Kristi Slocum ‘15
Staff Writer
“I hope there are days you fall in love with being alive.” -Hana Block
Everyone has a bucket list. Whether it is skydiving or swimming in the colorful Great Barrier Reefs, we all have dreams and ambitions that we want to accomplish before we die. For Hana Block, a senior at Merrimack College, she decided to cross some of her dreams off her list, one being to visit the Seven Wonders of the World. This past January, Hana and her mother decided to fly to South America and explore its exquisite scenery and fascinating cultures that surrounded them. Each morning, Hana woke up with a new adventure to embark on, such as climbing Machu Picchu and visiting the world’s biggest salt flat in Bolivia. When asked to try to explain what her trip was like each day, it was hard at first for Hana to find the right world to describe the beauty of South America.
“Every day I saw something that literally took my breath away. No picture could capture what I saw in front of me, and I looked forward to our journeys and what I would see next.”
Machu Picchu was one of Hana’s first stops on her epic vacation, and by far one of her favorite experiences. Surrounded by green, rolling hills and ancient temples, the long hike up to this historic destination was definitely worth the view. 7,000 feet above sea level, Hana and her mother were lost for words when they first saw this magical green paradise.
“To finally see a place in front of you that you have been so intrigued learning about for years is an experience like no other. Being above the clouds and staring into the distance of Machu Picchu made me so thankful in that moment that I had the chance to experience this with my mom.”
The next few days continued with Hana traveling to more beautiful landscapes, making friends with the locals and learning more about the culture.
So where is the next stop on Hana’s bucket list? Well, it’s hard to say what she will cross off first. “After graduation, I plan on starting my journey in California, or possibly living in a hut in Hawaii. I want to travel and work hard for each dollar I earn so that I can really appreciate the value of money rather than being consumed by it in a 9-5 job. I want to save the elephants in Thailand, float in the clear blue waters of Bali, and be happy every single day while doing so.”
