Whether it’s the Oakey Fanokey or Bora Bora, going on vacation is always an exciting event. There are many Mason students who plan on doing just this, and their places of vacation are actually very unusual and interesting, and shed a unique light upon the diverse student body.

Sophomore Mesrob Yergatien, a JV football player, is going to football camp in North Carolina for 2-3 weeks to improve his skills. Senior Daniel Clark, who recently got accepted to the prestigious West Point Military Academy, will be spending his summer sweating through bootcamp. Junior dancer Galen Messing will be attending Governor’s school for dance. Other students choose to stay closer to home. Junior Jessica Szymanski is looking forward to spending a relaxing weekend at home without her parents, and fellow classmate Claire Montgomery is organizing adventurous day trips with her amigos.

For senior David Cai, and others, going abroad for vacation means going home. 

"I will be going home to China to party, golf, site-see, eat delicious food, and of course, see my family and friends," said Cai. And, if things work out, his close friend senior Kenneth Lasso might also come along for the journey. The case is similar for senior Kate Zimmermann and her Swedish friend. Kate has already booked her tickets and will be visiting the Swede this summer in the great land of Sweden, after which the two girls will go on to Latvia for a week to stay with Kate’s father. 

Senior Lena Hull is very excited about going back to Cyprus, where she spent most of her childhood.

"My parents have just finished building a house there so I’m very excited. It’s like a second home to me. I especially look forward to skinny dipping at Turtle Beach," said Hull. 

Junior Allastair Sullivan is not only going back home to New Zealand to visit his family and friends, but he will also be going to Kenya.

"My Dad went there are really liked it, so he wanted to take the whole family and go on safari," said Sullivan. 

While senior Whitney Pollock is not English, her older brother, ex-masonite Matthias Pollock, is currently living there for his year abroad in college, and Whitney plans on visiting him there.

"It’ll really be an amazing experience because I’ve never been overseas," said Pollock. Sophomore Owen Gray will be vacationing in Amsterdam for the specific reason that he will be moving there in the fall. Perhaps he might even run into seniors Daniel Arnaudo and Gabriel Twose who are doing a Euro-tour this summer, bumming places to stay off of friends and family around Europe.

"Going to Europe this summer will be incredible. Being free to go where we want and see what we want, having our own agenda, will be a perfect way to end my high school years," said Gabe.