Enjoying the hot sun, summer vacations mark a long-awaited break where students spend time with family and friends. As the Class of 2028 come back from their summer vacations, they return with new and fun experiences that have shaped them. Making the most of their two month break, some Cavaliers traveled across the world, traversing through various adventures. From exploring different destinations to reconnecting with loved ones, sophomores Alexandra Hanono, Niki Karavias and Borja Gamarra are now ready to come back into action at Coral Gables Senior High.
Alexandra Hanono
Voyaging to Greece, Belgium and other parts of Europe with her family, Hanono spent four weeks in Europe, visiting the region for her first ever time this summer. Enjoying herself in all these beautiful places, her time at the Milos island in Greece stood out to her for its culturally diverse surroundings.
Spending most of her time relishing in the great outdoors, Hanono felt an interest in learning French and about the Greek Orthodox culture. Because of her best friend’s faith, Hanono became interested in the Greek lifestyle and immersed herself in the practices of the Greek Orthodox religion. At the same time, she was also intrigued in the French language and took a special interest in the language because all the women in her family speak the language.
“My favorite part about my trip was the first island we went to in Greece called Milos. It was very cool because every city was so different and rich in culture,” sophomore Hanono said.
Niki Karavias
Taking advantage of the tropical weather, Karavias traveled to several areas in Florida and Hawaii. Taking a road trip away from home, Marco Island caught Karavias attention for its breathtaking sunsets. Karavias specifically wanted to explore new locations in Florida where she had never been before given she had always left the country for previous vacations. Visiting beaches and tanning under the sun, she brought her best friend on this trip to enjoy the Florida sand alongside her and her mom. Located a car ride away, the three of them dedicated their time to cruising through new locations such as Naples.
“I really wanted to go to this part of Florida because I heard a lot of good things about it from websites and people who I knew. What really caught my eye was the sunsets I saw through pictures from other people, since it looked so beautiful,” sophomore Karavias said.
With only a week and a half until summer break was over, Karavias and her mom experienced the comforting oceans of Hawaii alongside its unique and infamous culture for 10 days.
“My favorite part of the trip was being able to enjoy it with my best friend. I’ve never gone on a trip with a friend so this was a fun new experience, that made it more than worth it.” sophomore Karavias said.
Borja Gamarra
Being gifted a trip to Europe by his grandmother, Gamarra spent all of June visiting Portugal, Amsterdam, Croatia, Greece and Sicily. This gift from his grandmother came from a promise she made to him, saying that when he turned 15 he would be gifted a trip across Europe.
Enjoying many out-of-the-ordinary views and trying new foods, Gamarra spent this well-traveled summer with his two older brothers. Throughout his stay in many cities, he spent this time catching up with family and learning about various European locations and their culture.
After strengthening his bonds with his older brothers from June 18 to July 6, Gamarra met up with his parents and younger brothers in Portugal. Gamarra and his family rented a house on the beach and another on a mountain, and they stayed in each of these houses for a week, taking in all that the city had to offer.
“I enjoyed it because I went to a bunch of different countries and had a lot of fun. One of my favorite memories was when I was in Croatia and we went on a boat for a whole day. We even went to a few different islands, and caves like the blue cave where we got to swim in the ocean, which was really cool,” sophomore Gamarra said.
Savoring their summer vacations to the fullest, the sophomore class went on trips while reuniting with friends, family and sightseeing. Sharing valuable memories and learning about distinct cultures, these Cavaliers returned to their studies on Aug. 14 with fun adventures and stories to recall.
