Favorite "Summer Vaction" Memory

[AAA Teacher Forum]

Everyone can’t wait for Summer Vacation to begin and are disappointed when it finally comes to an end.

As teachers, our summers are now spent attending conferences, reading professional development books, reading children's literature, and trying to create great lasting, family memories for your own children.

But as a child, it was a very different story. Thinking back to your own childhood, what is your favorite "Summer Vacation" memory?

Jennifer

[AAA Teacher Forum]

I grew up on a farm and my childhood summers meant bare feet, tanned skin, bug bites, and endless hours outside. My two younger sisters and I had acres to explore and anytime we could be outside we were. We often collected butterflies and other critters. We would get one of our mother's canning jars, poke holes in the metal lid with a nail, and add grass. By the middle of summer our mom would get a little upset when she could no longer find a useable lid for canning.

Another summer memory I have is family trips to the mountains. I grew up on the flat-lands of Colorado, so making the several hour trek to the mountains was something special. I remember my dad helping me fish for trout, visiting my great-grandmother's cabin, and dipping my toes in cool, mountain streams. The unpleasant "trip" memory I have is when I was about 6 or 7. For some reason I was biting the glass of the partially rolled-down car window. It was electric and my dad said he was closing it...I didn't listen. I kept my mouth over the edge and pretty soon I was stuck and the edge was cutting the corners of my mouth. He quickly put it back down, filled his blue handkerchief with ice from the cooler, dipped it in the river, and placed it on my mouth. From then on I tended to keep my mouth off the window. :)

Jennifer

[TeacherRW]

As a child, we didn't take family trips to any place other than grandparents' houses or a softball tournament. :) My dad is an over-the-road truck driver so obviously he was not a big fan of driving anywhere. With my mom being a SAHM for the four of us and dad's job, there weren't a whole lot of funds available so flying was not an option. Even without some of the opportunities my friends and husband had, I feel that I didn't lack.

My favorite memories are wrapped all together. For two weeks a summer, my parents would let me stay at my grandparents' farm. I was in heaven!! We had several registered Quarter Horses, un-registered mares, and a couple of ponies. As soon as I heard the birds chirping, I was up and out the door. When it was too hot to be in the barn or paddocks, I would help Grandma in the house and play cards with her. My fond memories don't end with being on the farm at all. Summers at home were wonderful too. We lived right next door to an elementary school, park, and softball field. We would spend countless hours in the field running around-- playing sports, using imaginative play, chasing butterflies and grasshoppers. On hot days, my mom would let us go over to the outdoor pool which was less than 2 blocks from our house. The best thing about my summers was being able to be a "kid" without TVs, running to the mall, using the internet, and having a ton of plans. Time was spent with family. Ahh... the good ol' days.

[teach1027]

My favorite summer memory is when we would gocamping in our pop-up trailer, with no electricity, and rough it for a week. I was an outdoor kid and I loved nature. I still do.

[Chef Dave]

Thinking back to your own childhood, what is your favorite "Summer Vacation" memory?



My father was a tropical disease specialist with the U.S. Public Health Service. His career took him abroad and I was raised overseas.

While serving in southeast Asia during the 60's and 70's, we used to vacation in Kashmir, India. Kashmir used to be a favorite destination of British officers back when India was part of the British Empire.

During the 60's and 70's, it was an off the path tourist destination.

Luxurious 2 and 3 bedroom teak houseboats decorated with ornate carvings dotted Lake Kashmir. For the cost of a modest hotel room, these houseboats were rented out to tourists.

http://www.xbhp.com/autopictorials/data/543/houseboat.jpg

Each houseboat came with a private staff: a boatman who would take us to and from the houseboat, a majordomo (butler), a maid, and a cook.

The lake was always serene and peaceful - a pleasant change from the noisy crowds of Bangkok, Thailand, where we were stationed.

Salesmen paddled from boat to boat, selling cold drinks, fruit, nuts, flowers, and various gift items such as papier-mache boxes, woolen shawls, and hand knotted silk carpets.

By day we'd tour the province, exploring a wonderful land of
sparkling rivers and serene lakes, of stunning Imperial style gardens flanked by stately chinar trees, of flowering meadows and snow-capped peaks. The Kashmir valley was famous for its natural beauty and was known as the 'Switzerland of the East'.

Sadly, the Kashmir I knew no longer exists. Kashmir is now a disputed province that is fought over by India and Pakistan. Ceded as part of India when Pakistan became a nation, the Pakistanis believe that the predominance of Islam in Kashmir now makes this province part of Pakistan. The Indians do not agree.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/1344//Pictures/Kash0.gif

The two countries have fought several wars over the territory. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 established the boundaries of today, with Pakistan holding roughly one-third of Kashmir, and India two-thirds.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Kashmir_Dal_lake_boat.jpg

[busbus]

Thinking back to your own childhood, what is your favorite "Summer Vacation" memory?

Jennifer

I have no favorite "Summer Vacation" memory. I just know that I enjoyed every summer when it included time that I spent with my mother. She was an awesome lady and made every day special when she was home.

I was a latch-key kid, growing up in the city with both parents working different hours. However, my mom, when she was home, would make everything special - pot pies for lunch; ice cream pies; just because; daily outings that ended with me getting a Banana Split (my favorite thing to eat) and her getting a cup of coffee. We talked, laughed, and had a whole lot of fun together.

Special trips to the mountains, visits to family and friends, train rides or flights on an airplane meant very little to me. What was important, was that I was spending part of my summer with my best friend, my mother. :)

[mkcornflower]

One of my favorite summer vacations was when my parents took us to the rocky mountains. We roughed it in a tent in the mountains and went horseback riding and just had great family time together, cooking all of our meals over a campfire and sleeping on the ground. It was great. On our way back here to Indiana, we stopped at Boonsboro, a little "town" set up like the old times when Daniel Boone lived. We had fun going to all of the different shops and houses and seeing how people used to live. I loved it.

Other than that, there are so many fun vacations that I remember taking. And, when we couldn't afford to go anywhere, we just enjoyed being home and playing barefoot outside and NOT going to school..lol :)