The Bottom of the Dog Pile

Even families have hierarchies—I mean look at the Kardashians. My family hierarchy has always been clearly defined. My mom was the boss with the wallet, my brother just bossed me around, and I was the bottom of the bucket: the chump of the family. Then we got a dog.

El Brillante

The place does not have the glamorous, intricate interior one might expect from a European café. Rather, it features a scuffed linoleum floor, photographs of meal combos hung along the walls, and metal-topped bars that stretch the length of the narrow eatery.

On the Road: Stories From J-Term Flash Graphic

From Vietnam to New York City, the Navajo Nation to the mall, FM scattered across the globe this J-Term, and then wrote about it. The perils of crossing the street, the cozy afternoon spent in a homey set of PJs, the agony of a full-face wax—all fleeting thoughts transformed into penned entries. From little cafes, California mountains, and foreign streets, we’re passing on snapshots of those five glorious weeks of freedom, glimpses of the world that spins outside the Harvard bubble.

On the Road: Stories From J-Term

From Vietnam to New York City, the Navajo Nation to the mall, FM scattered across the globe this J-Term.

On a Road

In the mountains behind the football stadium in Berkeley, Calif. lies a narrow dirt path that the students call Fire Trails.

Street View

During my first semester of college I constantly talked about New York. I told everyone who would listen about my favorite Indian restaurant, about the Astroturf field behind my high school where we ate lunch (even on 20-degree days), about the East Village community garden where I wiled away hot summer afternoons.

Grant Me Chastity and Continence, But Not Yet

There is a man in the rafters.

WWOOF, There It Is

In search of something to do over J-Term, I followed a close friend's recommendation and volunteered at an organic farm in Guatavita, Colombia to, among other things, "find myself without the constraints of society." While that obviously didn't happen, I did manage to discover a Colombia rich in gastronomy, bookstores, and national identity. But that's enough from me—I'll let my pictures do the talking.

There's no such thing as a poor caloric intake choice. There's no such thing as a poor caloric intake choice. There's no such thing as a poor caloric intake choice.

Bogotá's Plaza de Bolívar: home to majestic cathedrals, pigeons, and little girls dressed in Disney princess outfits begging to feed said pigeons.

Students play board games at a local café before learning about the Zenú, a pre-Colombian tribe with little recorded history but a sizable amount of goldwork.

La Juanita, a prime example of a permaculture farm, heralds a small but growing change in the area's cultivation techniques.

A quote from Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude serves as the greenhouse's subtle mantra.

The main house also doubles as lodging for both volunteers and guests seeking bucolic refuge.

Although Sioux in origin, this tipi, built by La Juanita's owner, will house gatherings related to native religious ceremonies.

La Juanita Finca Verde is nestled in the outskirts of Guatavita, a rural town just two hours from Bogotá.

An overly optimistic street pole frames an intersection in Central Bogotá.

Limbo Has a Buffet, and Barbecue on Tuesdays

Spending J Term at home in a Marriott.

Alien Encounters

When we finally reached Machu Picchu, the planes, trains, and automobiles were worth it. A never-ending line of vibrantly green peaks with a gushing river at their bases surrounded our insignificant bodies. Climbing over the stones strolled upon by my Inca counterparts 600 years ago, I truly was on an adventure.

Walking Backwards Through Traffic

Vans, motorbikes and unusually large rats sped through the four-lane highway in Halong Bay.

A Trip to the Zoo

Following ancient Vietnamese culture, I spent my New Years at the Zoo in Ho Chi Min City listening to top 40 songs.