Raising a Curious Traveler: What We Read and Listened to Before Visiting Greece With Our Kid
Before our trip to Greece, we weren’t sure if mythology would stick — but a few well-chosen stories transformed how our 7-year-old connected with temples, ruins, and legends. From Percy Jackson read-alouds to the Greeking Out podcast on every car ride, here’s what sparked his curiosity (and what didn’t).
Two Weeks in Southern Italy Changed How I Think About Teaching
Two professors and 26 students left behind the traditional classroom for two weeks in Southern Italy. What began as a course on stress reduction and happiness became something deeper: an experience of slowing down, disconnecting from devices, stretching past comfort zones, and learning through connection, culture, and presence.
6-Day Mainland Greece Road Trip with a Kid: Athens to Mt. Olympus—Itinerary and What We’d Do Again
A 6-day road trip from Athens to Mt. Olympus — with myths, mountains, and one determined 7-year-old. What worked, what didn’t, and why we’d do it again.
No Photos, Just a Measure of Grace: What We Found at Hell’s Backbone Grill in the Utah Desert
We stumbled into Hell’s Backbone Grill—dusty, hungry, and unprepared after a day of hiking in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. What we found in this tiny Utah desert town was one of the most remarkable farm-to-table meals of our lives.
Traveling Differently at Delphi: One Night, Thousands of Years, and a Kid Who Was Listening
Our afternoon and evening in Delphi turned out to be one of the most enjoyable parts of our Greece trip. We visited the Temple of Apollo and the Delphi Museum with a kid-friendly private guide, explored the ruins without crowds, and stayed in a quiet apartment with a stunning sunset view. A great stop for families traveling between Athens and Meteora.
What Hiking Samaria Gorge Taught 20 College Students (and Me) About Doing Hard Things, Together
As part of a study abroad course on stress and happiness, we set out to hike Crete’s Samaria Gorge—ten rocky miles with twenty students, most of whom had never hiked before. None of us were fully prepared for how challenging it would be—or how powerful. What began as a physical test became a lesson in resilience, connection, and presence—one that taught us more than any classroom ever could.
From Dusty to Delightful: Two Days in Athens Beyond the Crowds and Ruins
We came to Athens for the history—the ruins, the museums, the must-see sights. But what stayed with us were the moments we didn’t plan: chasing pigeons in the shade, running across a marble stadium, saying yes when it would’ve been easier to say no. We didn’t do less. We just did it differently.
Why We Went Anyway
I spent years teaching the science of wellness — while quietly burning out. This is the story of what happened when I finally chose something different.