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Overnight, we sailed into Panamanian waters. Our first stop was to Guna Yala, once known as the San Blas Islands, an archipelago of over 300 islands. 50 of these are inhabited, and we spent the day on Cayo Holandéses to enjoy the crystal waters, learn about the locals, and seeing some of the traditional houses.…

Cartagena de Indias, or Cartagena, was once a strategic port on the Caribbean Coast for colonial Spain – from here they would ship goods (mainly gold, silver, and slaves) between the Americas and Europe. Because of its economic and strategic importance, it was constantly attacked by pirates. The charming walled city and fortress of the…

In the early 1960’s, my mom migrated from Taiwan to Colombia to work in an upscale hotel in downtown Bogotá. Almost two years later she moved to the United States to marry my dad – and never looked back. I remember in high school asking her whether she wanted to visit, but back in the…

Smile for the camera! SHAAAARK!  It’s the classic ‘charismatic megafauna’ that elicits wonder, excitement, and (sadly) fear, and it’s also a highly misunderstood animal. Who wouldn’t want to learn more?! I was so excited when I found out I was accepted into the Bimini Biological Field Station’s Shark Lab for teachers, so even though the…

Sunset, San Antonio Beach, Saipan Saipan is the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands. This archipelago of 14 islands (plus Guam) was formed 42 million years ago when the Pacific tectonic plate subducted under the Mariana Plate, causing volcanoes to form (as well as creating the Mariana Trench – the deepest ocean trench on earth).…

TUESDAY, JULY 11About 5 miles from Saipan lies Tinian, a small Mariana Island steeped in WWII history. Since we had the day free, Erin and I decided to take a day trip over to explore. We messaged with teacher Aileen who was also interested in going, and at breakfast, we ran into teacher Emily from…

My third trip of the summer was to the NEH Landmarks of American History & Culture Program Saipan’s Land and Sea: Battle Scars & Sites of Resilience to learn about the Battle for Saipan. My knowledge of World War II barely extends past the European theater, yet the vast majority of the US’s involvement in…

High on my bucket list every since I can remember: rafting down the Grand Canyon. Finally, this summer I fulfilled my lifelong dream!  The Colorado River starts at 14,000 ft in elevation in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and drops about 7 feet per mile, carrying rocks and debris that help cut through the sedimentary…

  A fossil is the preserved trace of any living thing – it’s not just the remains of the organism itself (bones, teeth, etc.), but it could be a trace of what it leaves behind (footprints, imprint, scales, hair, etc.). Fossils are formed when an object is quickly covered by sediment, then – most importantly…