5th Place Winner, 6th Grade - Mexico

Congratulations to Alejandra from a middle school in northern Utah. Alejandra is a first generation American who wants to get in touch with her roots and visit Mexico! This is a delightful essay. Alejandra, I genuinely hope one day you get to meet your Grandma!

If I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be the wonderful country of Mexico. My parents grew up in Mexico, but I've never seen it for myself. I have listened to stories about Mexico since I was little, and I would love to see what life was like for my parents when they were my age. Unfortunately Mexico is ages away and I don't want to be in a hot, stuffy van that smells like cheese for a few days.

I hear from friends who have been to Mexico that it is very tropical there. My mom has told me that close to where she lived there were a bunch of grapefruit trees, and when the fruit ripened all she had to do was reach out and grab a free snack. My mom loves grapefruit and her favorite drink is grapefruit soda. However, grapefruit is the last thing I would eat on a deserted island; I prefer oranges. If oranges were the last fruit on earth, you wouldn't hear me complain.

Many people grown their own food and raise their own animals in Mexico. I wouldn't mind working for my food, so long as it's fresh and tastes like Mexico. I love Mexican food, my mom cooks it everyday. My sister hates onions, so there isn't much she can eat without grimacing. My parents claim that if we ever have the opportunity to visit Mexico, I would enjoy the food, but my sister would suffer. I love tacos with lots of hot sauce. My sister would rather eat a raw onion that eat tacos with hot sauce.

I would like to visit Mexico because my parents say the sky shines with bright stars all year long, a treat that an astronomer can't see in the United States. Mexico also has beautiful sunsets. You have probably seen the beautiful lightening storms in Utah...well, our lightening storms are NOTHING like what they have in Mexico. Their storms are fiercer. In the winter it doesn't snow, it rains, and it rains hard. My mom says that when she was little she would play out in the rain, it was as warm as a sunny day.

Mexico has beautiful tropical forests to explore. I'd better bring some sunscreen lotion and insect repellent! I wouldn't want to get sunburned or bitten to death on my trip.

Mexico is notable because it is where the majority of my family lives. I would like to visit my grandparents. They live so far away I haven't had the chance to meet them yet, however they are really nice on the phone. I would also like to visit the rest of my family in Mexico. It is really hard to make a living in Mexico, so I'm glad I don't live there.

When arriving in Mexico, the first thing I would do is meet my relatives! I want to see my grandpa, and I want to see where my mom and dad lived when they were kids. I want to find out more about my ancestors (I suspect I'm part Aztec, part Mayan). The Aztec were complete savages, but I also want to find out of my family came from Spain, or if Aztec blood runs through my veins. I could also be party Mayan! My dad claims we are both, but I'd like to learn which part I am most of.

I hope one day I am able to visit Mexico to discover where I am from.

Alejandra, your parents should be very proud of you! The sacrifices they've made to make a better life for you are definitely paying off! Your essay was so well written, it was very entertaining and you have a cute sense of humor. I hope you enter the Kylie Klein Writing Competition again next year. Nice job!

6th Grade 4th Place Winner - BYU

This essay by Aaron, a 6th grade student...and please keep in mind he is in 6th grade, from a middle school in northern Utah was one the most believable and entertaining essays I received. This kid, from the depth of his soul, wants to visit BYU so badly, I swear he is bleeding blue. If any of you know someone at BYU who could give this kid a tour, please email me, I am sure it would make his entire life. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading Aaron's essay as much as I did.

Provo, Heaven on Earth

If I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be Provo, Utah. I have been in love with Provo ever since 4th grade, mainly because of BYU. I love BYU more than practically anything. I have a shrine to them, I have a lot of their attire, and I would do anything to go there for college. I truly believe there is no greater University than the "Y". Some people call me obsessed, and I probably am, but BYU is on the top of every category there is. In fact, my favorite movie has Provo in it:

Sons of Provo

. It is amazingly funny and there is nothing bad in it. I have been to Provo before, but I have never seen the BYU campus for myself.

I would like to visit this place solely because of BYU. When I grow up, graduate from the "Y" and get married, I plan to live in Provo and become a basketball coach for the "Y" or a coach for a high school in the Provo-Orem area. I think Provo would be a good place for my kids to live, and for my family and I to support and donate to the "Y". Provo is truly Heaven on Earth. In all the places on the Earth, I do not think there is a more beautiful, safe and secure place than Provo. There are truly great people in Provo. And like former BYU football and NFL player Chad Lewis says, "Do everything to surround yourself with greatness." As long as I go to BYU, my life will be as close to perfect as you can get.

Provo was named after an early trapper, Etienne Provost. Provo was settled in 1849 by the Mormon pioneers. Provo is historically important or notable because the university in Provo was named after Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon church who led the pioneers across the plains. Brigham Young was the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the on-again, off-again governor of the territory of Deseret, which would later be called Utah. Brigham Young was one of the greatest men ever to live on earth. He surrounded himself with greatness. Provo is surely worth a visit and tour to view some of its main attractions including: BYU, the Provo Tabernacle and the Utah County Building.

