PALAU
By: krysta, 13, MN (AKA v-ball_player)

I recently went to Palau. Palau is a small group of islands off the coast of South America. Palau is a great place to visit. When you arrive from the plane or boat, some of the locals will greet you, give either a lei or shell necklace, and give directions if you need them. They are very friendly! Their families dress much like the people in the US do. They do have traditional dresses and clothes for ceremonies though.

When you arrive there, you can choose to stay in a hotel, or you can choose to live with a local family! The families are very nice, and you can live with one family for up to two weeks. The family will feed you and treat you like a part of their family, although some families require you to pay them.

You can tour the town with a tour group, and there's also World War 2 wrecks there that you can look at and take pictures of. You can also go on ocean tours, then you can take a boat out into the ocean, and then scuba dive into the ocean! Many of the World War 2 wrecks are underwater, and there are some very beautiful fish and sea life down there. Some of the tour guides have underwater cameras you can buy. If they don't, you should buy one from a souvenir shop.

Survivor, the reality TV show was also filmed in Palau, so you can walk where the Survivors once walked! So if you are a Survivor fan, that will be very fun for you. Visit soon!

PARADISE ISLAND BAHAMAS
By: Mary Kate, 11, PA (AKA littleboprep)

Paradise Island, Bahamas is so fun!!!

They have something for everyone. They have water slides from a toddler slide to a drop down scary high slide that puts you in a glass enclosed slide that goes through a shark tank! They have other slides, too. They have a dual slide that you race on, and they have a "jungle" slide, that isn't really that special, but it is something to do if you want a change. They also have a lazy river, that starts as a pitch black tube slide that slows you up as you go into an enclosed glass area through the same shark tank! Sometimes the sharks sleep on top of the glass! If you go onto the other side of the complex, there is an entire kiddie area. They have a lot of activities there, too. They have a schedule of games such as life size candy land! They have a restaurant around the hotel water park complex. Below the restaurant is an aquarium type thing, and they have a big area with many underwater creatures, that you can go into a dug out to see them! They have activities around the pool too. One year I was too short to go on the big slides, so all I went on was the kiddie slide. I went on it so many times, that someone approached my dad and told him that I broke the record for the amount of times I went on it! We didn't know if they had a hall or something, but later someone my dad knew said he went into their hall of fame and he said he saw a girl with my dad's same last name!! This place is very fun with something for everyone, and definitely a great family vacation spot.

SICILY: THE ISLAND IN THE SUN
By: Julia, 14, MD (AKA superstarsista)

When you wake up every morning to the sun beaming through your windows, you just know you must be in Sicily. As you rise, you smell fresh bread and hear granita being made. These are the wonders of the Island in the Sun.

Sicily is an island not far from Italy. Some think it is being "kicked" by the "giant boot" of Italy. Sicily is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, which is very beautiful. The Mediterranean can be seen from Taromina, a city on the beach. Another city is called Calasecbeta, and it's filled with narrow streets and wondrous brick buildings.

Sicily is full of delicious food as well. Granita is the Italian word for Italian Ice. Lemon is the most common kind. The bread is dry, thick and delicious. And, of course, how could Sicily be Italian without pizza and pasta? Wine is also a big part of Sicily.

While walking in the streets of Calasecbeta, teenagers go zooming by on mopeds, a form of motor bikes. Many people stay in the piaza, or plaza, for fun during the night. There is karaoke, ice cream, and children playing everywhere in the piaza!

Staying in Sicily is fun and exciting, and when you leave, you must go back for more!