Guest Author - Melissa Waters

1. What was your most memorable vacation trip with your family??? I know some families take more than one vacation trip during a summer, so please share the most memorable one this year with your journal. What made this trip the most memorable, what were the events that made it stand out in your mind?

2. Where did you go? What was the destination of your family vacation? How did you get there? Plane, train, automobile, boat? This might be a good place also to explore any problems relating to arriving at your destination. Do you have fears of flying? Traveling by sea? Do you get car sick?

3. Was this the first time you visited this place If so, please share with your journal how the family decided on this destination. What was the deciding factors on choosing this location? Did you need a passport to visit here? Describe the culture, the food, the sites, the beaches.

4. Didn’t take a vacation this year? Don’t worry if your family didn’t take a vacation this year. Get ready to use your memory of previous family vacations or make one up in your mind and share it with your journal. Now remember to be creative and you can really use your imagination on these created vacations. Who knows you might end up on Mars!

5. Did you make any new friends? Did you meet anyone special on this trip? Did you attend any events where others were present? Describe this person or persons. Were plans made to keep in touch? Does your new friend or friends enjoy journaling too?

6. How are your family vacations different from other peoples? How do your vacations differ from your friends or other family members? Do you think your vacations are normal, ordinary, extraordinary? Would you recommend your family vacations to others? Do you share your vacations with your friends? Teachers? Others?

7. What memories did you make while on vacation? Did you take photos of your vacation? Did you make home movies to preserve these priceless memories? Did you journal while on vacation? What did you physically bring back from your vacation? Any mementos? You might want to consider adding some of your photos from your vacation in your journal to preserve what you experienced on this trip.

8. What could you see from the window while on vacation? This could be the window of the plane, train, boat or car. It could also be from the window of your hotel, tent or hut. Share the one thing that pops into your mind when you looked out your window while on vacation? What was the importance of this item? In your life? In the lives of those around it?

Now get busy and share away from your summer vacation. Just think if you complete this before school starts you’ll be prepared for the first assignment. What I did on my summer vacation!