When arriving in Provo, the first thing I would do is introduce myself to Cecil O. Samuelson (President of BYU), Bronco Mendenhall (head football coach) and Dave Rose (head basketball coach) I would ask each man for his autograph and then ask for advice on how to become a great coach, leader and person. I would go to the BYU creamery, BYU bookstore and BYU library. I would have the best time of my life. I would go to every BYU athletic event. And on every Tuesday, I would attend the weekly BYU devotional at the Marriott Center. I would introduce myself to Jake Heaps (the next BYU quarterback destined for greatness) and the whole football, baseball and basketball teams.

There have been so many marvelous people from BYU who have surrounded themselves with greatness. One of my favorite BYU alumni is Danny Ainge. He was the starting point guard on arguable the best NBA team ever: the 1985-1986 Boston Celtics. He played in the NBA for twelve years and is now the General Manager for the Celtics. They won the NBA title two years ago. Danny is also the Bishop of his Boston ward. He has to be one of the busiest guys in the world! Yet his faith is unshaken and he has truly surrounded himself with greatness. He is the type of guy I want to be; he has achieved both on and off the court success. Danny grew up in Provo. Provo produces some of the most wonderful people and families. Danny is just one of many examples.

In the end, nobody beats Provo. It truly is Heaven on Earth.

Well Aaron, (Kylie here!) It sure sounds like you have a significant goal in mind. You are going to have to keep your grades up, so while it sounds like you LOVE sports, remember that BYU is first and foremost an academic institution, and they like their students to get A's. So stay in school, stay off drugs, and be sure to study hard. I look forward to hearing back from you when you get your BYU acceptance letter! Thanks again for a great essay. I look forward to reading your essay next year.

6th Grade 3rd Place Winner

Our 3rd place winner is Amanda. She is from a small Middle School in Southern Utah. Her essay titled, "Anyone Need Help Out There?" is a gem. It is touching and heartfelt I hope you take a moment to read it! Congratulations Amanda, I hope one day you make it to Guatemala!

If I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be the miniature country Guatemala, it's located right under Mexico. I know a lot about Guatemala, and I think it would be alright if I visited there. Guatemala sounds like a gorgeous country with many kind people. It would be a magnificent opportunity for me to get to leave the United States and explore a small portion of this immense world. My mom and dad have been to Guatemala, and I hear it is a wonderful place to visit. There is one problem with Guatemala; I will have to be extremely cautious about everything. There are a lot of people who aren't very ethical down there. Most of them are so awful that there are armed guards outside every store, even a store as simple as Subway.

(Kylie here! Amanda, you will find that crime is high in most third world countries, and there are guards outside most stores. It is unfortunate, but it does keep businesses, tourists and residents a little safer! We have a similar thing here in America, have you ever notice how every business...and some street corners....have cameras watching our every move? Our technology is a little more advanced, but the concept is the same....)

I would like to visit Guatemala because there are many amazing sites to see. I also want to learn a new language and in Guatemala the people speak Spanish, so I would have to learn Spanish before I could go. I would like to save up enough money to start my own company to send money down to the not-so-fortunate people. If I couldn't send money, then I would at least send food, clothing, pets, shoes, house supplies and I would send builders to build homes for the less fortunate people.

In Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala, there are many things to do for fun, such as go to museums, Tikal National Park, visit zoos, theaters, church ruins, the Antigua Bridge and many other sites.

When arriving in Guatemala, the first thing I would do is gaze around at the terrific, warm scenery. I would head straight to get a room at a casino in Guatemala City. After arriving in my room, I would unpack my belongings and rest for an hour or so after spending all day on a stuffy airplane. Joyfully, I would catch a tour bus to go visit all of the beautiful site that are around Guatemala.

I would visit the ancient Mayan ruins on Tikal. Tikal is a beautiful place, and I have always looked forward to going there. Tikal is made up of an old temple and other buildings made from stone. The buildings are extremely tall and massive. My parents were going to go to Tikal, but they were robbed. Then they didn't have enough money to go there anymore.

I would then go and find some of the families that my parents met, and talk to them about their visit. I would help and care for those people first, and then I would go and assist the less fortunate. For dinner that night I would eat a nice meal that included fried bananas and rest my head for a good night's sleep.

At some point in my visit, I would meet the young lady that liked my Uncle Justin. I would have to break the sad news to her that he was killed in a car accident in 2009. He rolled his truck down a steep mountain and was killed. Justin was in his thirties and had three young kids, his oldest was four. He went on an LDS mission to Guatemala. Justin was a good father, uncle, husband, brother, son and grandson. We all love and miss him just as much as she, his friend from Guatemala, will miss him too.

