"O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies, May Stalwart sons, and gentle maidens rise."

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Canada? The Rocky Mountains, CN Tower, Stanley Park, Canadian Rockies, Toronto Islands, Notre-Dame Basilica, Lake Ontario? What about Aubrey Graham (Canadian rapper Drake)?

Senior dance performance major Ashley Minton was able to explore Toronto from July 22-26 with her family.

Take a look at Ashley Minton’s summer highlight below:

Shakora Bamberg: Tell me about your experience in Toronto Canada. Paint the picture for your readers?

Ashley Minton: Prior to our departure to Canada, my family and I were extremely excited and could barely sleep. When we finally arrived to the Peace Bridge right before entering Canada, everyone was full of joy and excitement. Our first couple of days there we were just in awe of the culture and places we visited. Canada is such a beautiful family-oriented place, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

SB: How long did you stay in Canada?

AM: My family and I ventured out to Canada at 3 a.m. Friday morning and arrived around 5 p.m. that evening we stayed until Tuesday so approximately five days.

SB: Who went with you during your trip, and why did you go?

AM: My grandmother and I, two of my aunts, my uncle and two of my cousins. We decided to take this trip initially because my cousin, who is a sophomore in high school, expressed his interest in going to college in Canada. His parents then decided to visit the school of his interests while also making a vacation out of the trip.

SB: Was this one of your summer highlights if so, why?

AM: Yes, this experience was definitely one of my summer highlights, because it was my first time traveling out of the country; also visiting Niagara Falls which was very peaceful.

SB: Were you able to meet any famous artists? What about visiting historic museums, shopping centers or restaurants?

AM: Our initial reason for traveling to Canada was for my cousin to visit a college he is interested in; he was given the task of creating an itinerary for the trip. He did an excellent job, and we did more than enough during our time there.

Some of those things included going to the CN Tower, High Park, Graffiti Alley, The Distillery District, Woodbine Beach, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, University of Toronto, and, as I mentioned earlier, Niagara Falls amongst many other places.

One of my favorite places that we went to was this little restaurant called Snakes and Lattes. I really like the place because you go in and pay $5 at the door to enjoy a multitude of board games while also enjoying a meal. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves here and my cousin was able to see some famous actors from a television show he watches. He met Matthew Ibsen and Avila Mongillo from Disney’s "Backstage," which was really cool.

SB: What did you learn while in Canada?

AM: While in Canada, I learned a lot about the culture by visiting different sites and places. I also learned that I have a very noticeable accent which was very funny to me. Everywhere my family and I went, the people automatically knew we were American because of our accents.

SB: What was the weather like during this trip?

AM: It was pretty warm the whole time. The temperature ranged from mid 80s to 90 degrees.

SB: What did you wear for your trip?

AM: Before our departure to Canada, a lot of family members and friends warned us of how cold it would be there, but surprisingly it was hot. I packed for both warm and cold weather so I was able to dress for the summer while I was there.

SB: How is Canada similar and different to America?

AM: Canada isn't much different from the culture here in America. It also can be described as a melting pot full of diversity. There are a few things that stood out to me. Here in America, we rely on vehicles to travel while in Canada most people ride their bikes. The citizens are overall very friendly. I would describe Canada as being similar to New York, but not as fast pace. It contains a Dundas Square that is very similar to Time Square, and also Chinatown, Little Italy amongst many other places to shop and venture out to.

SB: Prior to your visit, what did you know about Canada?

AM: Prior to our visit, I didn't know much about Canada other than what I had heard about the friendly Canadian people. I am also a fan of a few television shows and artist from Canada which include "Degrassi," "The Next Step," "Nikita" and one of my favorite artist Drake.

SB: Did you have to pay an expensive fee to attend this trip?

AM: Not really. The majority of my expenses were for my passport, food and money to shop a bit.

SB: What hotel did you stay in?

AM: My family and I stayed at the Hilton for four days and three nights.

SB: Do you plan on visiting here again?

AM: Since my cousin is planning on going to school in Canada, I definitely plan on visiting again. I enjoyed Toronto and the places we visited

SB: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

AM: If you get a chance go visit Canada, do it because it is a great place to go if it's your first time going out of the country!

SB: Would you recommend the opportunity to others?

AM: I would definitely recommend the opportunity to travel to Canada. It was such a great experience, and if not Canada, if you are granted any opportunity to travel, go for it!