Page 20 March 2011 By Kaley Kalil Twenty-year-old Mary Thomas may be going on her 21 st year as an Arcadia resident, but there were at least fi ve months of her life so far where she lived on a completely different continent. Mary studied abroad at the University of Queensland in Australia, July to November last year during her junior year at Scripps College. There, she lived in a student apartment just outside of Brisbane. “For me, studying abroad was always a part of the plan,” Mary said. “I couldn’t imagine my college experience without it.” With her major in neuroscience and her focus on motor control, Mary’s class schedule included developmental psychology, nutrition and exercise. But, that didn’t keep her from fi tting in exciting, Australia-speci fi c courses to enhance her outback adventure. One was called Australia’s Marine Environment. “I received a comprehensive education on the fl ora and fauna that can be found off the shores of Australia, especially the famous Great Barrier Reef,” Mary said. As a part of this course, Mary spent a week at a research station on Heron Island, a 40-acre coral cay in the Southern Great Barrier Reef. There, her professors led her on walking and snorkeling tours around the island. “This was such an amazing, informative experience and certainly helped me get more out of my trip,” Mary said. When Mary wasn’t immersed in her studies or snorkeling in one of the seven wonders of the natural world, she enjoyed exploring the land down under. She said she involved herself in activities such as sur fi ng, wake boarding and cooking. She visited well-known cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns, as well as lesser-known places like the Kuranda Rainforest and Stradbroke Island. “Melbourne is known for being a very artistic city, full of amazing architecture and many public art displays,” Mary said. “While there, I visited a number of art museums and made it to the top of the Eureka Tower, the tallest building in Melbourne, which offered a spectacular view of the city.” A trip to Phillip Island to see its penguins in their natural habitat was another highlight of Mary’s time in Australia. “These little guys are about 12- to- 13 inches tall and are some of the cutest animals in the world,” Mary said. “I am a huge penguin lover and watching the little guys waddle across the beach was de fi nitely one of the most memorable experiences of my trip.” Continued on page 42 Mary Thomas Study abroad includes Great Barrier Reef, koalas Planning key to summer getaway ( Editor’s note : This is the fi rst of a two- month look at customizing a summer getaway.) By Kaley Kalil With the arrival of spring and those scalding summer months just around the corner, you may be getting the urge to swap your bulging briefcase for a beach bag and sunscreen. Or, perhaps you’re the type of traveler who wants to trade all of that required reading your job or schooling entails for some time to absorb what truly piques your interest. One thing I’ve learned from my travels is how bene fi cial it can be to pick a country that best suits your speci fi c vacation needs, wants and interests at any given time to really get the most out of each experience. The following are four country-speci fi c vacations I feel cater quite well to the travel personalities listed: The Beach Bum Ahh, the Philippines. An island hopper’s dream, and a scuba sanctuary. Continued on page 42 • A Spanish Immersion preschool program for children ages 2 to 5 • High quality early childhood education with low student to teacher ratios • Center-based curriculum includes language, art, music, science, math and world culture Little BIG Minds Spanish Immersion Preschool Little Big Minds Preschool Office Phone: 602-910-4417 www.littleBIGmindspreschool.com We are located in the Squaw Peak Traditional Academy Campus 4601 N. 34th Street • Phoenix, AZ 85018 OPEN ENROLLMENT OPEN ENROLLMENT 866.794.CAMP GlorietaCamps.com Come to Glorieta Summer Camps and experience an unforgettable summer of fun, adventure and growth! Our heart and our passion at Glorieta Summer Camps is to exalt Jesus in all that we do. The philosophy at our camps for boys and girls is centered on physical, social, mental and spiritual growth. At our family camps we focus on enriching, enhancing, encouraging and engaging the family. Glorieta Summer Camps for Boys and Girls June 12-18, 2011* June 19-25, 2011* June 26-July 2, 2011* *Choose any one week, two weeks or stay all three. Glorieta Family Camps July 4-9, 2011 July 11-16, 2011

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