By Julie Powell
Department of Physical Education, Wellness and Sport
As someone who enjoys discovering the amazing world that God has created, I love to travel. Reading about the outback in Australia can be an enjoyable experience, but being immersed in the culture can change a person.
Reading the descriptions of a colorful sunrise over the Grand Canyon, a picture can emerge; however, watching the colors change with your own eyes heightens the experience to almost indescribable depths.
The enjoyment of seeing this country and the world was sparked by the passion of my parents, who created travel experiences for my family from the time I can remember.
Thoughts of traveling across country with an old, ragged pop-up camper behind a blue Ford Econoline van still brings back tremendous memories.
That spark has been carried throughout my life, and the Lord has provided many opportunities to travel for education, for leisure and for missions.
The idea behind the possible formation of a Union University travel club was the concept that there must be others, specifically faculty, staff and students, who share the same passion.
After traveling with study abroad groups and GO trips, I recognized the value in traveling with friends who have similar values.
The hope is that a travel club might bring a small group of Christian travelers together who enjoy dreaming of far-away destinations and weekend trips.
With the many demands on time and resources in today’s world, friends and family may not always be available or share the same passion for traveling, so it becomes necessary to reach out to others.
After traveling to Greece a few summers ago with Pilgrim Tours, I met some fabulous Christians who shared their travel experiences, and it encouraged me to think about people around the Union community who might have a passion for travel but have no one with which to travel.
As a single woman, I don’t always feel confident about traveling to other countries alone, and many tour groups charge a single supplement fee.
In addition to not desiring to travel single, life is much more fun when shared with another.
In my guest room at home above three black and white photos on canvas of Italy, Greece, and Paris, are the words, “The world is a book and those who do not travel, read only one page.”
The possibility of forming a Union travel club would be to bring those in the Union community together who share a common interest and passion for traveling.
Dr. Julie Powell is a professor of sport management. The travel club is in the planning stages to see if there is enough interest to pursue the actual starting of the club. Please contact Dr. Powell at jpowell@uu.edu if interested.
