Nothing, I think, hurts much more than extremely cold water. It is like a thousand little knives hitting your body. And then there’s the bone-aching cold that numbs your body and makes it hurt to move. You do not want to swim in extremely cold water, unless you have a dry suit. Fortunately we were going scuba diving in Northern Australia - in Cairns.

Planning a holiday in Florida? Then be sure to include these top four destinations on your travels: 

4 places you must visit on a trip to Florida

1. Miami marvels

Magic city - that’s what Miami’s called, and not without good reason. You’ll discover a tantalising mix of vibrant city life cheek by jowl with a landscape of unsurpassed natural beauty.

I’ll never forget stepping off the airplane for the first time at the Beijing airport and thinking to myself “What the *#@&$ did I just get myself into?” I didn’t know a lick of Mandarin other than ni hao, and prior to leaving I probably couldn’t have found Xinjiang, the province that was to become my new home, on a ma

Maria Castello is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied English writing and literature. During her time in college, she spent a semester studying in London, where she interned with a small publishing company. She loved her study abroad experience so much she is now planning to attend graduate school and pursue a career in international education. She loves classic novels, tortoiseshell cats, and green tea, and is currently learning to speak Italian.  

An introvert is a shy, reticent person. I did not readily accept my fate as an introvert until I went abroad. I knew I often needed time away from the crowd to recharge, but I thought everyone did that. My freshman year of college, I was explaining this to a friend (an extrovert, oy) and she said “Oh. You’re an introvert, Steph.”

What?

Is that bad? Is there medication for it?

“It’s all goood,” she said loudly, a typical extrovert answer.

Do you love cosplay, manga, anime, fandom memorabilia, and toys? Perhaps the center of your fandom universe lies in Tokyo, Japan. If so, you probably identify as Otaku. If you are otaku, or can relate to it, then I have the book for you! If you aren't into otaku culture yet, you soon will be, after reading Tokyo Geek's Guide: Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys, Idols, & More, by Gianni Simone. Be forewarned: I LOVE THIS BOOK.

It’s begun. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the start of autumn and more than a month of traditional schooling is underway. In the southern hemisphere, it’s officially spring and for some, the traditional school year is one quarter from its close. Regardless of location, a lot of the world’s students are in the midst of the official learning process. What about all that goes on outside of that traditional schooling scenario? What else actually transpires amidst that process that the quantitative testing of the data centered educational universe misses?