Some people’s hobbies are knitting or playing badminton, but why have a boring hobby when you can have an interesting one like senior Kate Levinson. Levinson spends her breaks from school lounging in Hawaii or adventuring through Europe. Read more for details. 

Levinson has been exploring through an organization, Teen Tours, that specializes in letting young adults experience different countries.

“I have been anywhere from 15 to 25 places,” Levinson said. “You sign up and it’s a group of high schoolers and about three leaders, and you select a trip of what area of the world you want to travel. I plan on going on another one this summer.” 

She first went to London and Paris with her grandparents, but as she got older the Teen Tours took her to Spain, Greece and Italy. 

“We went to Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga. And then we did a few day trips to little towns around those areas,” Levinson said. “We went to Corfu for a week, and we did some touristy stuff like see cool museums and old castles, then we worked

in an orphanage and did a beach cleanup. Italy was my favorite, we saw the Amalfi Coast, Rome and Florence.” 

After applying to colleges and getting through the first semester of her senior year, Levinson was lucky enough to escape to Maui this past winter break.

“I was really excited to just be in the sun and get a nice tan,” Levinson said. “I was there for a while last year, so I was excited to see some of the staff that’s still there and hang out.”

Levinson is very grateful for her traveling experiences and her new perspectives outside of the JOCO bubble.

“Things here can be very closed off and one-sided,” Levinson said. “Since my parents have allowed me to travel since such a young age, it’s shaped a lot of my opinions and the way I see other people and the world itself.”