TCS High School students share their incredible travel experiences around the world and the insights they gained along the way. For them, traveling is more than just a break from school; it’s a chance to become global citizens, meet new cultures, and appreciate the world’s diversity.

Fantastic adventures change the lives of TCS students. They dive into unique destinations, the challenges they faced, and the cultural connections made. These stories inspire a passion for exploring beautiful places on Earth. “Meeting people from different cultures, trying new foods, and seeing different lifestyles definitely opened up my eyes and my mind,” said Pascual Cardozo, Senior.

Passionate traveler and TCS senior Pascual Cardozo has embarked on numerous trips that profoundly impacted his perspective on the world. Having visited 9 countries, Pascual highlights his cultural encounters, culinary explorations, and eye-opening experiences.

“My favorite country will forever be Spain; I love its gastronomy—especially paella—and all of its historic monuments representing centuries of history and culture,” Cardozo said.

Spain holds a special place in his heart, as he finds it fascinating how Spain is a mix of old architecture and traditions with vibrant modernity.

As a Mediterranean food enthusiast, Cardozo finds tapas, tortillas, and paellas an absolute delight and wishes he could eat them more often. Additionally, Cardozo considers the beach a fundamental factor for his vacations.

“During summer, there is nothing like the beaches of Mallorca; they are very relaxing and beautiful,” Cardozo said.

He emphasizes the importance of relaxation and enjoying life’s simple pleasures with family.

Additionally, he claims that social media has been an important factor during his travels, as he discovered David Guetta’s performance through Instagram in Madrid in 2023. Cardozo’s favorite types of music are techno and house, and watching Guetta perform was a dream for him.

“As a Guetta fan, I couldn’t believe he was going to be in Madrid at the same time as me; it was one of the best concerts of my life,” Cardozo said.

Valeria Pertuz, a senior at The Columbus School, has a deep love for Italy beyond its iconic landmarks and delicious cuisine. With plans to embark on a gap semester in beautiful Milan, Valeria emphasizes her love for Italy due to its rich culture, art, and history.

“I’ve been to many countries, including Greece and Turkey, but Italy feels like a second home to me,” Pertuz said. For Pertuz, immersing herself in the culture of Milan and exploring a completely new lifestyle fills her with a sense of adventure and excitement.

“Italy’s culture is very different from ours, from food to language, and even architecture. However, I love that both of us are outgoing and happy,” Pertuz finds it fundamental to be sociable, make new friends, and have a lot of fun during her time away from home. She also considers that these new relationships may be important for her future since she can have many connections. Nevertheless, Pertuz knows very little Italian, thus, she’s taking classes to eliminate the language barrier. “Communication is key to making these connections; I want people to understand me and talk to them in their native language,” claims Pertuz.

Finally, Emilia Echavarria, a twelfth-grade student at The Columbus School, claims she travels at least three times a year. Echavarria has been to many parts of the world. Last summer, she visited most of Western Europe and hopped onto a cruise in Brazil during last year’s Semana Santa.

“My family’s passion is to travel; I always go on trips with the company of my cousins or family friends; I’ve only traveled alone once,” Echavarria explains that traveling with loved ones improves the experience, enabling moments of laughter, discovery, and bonding.

Nevertheless, her journey by herself offered a unique opportunity for self-discovery and independence, allowing her to visit unfamiliar territories and create strong connections. “In 2022 I went to San Francisco, to a Business Program in Berkeley. At first, I was very scared because I was by myself, but then I realized everyone was going through the same as me and made many friends.” Leaving her comfort zone allowed her to embrace new experiences, overcome challenges, and most importantly, grow as a person.

Echavarria was able to confront this new experience with resilience and independence, learn about her future career, and motivate her to make future journeys alone. Although Echavarria thought of this trip as beneficial, she received a racist comment from one of her classmates. “I told a boy from my class that I was Colombian, he immediately laughed and said ‘Pablo Escobar’.” She claims that it’s sad that others see Colombia as only “narcos,” but she still praises her country proudly, and this comment didn’t hurt at all.