyond excited to spend time with my family and take advantage of winter break. My excitement was only added to by the fact that my mom had announced her, my younger sister, and I would be visiting New York for a few days over break. The minute I got home from Austin I started thinking about what to pack and what I wanted to do to take advantage of my first winter visit to the big apple. We already had a few things planned, especially since my mom gave my sister and I tickets to the much anticipated Broadway show Hamilton for our birthdays, but even still we had lots of free time to fill.

My sister is obsessed with New York City so from the moment we were in the airport it was nothing but excitement for not only her, but my mom and myself as well. After a relatively easy flight we landed at Laguardia just to find out that while we made it in one piece, not one of our bags had made it onto the flight. While this was a hassle, we made the most of the situation and went shopping for clothes and toiletries to last us for at least one day and then ventured out to a 

delicious dinner before settling into our hotel. The next morning we woke up and went back out to the airport to happily find our bags waiting for us. From then on it was nonstop fun and girl bonding time. Lunch at Bergdorf Goodman followed by shopping at Bloomingdales made for a perfect day. The next day we started the day off in arguably the most perfect way, brunch. Avocado toast and hot tea set the scene for yet another few hours of wandering the city and shopping. However, that wasn’t the highlight of the day. Later that night we hopped on the subway and headed down to Times Square to see the unforgettable Hamilton. Even after listening to the soundtrack a million times, nothing could compare to seeing it in person. The next morning we woke up early to start our final day in NYC. Skating underneath the Rockefeller Christmas tree, or in my mom’s case pulling herself along the wall while acting as unofficial photographer, was unforgettable. 

While we sadly had to head home that afternoon to be back in time for Christmas, the trip will forever be fondly in my memories. After being away at college all semester and rarely getting to see my family, the time spent bonding and reconnecting with my mom and sister was so welcomed. Even with the weather nearly freezing our ears off, New York in the winter was truly a trip I will never forget.

ZLAM!

Ellen Teuscher

Winter Break: Los Cobos, Mexico

Sitting in the PCL on a cold, dreary December day while studying for finals, Winter Break seemed like the one light at the end of the tunnel. After working endless nightsa five-week break filled with R&R is much needed and deserved. For me, the anticipation to relax and soak in some Vitamin-C was the only thing on my mind in midst of exam season.  

With so much time away from school, break is an amazing way to catch up with old high school friends, spend quality time with family, earn some money working, and travel around the world. This year, while I was fortunate enough to get to do all of that and more with my time off, the highlight was the trip I took to Los Cabos, Mexico.

My mom works as a Travel Agent and never cedes to plan anything short of memorable for her clients, including my family. Knowing my love for the beach and ocean, she planned a 4-day getaway to the Baja Sur for herself, my dad, and me.

I can still feel the moment we stepped off the plane into the 80-degree air; nothing could feel better after leaving a frigid 30-degree Atlanta, GA. We were quickly escorted to our hotel and settled into our rooms. The resort sat on the cliff of a surfer’s beach with picturesque views straight out of National Geographic.  By the time we arrived, it was only 2 o’clock and the day was still young. To make the most of it, my mom and I slipped on our bikinis and headed straight for the beach while my dad made his way to the golf course. To me, there is nothing more relaxing than listening to the ocean breeze in the sunshine while reading a book. Needless to say, I recovered from the stress of exams pretty quickly in doing so. Around 5 o’clock that day, we were excited to learn that the hotel had baby turtles that had just hatched and were ready to be released into the wild. Watching the little babies walk down the shore in order to get washed up with the current was so adorable I cannot even put it into words. Sea turtles are an endangered species, so it was great to learn that even the hotel was working towards its conservation.

The next day was mostly spent laying by the pool while drinking coconut water straight from a coconut! The pool had chairs that sat directly in the water, which was super refreshing. That night, my family ate dinner at another hotel nearby. There, I got to see fellow Zista Jill Levy, who was also spending her vacation in Mexico. It is always a fun treat to see your sisters outside of Austin.  

On our final full day in Mexico, my mom and I went on a memorable excursion to say the least: camel rides on the beach. Yes, you read that right, a camel on the beach. As we learned, camels are actually endemic to that region because the conditions are somewhat similar to that of the Sahara Desert. On this adventure, we started off with a guided nature walk, which led us to a 4x4 ride. Eventually, we made our way to the camels. First, we got to take pictures with the animal and feed it carrots. The we got to ride on them for around 45 minutes. The funniest part was that they draped white sheets over the helmet, making us look like we were truly in the Sahara. My mom and my camel’s name was Powder, and she was certainly very sweet and gentle. Lastly, we learned how to make traditional Mexican tortillas and got to indulge in a traditional meal. While I love to relax and soak up the sun on a beach vacation, this camel trip was most definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

I am so thankful to have gotten to spend part of my break with my parents in such an exotic location. Cabo itself was picture-perfect in its scenery, and the trip was unforgettable.

ZLAM,

Whitney Weiss PC '16