Most people in high school can’t say they have been to ten countries around the globe by the age of 16, but junior Lauren Wolosyk can.

“My favorite part of traveling is meeting new people,” Wolosyk said. ”I now know people all around the world and know more about people’s culture and traditions.”

According to Lauren, learning new culture is a way for her to see how and why things are the way they are today. Seeing how other people reflect on the culture they follow is really interesting to her. She loves seeing the world in another perspective and actually getting to see what the culture is in real life instead of in a book or on television.

“I love experiencing new things and just seeing the world because I have got a lot of crazy opportunities to travel all over the world and I want to live every moment of it to its fullest,” Wolosyk said.

From May 28 through July 26, 2015 Lauren visited Littleport, England to see her mom, brother and stepdad that that live there full time. During the family’s trip, they went to various places such as Italy, France and cruised through Piraeus, Greece, Dubrovnik, Croatia and Kusadasi, Turkey.

“We try to take the biggest trips over summer when Lauren is here,” Lauren’s mom Jerri Mahaney said . “We have a list of the top 21 places we want to go.”

During their travels, they went on numerous excursions. While wandering the streets of Rome, they found themselves at Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympics were held.  They explored the temple of Poseidon and tested their tastebuds on a food tour. They also went to Normandy and Utah Beach in France and visited The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world, during their stay in Turkey.

“My favorite places were the beaches because I got some beach time in and the food tour,” Lauren’s younger brother Cayden Mahaney said.

Lauren aims to keep traveling throughout her life to add to her experiences.  During the summer of 2016 she plans on going to Spain, France and Scotland.  Also, senior year she plans on going to Iceland over Christmas break. Lauren has intentions on making her way to Japan: a place she dreams of going.

“If I could go anywhere I would want to go to Japan for the judge-free atmosphere, new culture and another great experience,” Wolosyk said.