From June 28 - July 28,  I participated in a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad to South Korea. Fourteen teachers from New Jersey, including Adam Fleisher, Chemistry teacher at Wayne Valley High School, participated in the cultural immersion experience. Dr. Angie Woo and Dr. Carrie Hong, from William Paterson University, led the group project abroad. We spent the time visiting schools, engaging in lectures from renowned professors, learning hangul, teaching a lesson at Suwon Academy of World Language, meeting with governing bodies of education and policy making organizations, sampling the Korean cuisine, and visiting tourist sites such as the Demilitarized Zone, Namsan Tower, Gukje market, Hanok villages, temples, fortresses, museums, and even a smart hydroponic greenhouse.

I watched my four year old daughter ring the opening bell at the NYSE. As a nearly two year survivor of kidney cancer, my daughter and other warriors had this opportunity to be on the NYSE floor provided by A Moment of Magic Foundation. We also traveled with members of our extended family, Kayleigh and Sutton on my daughter’s Make a Wish Trip to Disney World. For 6 days, she was treated like royalty at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Universal. We had the time of our lives!

I normally go on a summer vacation to Cape May with my sisters, Terry, Barbara, and Nancy. We have been doing this for 18 years. We decided to change it up and go to Newport Rhode Island where we walked the Cliff Walk, saw the Great Elephant Migration exhibit, and took a tour on a trolley ride around Newport. We then headed out to Misquamicut Beach, where we enjoyed shopping, swimming, and excellent dining. Our last stop was a ferry ride to Block Island.

This summer my daughter, Noelle, and I visited Italy - we were in Rome , Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. Highlights were seeing the Pope and hiking the Trail of the Gods on the Amalfi coast.

Over the summer, my family went on our annual summer trip to Cape May, NJ - my husband and two daughters, Kaeley and Brenna, my sister, niece, nephew, mom and aunt! We went to the beach, took many bike rides and did a lot of swimming! We will also be going on a trip to Newport, RI in August! We are looking forward to seeing the beautiful mansions, going on the Cliff Walk and doing lots of sightseeing!

I prepared to send my oldest daughter, Nicole, to college with my husband Michael and younger daughter, Sofia. Nicole graduated from Wayne Valley High school in June and we spent summer months enjoying time with Nicole before college.

Over the summer months I explored Iceland's beautiful waterfalls, black sand beaches, and natural wonders with great friends. In Iceland, the sun doesn't set during the summer so it was always light outside. It is also colder in Iceland than New Jersey so I got to escape the heat for a little while! I also worked at the Wayne Public Library and read a lot of great books and saw so many students and families at the library!

This summer, my wife and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in Bali. We enjoyed learning about their culture, history and a different way of life. We also had an opportunity to spend a day with a group of Sumatran Elephants. They were incredibly friendly, playful, and sometimes mischievous.  I learned that food quality is always the main concern of elephants.