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Show DAILY THE CAMPn (?0O$ CHRONICLE UTAH CD O T 0 Q Q (30.! S80O Chrony 01 CASSANDRA HARTLEY Chronicle Feature Writer Travel Tips 3p You're having that dream again. You know, the one where you fail your biology midterm and then your teacher turns into a giant amoeba that starts attacking students. You finally wake yourself up from the nightmare, only to be paralyzed by a new terror. It's light in your room, so you must have slept in again. As you prepare to leap out of bed and throw on yesterday's clothes, it suddenly hits you. There's no school today! Yes, it's Spring Break at last, and freedom is in the air. With only a few precious days, however, students everywhere are making the most of their Spring Breaks. Take, for instance, Ryan Candland, a senior in biology who will be spending his break in a remote Andean village in Peru. The trip is sponsored by the University of Utah, and is tied to the curriculum of several nursing and international health classes. "We will be going down with a nurse and an anthropologist who know the area," Cand land explained. "Most of it will be educational and cultural experiences. We will also spend one day doing a medical assessment of a community. We want to start a long-terproject with the village, so we are going to see what their needs are for the future and build a relationship with them! Candland also mentioned that the group d will medical and school supplies to the people of the village. "It will be part cultural, part anthropological part medical and mostly fun." he said f Some students who can't go as far as Peru, but still want to do something useful with their time off," have chosen the Alternative Spring Break program, Tliis program is associated with the Alcohol and Drug Education Center; and has chapters "at universities' around the nation. Students participating n the trips are sent to various cities hi thfiSiWest- ,"--. s ; "Mostly I'm excited to see Niagara Falls, Toronto, Rochester, and visit a place where they make actual maple syrup, which should be cool." Although family trips and community service are becoming popular options among students, there are still those that prefer to Chou, a junior in party MTV-stylhalf is taking the first of his break to visit his family in California. After that, he and a group of friends are heading to Cancun. "We're going to play golf, party and act stupid like everyone else. Cancun is the Spring Break capital of the world," he said Before less fortunate students start to feel left out in the cold, however, there are plenty of people who will be enjoying the exotic beauty of downtown Salt Lake. Valerie O'Shea, a senior in chemistry, gave up her airline tickets to California to stay home and "get caught up." Beside working in the chemistry lab, O'Shea plans to do some serious relaxing. "I'm going to get a massage on Saturday, and then in the afternoon I'm getting my hair done. On the weekends, I'm spending time with my family, and going shopping for a new car," she said. She also points out that she will "try not to starve to death," a problem for many dorm residents since the cafeteria will be closed the; entire break. Sophomore Priscilla Wu and freshman Dan Aramaki will also be staying home for the break. "We're going to sit in our rooms and watch everyone else have fun on television," they said. Randall Gardner, a sophomore in architecture, agrees. "I'm just staying home and being a loser, and Fll keep working at the bookstore." Of course, with all the hype about Spring Break, there are always th6se who have complaints. 'It's crappy in a way," said Brett ililler, a junior in business, .fit forces teachers to give midterms early." . Cornelius Johnson, a sophomore in computer science, feels the problem is that Spring Break morale is going down. 'It seems odd-- no one is talking about it as much this year. Las year people were talking about it two months in advance,'' he said. Jor a majority of students, however, the only thing wrong with Spring Break is that it's too short and not soon enough. Since these restrictions are unlikely to change soon, many students have resigned themselves and focused on packing in as much partying as possible. e. , m much-neede- ern United States to perform community service. Lisa Axelrod, a sophomore in public relations, is going on the trip to San Diego, Calif. "We will be working with Mamma's Kitchen and St. Vincent De Paul's Catholic church, which is a homeless shelter. We will be doing service during the day, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and then we'll have the rest of the day to play. We're going to go to the beach, go shopping, and try not to kill each other by the end of the week," she said. Axelrod explained that she chose to do the trip because "it vas affordable. I also wanted to go somewhere, but I'm not a big party animal. The whole getting drunk everyday thing just isn't me. I'm really big into community service, so this will be a good opportunity." For some students, Spring Break is an opportunity to make up for lost time with loved ones. Michael Lu, an undecided freshman, will spend his Spring Break visiting family members in Taiwan. "I really like studying in America," he said. "JHst it 'wili be good to go back to my family and friends againV It's hard to be millions of miles awsy for so long1" Alysa Cannisfra, a sophomore in educational sport science, and Eric Albertine, a senior in teaching biology, are using their Spring Break to take a trip together. "We're are going to Moab to go camping, biking and hiking. We're going to explore southeastern Utah," Albertine explained. "We're actually going to spend the entire time in the tent," Cannistra . jokingly ;f Breezy Synoground, a senior in. chemistry, is taking a trip, with her boyfriead and visiting family. "I'm actually going to Warsaw, N.Y., to visit my boyfriend's family. I'm excited, nervous, apprehensive and basically getting cold feet. KopefuIIy it will be a good time, and I will be able to zefocs$yn school, get plenty of rest, "and Kmeback "with a new outlook," she said. -- ad-ted- -- pre-me- d, 1 . Are you spending your Spring Break traveling over seas or across the border? Before you go, you might want to consider these traveling tips: Always carry your money in a money belt that stays inside your clothes. It may look a bit dorky. but it's better than being stranded without money or a passport! Know the exchange rates before you go, otherwise you'll get Only exchange a small amount of money at the airport or hotel. These places tend to charge high service fees, so wait to exchange the rest when you get out on the street. " Always lock your suitcase, and then chain it to something in your room that can't be moved, like a radiator. This tip is especially important if you're staying in a hostel. Always bring a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle. When you're wanderine around lost in the streets, you'll be glad you did. Make a copy of all your important documents, like insurance forms and passports, and have someone back in the United States hold onto them for you. If there's an emergency, you won't be stuck at the embassy waiting to get replacements. Always keep a complete outfit and necessary toiletries, like a toothbrush and comb, in your carry-oThis saves time and if money your luggage is temporarily lost. n. Go to a travel agent, like Council Travel, and apply for a SIC (Student Identification Card). This card will give you discounts on hotels, food and transportation. It also offers an "electronic safe," where you can track copies of your personal documents. Most importantly, know and follow local customs and laws. Just think Singapore spankings! --- CASSANDRA HARTLEY v v. ' '" CHRONICLE: FEATURE EDITOR JAMES GARDNER "" " ' 1,1 JGARDNERCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU r 581-704- 1 |