10. Greece
I'm a politics major. The first thing I ever had to read for a college class was a selection of Greek philosophy (specifically, Thucydides). In some of my other classes, I compared Athens to Rome, learned about the influence the Greeks on art and architecture, and discussed battle after battle after battle. At work, I've cataloged korai and kylixes galore; one of my coworkers is currently spending the year in Greece (hi, Renee!). Yet none of that has deterred me from wanting to visit someday. Greece has so much rich history and tradition, and it doesn't hurt that it's in the Mediterranean. I'm not sure I'll be able to visit while I'm in France, as it might be a tad far off, but I will be ecstatic if I get the chance. Slightly embarrassing confession: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was what made me first want to visit Greece, especially Santorini. Just look at that picture, though! What a gorgeous place! Why wouldn't you want to visit?
9. Israel
Again, Israel's probably a little too far away to pay a visit while I'm abroad, but I'd love to go someday. My reasons are mostly religious - this is, after all, the land of Christ's birth and ministry - but it's also full of history, diversity, and beauty. Hillary and Ellen have also told me that it's a great place for vegetarians, particularly of the ovo-lacto persuasion, since according to kosher food laws meat and dairy must be kept separate. Hopefully I'll be able to verify this firsthand in the future.
8. Venezuela
This is the one place on my list I've actually been before. However, as it was just during a quick layover in Caracas, and I never even got off the plane, I think I'm due for another visit. With Hugo Chavez in power, I'm not sure I'll be going anytime soon, but I'd love to see it properly, especially Angel Falls and the surrounding rainforest. Really, I'd like to go all over South America; Brazil for the Amazon and its famed cities, Peru for the Inca ruins, Argentina for its incredible diversity, and Chile, because I've heard repeatedly about how great it is from my parents' missionary colleagues. Venezuela would just be my first stop, as technically, it already has been.
7. China
Okay, Richie, you've gotten to me (yes, I know your main area of interest is Japan). After years of listening to my brother wax poetic about the Far East, I've started to become interested in it myself. I'm not especially thrilled about the idea of indirectly supporting its government (with its terrible human rights record) through tourism, but I've heard China is an amazing place. It's huge, both in landmass and population (fun fact: all of China operates under the same time zone), it has so much to offer in terms of culture and history, and it's gaining in power and influence. I'm not sure if I buy into the idea that China will be the world's next superpower, but it's going to play an important role in world politics no matter what, and it would probably be good to have some idea of what life is like there.
6. Australia
Yeah, yeah, everyone wants to go to Australia. It's not my most creative choice (although it's not my least, either), but it's on my list for a reason. Some of my friends of studied abroad there, and from what I've heard, it's just as fantastic as it's supposed to be. It has deserts and beaches, koalas and kangaroos, the Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef. Plus, it's the setting of one of my favorite movies, Finding Nemo! So, while it may be a fairly typical vacation destination of choice for Americans, it's definitely a place I'd like to visit someday.
5. Ireland
Heh, just kidding. Here's the picture I actually wanted to include:
Ah, Ireland, land of the unpronounceable names (said by someone whose own name is not especially pronounceable at first glance). It's supposed to be absolutely beautiful, though, and I definitely plan on visiting when I'm in France. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Dublin, and not just because it happens to be home to my favorite band. Once again, its history, its culture, and its geographical diversity are just some of the many reasons I want to visit.
4. Spain
Another place I definitely plan on visiting, not least because my parents have colleagues there (no hostels, yay). I almost certainly have distant Spanish ancestry on my mom's side (although I think I've heard her mention our family came from the Canary Islands and not from the Spanish mainland), which just makes me more excited about next semester. There is so much to see and do, from exploring Madrid to learning about Muslim influences on Spanish architecture.
3. New Zealand
Have you seen The Lord of the Rings? Clearly you don't need another reason to go to New Zealand after that.
2. United Kingdom
More than half of my favorite books and movies are set here. My family is English on my dad's side. Jane Austen. Harry Potter. Stonehenge. The Scottish Highlands. This trailer of beauty:
I can't even tell you how excited I am that I'm only going to be an hour and a half from London. afkadj;alfdk;afjas;ldkfj
1. France
Guess where I'm going for study abroad! Basically the only thing I learned in my macroeconomics class my senior year of high school was how awesome France is (no, I'm not still bitter that I failed the AP test, and it was a blot on my otherwise flawless pass record. Why do you ask?), and I've taken that to heart. I've studied French for going on three years, I've researched all the things I want to see in Paris exhaustively, I can't wait to visit Marseille, Nice, and Bordeaux, and I just really want to find out what everything is like there. It's been my #1 ideal travel destination for a few years now, and the thought that I'll be spending an entire semester there is absolutely thrilling. Vive la France!
