If you’re American in the kitchen, then what are you in the bathroom? If you know the answer to that question, you might think yourself a well cultured individual, but maybe not when you compare yourself to some people in the Kadet community. Traveling around the world is a very fun lifestyle, and some of Air Academy’s very own students have had the opportunity to soak themselves in the cultures of foreign lands.

France, home of Paris, the city of love, is one of the most entertaining and interesting places in the world. In the case of Luke Negley, traveling to France was for a more professional reason than a mere vacation. Being a high quality climber, Luke was given the opportunity to compete in a mixed climbing competition with Team USA. Mixed climbing is a form of climbing using ice and rock techniques; so France’s beautiful landscape gave the perfect spots for some challenging climbing routes. I have been a close friend of Luke’s for about 3 years now, and Luke has always been focused on climbing. With this most recent accomplishment, his work has definitely paid off.  When asked, Luke said, “France was super cool, and I had so much fun. There was so much to do and I wish I could’ve stayed longer.” Luke competed well, and was overall very happy with his performance and experience in the exciting nature of France, though he seemed most excited about the “free swag that they gave me at the competition and for the team.”

Another one of our own Kadets, Erin Lindsey, took a two week trip to Europe in the past month, and came back with plenty of awesome memories and stories. She was lucky enough to experience the culture of the big cities. She said, “Paris was definitely my favorite place to visit. It has that big city feel that I really like. Also, you never run out of stuff to do.” The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and Notre Dame are just a few of the breath-taking attractions that the city has to offer. Food always makes up a huge portion of any culture, and when asked, Erin responded with, “The food is amazing. I love baguettes, and you can buy them almost anywhere.” Erin obviously had tons of fun on her trip to Europe, as I’m sure any visitor would!

Just like my fellow Kadets, I have also had the pleasure of visiting other countries, and even living there! As a military child, I was born in Japan, and lived in Germany and England as well as the United States. From my experiences in foreign places, I have been able to see how so many different cultures make up the entire world. As well as breath-taking scenery, the cultures and people of every place I have visited have been so welcoming and fun. I hope that anyone who is given the opportunity to travel will take it, because the experiences and memories that come with travel will all be worthwhile!