‘Travelers Not Tourists’ Contest 2014

Announcing the 2014 Grand Prize Winners

Travel For Teens is proud to announce the 2014 Grand Prize Winners for the essay and video contests. They have each won an all-expenses-paid trip to Sicily. Barcelona Paris. or Costa Rica. Please see the below videos for your introduction to this year s talented winners. Congratulations to Katie and Elizabeth!

Essay Grand Prize Winner Katie Curran, of Pocasset, MA

Katie's Winning Essay

From Sight to Self Exploration: The Permanent Change Travel Leaves on a Person

By Katie Curran

As I slowly walked through the somber hallways, intricate red and black lettering glowed in the dim light.  Inching closer towards the walls, I finally reached the cold stone coming alive and speaking to me.  These letters and numbers evoked so much emotion; they weren’t any story, they were part of my family’s story.   It was extremely difficult to hold back tears.  I stood in the Pinkas Synagogue, a memorial to 80,000 Jewish Holocaust Victims, alongside my Czech-Danish host “mother”.  The city of “Ostrava” etched on the wall, was the home of many Holocaust victims and the birthplace of my host “mother”.  I hold this city’s people in my heart forever.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I prayed for the deceased, that their memory may never be forgotten.  Moved by such a harrowing story, I knew that although I could not fix the past, I could lead the future and be an international voice for change. Traveling to Czech Republic was much more than seeing these tourist sights; it was living among a history book, reading thousands of chapters and re-writing my own story.

Last summer I was a Youth Exchange Ambassador to Czech Republic.  I can’t believe the deep, permanent change that I experienced in myself in one summer.   My host mom was a refugee from Czechoslovakia when Soviet Russia invaded in 1968.  My host grandmother grew up in an orphanage, as her mother was jailed for espionage in Eastern Europe during WWII.  The Iron Curtain separated my host family for many decades.  I witnessed resilient smiles and listened to stories of endless love that stood strong even against the walls of Communism.  I’ll never forget the compelling stories I heard in my travels.

My host mother shared incredible words of wisdom with me. My new “home” was hand built by my “family’s” grandfather from the rocky ruins of churches and synagogues that had been bombed during WWII. He turned tragedy into beauty.  She said don’t let little things in life to tear you down, embrace your past and enjoy every moment in life.  Her positive attitude towards the Communist Regime that had torn her life apart made me realize that many of the “problems” back home weren’t really problems at all.  This pivotal moment transformed my idea of travel.

To me, travel is a great adventure of self exploration.  You develop a meaningful, permanent change in your life while living the legacy of the people you encounter on your journey.  Traveling is a kaleidoscope that flashes a million words, emotions and memories in front of your eyes.  Every passport stamp holds a story, a snapshot of momentous times.  Every blank page is an unwritten story that will touch your heart and define who you are.  Through my experiences, travel has become the blood that fills my veins, making me who I am.  As a global citizen, I’ve caught a case of wanderlust.  I wish to continue fueling my fiery passion for travel and exploration forever.

Video Contest Grand Prize Winner Elizabeth Hasier, of Orland Park, IL

Elizabeth s Winning Video