The Young Leader

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Swim/Play/Relax/Volunteer: Best Beaches for Teen Travelers

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Have you come down with a serious case of wanderlust? I bet you are feeling the stress of school, home, and responsibilities. One of the best remedies for that is a nice hot, sandy beach where you can tan, swim, play, and relax.  You can even volunteer to assuage your guilt for taking some time off – beach communities have plenty of opportunities! Here are 6 of the greatest beaches from around the world. Book your ticket now and you’ll thank us later.

When it comes to beautiful beaches in Asia, you need to head to Thailand. The Thai word “Koh” means “island”, so most places with Koh in their name are sure not to disappoint. One great place to kick up your feet is Koh Chang because it is a great mixture of a backpacker vibe, good food, and a gorgeous beach. You might have to take a plane, a train, and a boat to get to some of them, but the beauty and excitement of Thai beaches is something to write home about.

Maybe you need this beach getaway during the winter, maybe the 4 feet of unshoveled snow outside is going to drive you crazy any minute now. Well, winter here means it is summer Down Unda! Head to the Gold Coast of Australia for amusement parks, surfing, shopping, and of course golden beaches. Or if you want some more focused on nature, head to the beaches north of Cairns, Queensland where the rainforest meets the reef. Beaches up there have scuba diving, snorkeling, parachuting, the Daintree Rainforest, and the Great Barrier Reef. Go find Nemo!

Reading Darwin’s dry account of the Galapagos islands may not make you want to hop on a plane and fly to Ecuador, maybe it does. Either way, if you’ve heard of Tortuga Bay on the Santa Cruz Island, you’d want to book that flight. This is a pristine long, beautiful beach that will show you the abundance of wildlife around; iguanas, crabs, birds, and mangroves cover the shore. If you head to the end you can snorkel amongst the mangroves and see tons of white tipped and black tipped reef sharks.

The Riviera Maya has the best beaches in Mexico, and definitely competes for some of the top in the world. Playa Paraiso (Paradise Beach) has warm turquoise waters, palm trees, and white sandy beaches. The list of activities to do seems endless, and an added bonus is you’ll be very near to the Tulum Mayan ruins.

On the other side of the world, we have the famous islands of Indonesia. Yes, you can head to the famous Bali and you surely won’t be disappointed. But, consider heading to the island of Lombok. Lombok often gets overshadowed by its neighbors, but it also offers beaches, surfing, volcanoes, scuba diving, backpacking, and even a sea turtle hatchery.

The beaches of the island of Seychelles, off the east African coast, are astounding and take quite a trip to get to. You will be plunged into a world of huge granite rocks, blindingly white sandy beaches, and unbelievably turquoise waters.

Contributed by Kristin Melody

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Be Bold: 5 Reasons Teens with Eyeglasses Should Wear Them Proudly

Having to wear eyeglasses can be a source of shame for teens. Most of my high school friends made the switch to contacts years ago, so they could avoid wearing their glasses. Even though most could make the switch, it didn’t address a deeper issue: they lacked confidence in their appearance.

The moral for all of us—both with and without glasses—was that what we really wanted was to feel comfortable as we are. Turns out that’s way more attractive.

In line with feeling comfortable just the way you are, we present you with 5 Reasons Teens with Eyeglasses Should Wear Them Proudly:

  1. Glasses distinguish you
  2. Glasses are stylish
  3. Glasses add to your variety of looks
  4. Contacts can be a hassle
  5. Genuine confidence is everything

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Glasses distinguish you

There are many ways you can stand out as a teen, and glasses are one way to do so. Although, body armor and camo as well as a beard also gets the job done.

Glasses are stylish

These aren’t your grand pappy’s spectacles!

Glasses add to your variety of looks

Most of us have a variety of shoes that we wear depending on the occasion. Similarly, eye glasses allow you to choose from a number of styles that you can change based on the current fashion trends, season, or occasion.

It’s not that you don’t look good in glasses—you just haven’t found the right pair.

Contacts can be a hassle

How many times have you heard of someone losing their contacts? It can happen to the best of us. If you misplace your glasses, you don’t have to search for what can feel like forever.

You may not also know that contacts can be irritating to put on and take off.

It simply doesn’t look pretty when things go wrong (no need for a picture here).

Genuine confidence is everything

It doesn’t matter how cool other people think your glasses are if you don’t also believe that you look good. And it might be helpful to know there’s always someone out there that finds exactly how you look right now attractive.

It’s a cliché but if you want a more down-to-earth perspective, consider this:

Most people are more confident when they can see clearly and don’t have headaches 🙂

Contributed by Nick Fochtman

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Viva! 7 Foods You Should Only Eat in their Native Countries

What’s the difference between Pad Thai in the US and Pad Thai in Thailand? Well, a lot actually. Dishes not only provide nourishment when you’re traveling, but when prepared in their native countries, they help to define a place and their people. The following dishes are influenced by a country’s culture, people, politics, geography and climate.

What foods should you try in your travels? See below a list of seven foods you should eat if you are ever in these countries.

