Continued from page A8

Visit to Sicily

“Something that sets Franklin apart from other schools is our academic travel. Every semester we are required to participate in an academic travel, which is worth one credit. We get to pick which travel we participate in, which can be to all sorts of different places around the world.

The two-week-long travels are lead by a professor, who also has a theme for the travel. Some of the options this past semester were Greece, Sicily, Portugal, Nice and Southern France, London, Zambia, Japan and Costa Rica. Each travel has different requirements and assignments according to the professor who leads it.

I participated in travel to Sicily, which focused on history of the island. We got to see a lot of the island in our two weeks. We started on the east side, staying in Taromina for our first couple days. From there we drove to other towns and explored many ancient Roman and Greek ruins.

Our next part of the trip, we stayed in Palermo. From Palermo, we also traveled to other places, such as Erice which is known for its scientific community.

My experiences in Sicily were amazing. I had a great time learning about the history where it happened, while creating strong bonds with my classmates that I had not known before. All in the same trip we experienced flooding in Palermo, thunder storms, swimming in the ocean in Taromina, and local culture.”

Oktoberfest

“With Switzerland’s position in Europe, I have been able to travel often on my own. In October, I traveled with some friends to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

I didn’t know much about Oktoberfest before going. I learned all the traditions, such as the gingerbread hearts and pretzels. There was more to Oktoberfest than just beer, such as carnival rides and fun houses.

One weekend, I had a required school field trip to Milan, to conduct a research project. My experiences traveling and here in Lugano have opened my eyes to many new possibilities. This semester, my academic travel took me to Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Hercegovina. This was an eye-opening experience and a culture different than I had ever experienced before.”

• McFarland graduated in 2007 from Mount Si, where she played basketball and volleyball and was the senior tennis team captain. She has worked at the North Bend Outlet Stores, Si View Pool and Gianfranco’s Ristorante Italiano. Her family lives in North Bend.