For many students, the world beyond the classroom can seem distant during school — until they step onto a car, bus, train or plane, venturing to new neighborhoods or cities. Traveling to different areas can mean a lot for students. It’s an escape, whether that means experiencing a new culture or reconnecting with family. For juniors like Ali Manzoor and sophomores like Yasmin Khan, travel has opened the door to unforgettable adventure and connections to family members across the globe.
Manzoor’s summer was marked by the opportunity to hike through Yosemite National Park.
“I think Yosemite was the most beautiful place I have ever been,” he said.
The park’s towering cliffs and wide valleys create a depth that makes every hiker feel small.
“We were looking at something like the highest place in North America, and it made me feel so small,” Manzoor said.
A story he takes with him is when he and his parents got lost hiking.
“The service was not the best, and I remember getting lost with my parents hiking through a trail,” Manzoor said.
They were able to reconnect on the trail, but it provided him with a story to tell.
Beyond the U.S., Manzoor visits Pakistan annually to see family. There, he enjoys the strong street food scene.
“In Pakistan, some street food will get you sick, but some are really good. My favorite street food is probably chicken. The way they prepare the chicken with the different spices is delicious,” he said.
His trip also included lively games of cricket that transformed into unexpected chases.
“We were playing in a neighborhood park when all of a sudden, a group of stray dogs started chasing us,” Manzoor said.
The unexpected encounter turned their game into a wild sprint.
Similarly, Khan’s travels are marked by her family’s global presence, with her relatives spread from Europe to Africa. Her journeys are often family-oriented and influenced by her family’s appreciation for cultural history.
“I think my grandmother [sparked the love for travel] in my mom because she has a big map with pinpoints of all the places she’s been, and I guess she kind of opened her eyes to the world,” Khan said.
Her family’s sprawl around worldwide began with her grandparents living in Pakistan when her mom and aunt moved to the U.S., but her other aunt stayed back in Pakistan, and her cousins have gone to the U.K., creating a web of family all over.
Khan’s travels soon took her to China, a nation she once thought was unreachable because of the pandemic.
“Once [the pandemic] was over, it was so nice to go…it was unique because it was really modern and everything was so advanced,” Khan said.
Her visit to Portugal also revealed a culture different from her home in Minnesota, particularly how the city came to life at night.
“[Portugal] was almost deserted when walking around in the afternoon, but at night everyone is out… it’s like the world came to life at night,” Khan said.
Manzoor and Khan continue to dream of new destinations. Manzoor is drawn to Cancun for its people and beaches, while Japan remains on Khan’s travel bucket list. Both will continue to travel, whether as an escape, experiencing a new culture, or connecting with family.
Updated 2/26 to add Podbean recording.
