It’s nearly mid-August. What does that mean? The humid summer days are getting shorter and the nights cooler; the fresh, sweet watermelons and cherries found in every supermarket are being replaced by college dorm room essentials. The end of summer is slowly but surely approaching! For students like me, of course, this can only mean one thing: It’s almost time for the new school year to begin!

    As for me, I’m currently sitting on a hotel bed in Vancouver, Canada. I’ve finished my summer work, my camp, and my two-week dance intensive; therefore, my family decided to squeeze in one more week of sweet summer vacation before the bustle and stress of a new school year begins.

    The first leg of this trip is Seattle, followed by Vancouver; then, we’ll hop onto a cruise throughout Alaska and British Columbia. Our family friends will be joining us for the entire trip. We traveled approximately seven hours by plane to Seattle, Washington — the very northwestern tip of the United States.

    Seattle is close to the ocean and borders Canada — it’s not too warm, but it is a very beautiful city. We walked around the bay and decided to treat ourselves to a lavish local dinner because Seattle is known for its fresh seafood. How we ate was surely a Pacific Northwest experience: between the eight of us, we ordered four buckets of crabs, clams, oysters, mussels, and shrimp that were poured across a table. It was incredible!

    We took an elevator to the top of the Space Needle, from which we could see the entire city skyline. The next day, we visited the famous Pike Place Market, which is a busy, sprawling market that houses dozens of fresh fruit and vegetable stands, seafood stands, flower stands and more. We also visited the Chihuly Garden and Glass, which is a museum that displays breathtaking glass sculptures.

    After exploring Seattle for a few days, we drove three hours up and across the Canadian border to Vancouver. The Chinatown here is unbelievable. We visited Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, which is a gorgeous forest teeming with wildlife, greenery, and bridges suspended between the trees. Then, we visited Stanley Park, which is a bit like Central Park in New York City. We picnicked and walked around the peaceful setting, admiring the view of the city and port. We watched a cruise ship sail away onto the ocean, and I couldn’t help thinking that’ll be me tomorrow! I’m very excited to go on a cruise through Alaska and Canada, where I’m sure I’ll see and learn about many beautiful cultures and landmarks.

    Do enjoy the rest of your summer — I will be enjoying mine!

    Merry Gu (辜子蕊)

    is a Grade 9 student at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, Pennsylvania. She lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, a suburb near Philadelphia in the United States.