Mr. Koester

For Chris Koester, biology teacher, this year’s summer vacation gave him an opportunity to strengthen his bonds with friends and family. He started his vacation by going to Washington D.C. to visit his daughter, whom he had been longing to meet. After his visit to Washington, Mr. Koester went to Illinois to visit his father. From there, they flew to Sweden and then to Germany. There he wanted his dad to see his parents’ birthplaces. Mr. Koester took his dad to a church the German town of Loitz, where his great grandfather was baptized.

“Watching my dad revisit the place his parents and my great grandparents were born at was a very special moment for me,” Mr. Koester said. “It was an unforgettable and worthwhile bonding moment that I wasn’t able to have for a very long time.”

His last trip around the globe was spent with Ivan Atanaskovic, athletics and activities coordinator, and Tamara Atanaskovic, physical education teacher, in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. His most memorable moment there was when he viewed the numerous sites of US bombings, especially that of the Chinese Embassy. Overall, this summer vacation was one of his most busy ones yet, and he is excited for more adventures to come next year.

Mr. McEvoy-Hein

Unlike Mr. Koester who traveled to places in Europe, Jeffrey McEvoy, math teacher, spent his summer vacation primarily in the US with his wife and daughter. The family went to Chicago, San Antonio, and Los Angeles to visit his daughter’s grandparents on both sides. In Houston, the three went to a children’s museum where kids could interact with diverse materials such as blocks and wood.

“My favorite moment was when I saw my daughter smiling while walking and running around in the grass,” Mr. McEvoy said. “I also loved seeing my young one interact with her grandparents for the first time.”

Aside from visiting the US, Mr. McEvoy and his family also traveled to Bali, where he has never traveled to before. The temperate weather set a perfect scene in which they could enjoy their time at the beach and build sand castles. They are planning to travel in Myanmar next year.

Mr. Lee

Similarly to Mr. Koester, Eugene Lee, chemistry and biology teacher, traveled all around Europe, including England, France, Netherland, Germany, and Poland. Mr. Lee decided to travel to such a faraway place because it would be the last time they would be able to travel easily as their baby will be born soon.

One of Mr. Lee’s favorite destinations was Krakow because there weren’t buses of tourists at every corner of the street. The weather was great, people were nice, and the food was hardy and affordable. During the trip, the Lee couple went to specific locations such as Shakespeare’s home, Auschwitz, and the catacombs.

“There is a lot of romanticization about Paris,” Mr. Lee said. “But to me, it was just a city. Wherever you go, you see picnics. I got to learn so much and had fun exploring the catacombs. We need more catacombs because what do you do when a city runs out of room or if too many people die?”

Since the Lee family has not visited South East Asia yet, they plan on visiting nearby places like Vietnam, Jeju Island, Thailand, or the Philippines next summer break.