An ocean away: Yangchun, Guangzhou

Riley Kerns • March 16, 2020

When I was only a few days old, my birth parents abandoned me. They left me in hopes a passerby would find me and place me in an orphanage. 

An ocean away: Guilin, Yangshuo

Riley Kerns • February 21, 2020

There was something about Guilin and Yangshuo that intrigued me, maybe it was the people, or the scenery or the ambiance of it all; I don’t know. What I did know was that I didn’t want to leave.

An ocean away: Chengdu, Xi’an

Riley Kerns • January 28, 2020

Chengdu and Xi’an were a great change from the hustle and bustle of Beijing. I learned the importance of slowing down and actually taking in my surroundings instead of rushing through an itinerary like a checklist.

An ocean away: Beijing

Riley Kerns • December 18, 2019

With Beijing as our first stop, our introduction to China was less “dipping a toe in” and more “falling head first into the deep end.”

An ocean away: Bali

Riley Kerns • November 12, 2019

Only after visiting for myself did I understand what all the hullabaloo of Bali was about. Although our stay only lasted two days, everything we did made it feel like a week. I was given a taste of a variety of opportunities the island had to offer and experienced the culture in multiple ways.

An ocean away: Komodo National Park

Riley Kerns • October 11, 2019

Everyone has his or her own vision of what paradise looks like, from a sunny Florida beach to the snow-capped Rocky Mountains and everywhere in between. For me, paradise is Pulau Sebayur Besar, Indonesia. 

An ocean away: Singapore

Riley Kerns • September 13, 2019

Two summers ago, I took my first big trip. Every year my family traveled within the country to different national parks and landmarks. As exciting as all of those adventures had been, however, I knew none...