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India

Masala Dosa

This is a crispy crepe filled with spicy potatoes and traditionally dipped in a variety of sauces from chutney to tomato and lentil sauces. Though it can be found all over India, it’s a traditional South Indian dish and is a common breakfast food.

Spain

Paella

This is recognized as the national dish of Spain, with its roots in Valencia and comes in a variety of preparations. There are three types of paella, Valencian, Seafood and Mixed. Seafood paella is a rice and seafood based dish containing a variety of seafood from cuttlefish to mussels.

Canada

Poutine

At its core, it’s a dish of French fries (also a beloved American dish), covered in brown gravy and cheese curds. It’s a fast food you can find in diners, pubs and elsewhere. It’s also rumored to be a hangover cure. (Try to avoid the hangover in the first place!)

USA – Texas (“It’s a Whole Other Country”)

Texas BBQ

Each cook has his or her special recipe, but nothing hits the spot better than smoked brisket, sausage, ribs and sides like fried okra. There’s plenty of debate about whose BBQ is best – Texas Monthly even has an annual issue devoted to BBQ and lists the best in the state. You might be in line for hours at some of these joints, but it’s worth the wait.

Japan

Ankimo

A food that is on the verge of extinction because of overfishing, this dish is Monkfish liver with grated Daikon radish. It’s prized among fans of sushi and is considered a delicacy in Japan.

Vietnam

Pho

Americans may be familiar with this dish (or its Americanized version), a staple in Vietnamese cooking. It consists of broth, rice noodles, spices and meat. It’s a popular food in Vietnam. In the south, they eat it for breakfast, while in the north they eat it any time of day. It was made popular in the rest of the world by refugees from the Vietnam War.

Britain & Ireland

Shepherd’s Pie

Also called Cottage Pie, it’s a simple dish found served in most pubs. Shepherd’s Pie is simply minced meat topped with mashed potatoes. There are many variations that can be made with any meat, but the staple is generally mashed potato. You can also find St. Stephen’s Day Pie made with turkey and ham or Cumberland Pie made with breadcrumbs on top.

Wherever you travel, seek out local cuisine. It’s the best way to get your taste buds in touch with the land you’re exploring.

Contributed by William Pate

 

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What to Expect When You’re Expecting (to Study Abroad)

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Study Abroad. A two word phrase that inspires a range of reactions ranging from “wanderlust” to “immense fear”. The chance to study in a foreign country for a summer or a semester is a unique, and often life changing, opportunity that allows you to get a taste of a new culture while still having the safety net that being a student affords you. Because everyone’s experience studying abroad is unique and different, it’s hard to honestly give you a general portrayal of what you are going to experience. However, below are some common trends of what you may encounter on your semester abroad and different reactions to each.

You get out of your experience what you put in.

Just because you are in Spain for 4 months, don’t assume that you will automatically become fluent in Spanish. If your goal when you go abroad is to develop language fluency, then spend your time talking with locals and paying attention in class. Likewise if you want to see what it is like to work abroad, go on a program that requires an internship or seek out one yourself.

You will experience culture shock; that’s ok.

At one point or another, you will have your moment where everything about your new country is awful and all you want to do is go home, eat American food, and have your “real” friends and family surround you. Learning to adapt to new situations is a lifelong skill that goes into overdrive when you are alone abroad. Know that you have people back home proud of you for going on the adventure and that they are just a phone, email, Facebook, or Skype away from being able to say hi.

You will never take the little things for granted.

Trust us, when you’re lost in the middle of town and don’t know how to get home or get sick and need to communicate with a doctor who speaks broken English, when you are abroad—especially in countries where English is not a first language—every task requires three times as much brain power to get something half as good as you would back home. Even if you are lucky enough to study in a country where everyone speaks English, be prepared for the blank stares on people’s faces when you ask them where to find peanut butter.

Contributed by Matt Zonis

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Teens Making a Difference – Amandla Stenberg

Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg, who played the character Rue in 2012’s first installment of the franchise, has received mass acclaim for a video she made in her history class titled, “Don’t Cash Crop on My Cornrows.” Throughout the video, the precocious 16-year-old discusses the issue of cultural appropriation, speaking out about its impact in the media and other aspects of our society.

Stenberg begins the video with a discussion of black hair, and how styles like cornrows and braids are intrinsic to black culture—specifically as a way of keeping black textured hair unknotted and neat. She continues to remark upon the inflating popularity of “clothes and accessories associated with hip-hop” among white celebrities as well as in the fashion industry that have lead to offensive stereotypes, further oppressing an entire subset of people.

“That itself is what is so complicated when it comes to black culture,” Stenberg states in her video. “I mean, the line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange is always going to be blurred. But here’s the thing: Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves.” In her closing statement, Stenberg quotes a question which had been proliferating social media for several months: “What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?”

When Stenberg’s video went viral, her message was amplified. Her discussion of the issues associated with appropriation black culture was given widespread attention—an indication that people are beginning to listen. Amandla has helped spur important conversation on the subject of race and why we should respect another’s culture. Stenberg has become an influential role model for youth and adults alike—for anyone who wish to treat race and culture with the respect it deserves.

Contributed by Sophie Emigh

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