I spent part of my last break in the city of Cleveland. It was exactly what you'd expect from a city. Busy, crowded, and it was faster to walk places than trying to drive.

The two breaks before that I spent time in Oklahoma, and it was basically the complete opposite of Cleveland. It was like life just slowed down while I was there.

Both times I went were for week-long service trips in the Cherokee Nation. These trips gave me some of my best memories from these breaks. This slower pace of life made me appreciate living in the moment and enjoying the company of the people around me. The people I met were some of the best, and I'm still connected with some of them today.

The reason I became so fond of these people was purely because of the sheer kindness they showed both me and my service group. On my second trip, our van got broken into while we were stopped for lunch. The site manager from my previous trip reached out to me when it happened and when we got to our destination, everyone just wanted to make sure that we were okay.

I also got to hear so many amazing stories from everyone I met. People talked about their lives growing up, traveling, and in the case of National Treasure Robert Lewis, actual Cherokee storytelling. It was so much fun just to hear about all these different experiences that no one in Ohio would have.

Lastly, Oklahoma has a rare beauty that you have to see to believe. From buffalo to natural waterfalls, there are so many hidden gems that are just a drive away.

When I went back to Oklahoma for the second time it felt like I never left and I'm sure it would feel the same if (and when) I return again.