I will be very gloomy when it comes time for me to travel home. Before I leave, I will visit all of the families that Justin taught and see what they have to say about Justin that I don't know.

When I arrive home from my long flight, I will go to Justin's wife, Tacy, and tell her all of the stories I heard about Justin from the people he knew in Guatemala.

I am so obliged that we have all of the many places around the world to explore. I love adventure and I love helping people. If I ever end up with a company to help struggling countries, it will primarily be for Guatemala, in memory of Justin, but I would also love to help others across the world. I would send help to Guatemala, Haiti, Chili, and any other country that needs help.

I look forward to one day visiting Guatemala.

6th Grade Second Place - New York

The Kylie Klein 2nd Place Winner for 6th Grade is Riley, from a middle school in northern Utah. Congratulations Riley, for a well-written essay!

If I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be New York City. I do believe I've fallen in love with 'The City so Nice, you Name it Twice', even though all I've seen of it has been through movies and Google Maps, and of course, all the classic songs.

I would like to visit New York City because of, namely, Saturday Night Live. One day I hope to be one of the writers behind the show. I also love the New York attitude. In the small town where I live, nearly everyone is the same. Frankly, the thought of a bustling city where everyone minds their own business and you could meet your soul mate, your killer, or your idol on any given day, gives me excited goose bumps. New York, a city of beautiful lights, where there is always somewhere you can go (and you can get there quick, even without a car) and something you can do, comes up constantly in my dreams. Moreover, a city that Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra considered great enough to sing about HAS to be good.

New York is historically important or notable because, well, firstly, it invented toilet paper. Can you imagine a world without toilet paper? (Don't answer that.) Joseph C. Gayetty invented it in 1857, and he had his name printed on every sheet. Franklin Roosevelt, the only president to be elected four terms, was from New York City (I could meet a future president on the subway!). The Empire State Building has 73 elevators, and one can take you to the 80th floor in 45 seconds. What else...Saturday Night Live...oh, this is cool, the first mini-golf game ever played was on tip of a skyscraper in New York City in 1926. The first baseball game ever played was pretty close to New York City, in Hoboken.

When arriving in New York City, the first thing I would do is catch a subway to Times Square, where I'd buy a long, dreary trench coat. Then, blending in with the natives, I'd proceed to catch a taxi cab with a perfect whistle (I'm still working on it!) to 30 Rockefeller Plaza. I would spend a few minutes staring at the building. If it were winter, I would ice skate or admire the gorgeous Christmas tree, and of course, take tons of pictures. I would take one of the tours, no matter what the season, making sure to check out the gardens in autumn, spring or summer. I would go to the top of the building and take pictures like the nerdy tourist I am with or without my black trench coat. I would run through the halls of the NBC studios like a little kid, my trench coat flying behind me.

Then I'd buy a ticket for the taping of Saturday Night Live. I would stay all night to see the show. After, I would walk outside a take a deep breath. Then I'd go back inside to see if I could find Lorne Michaels. If I met Lorne Michaels, it would be the best night of my life. Extra points if I got to meet any SNL actors. I would talk with the pages until I was kicked out! But I wouldn't go to sleep yet, no sir! I'm in the city that never sleeps, darn it! I would stay up all night, walking around town and saying "Hi!" to my future husband/killer/idol. I would find a karaoke club where I would make a fool of myself singing along to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York." I'd go to Central Park and watch the sun rise from a skyline. I'd walk across the street and buy a hot dog from a street vendor for breakfast. Yummy! Then I would empty my purse in my hotel room and walk along Times Square. If my bag is stolen, my day would be complete! I would go mini-golfing, watch "King Kong," throw stones into every river I came across, watch a baseball game at Yankee Stadium, see Madison Square Gardens, buy thirteen rolls of toilet paper (in honor of Mr. Gayetty), and read the New York Times fresh from the newsstand. I would go for a boat tour of Ellis Island, and go to the top of beautiful Miz Liberty. I would ride every single elevator in the Empire State Building, timing them all. If I were fortunate enough to visit during Thanksgiving, I would absolutely have to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! I would catch a taxi to Broadway and see as many shows as I could. I would visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I would go shopping! I would visit the Ground Zero Museum and reflect on the awful tragedy that struck New York City on a few years ago. I would visit the New York Stock Exchange and Niagara Falls. I would make sure to walk through more than one alley. I would have a New York style pizza and make sure to visit the other boroughs while I'm at it. Late at night, I would go see one of the many late night shows; Letterman, Leno, O'Brien, Fallon, Kimmel or whoever happens to be the rage when I'm an adult.

(Note from Kylie: Niagara Falls, while beautiful, is in Albany, New York about 400 miles from New York City. The falls are prettier from the Canadian side, so go to Toronto to see them, or cross the border. Also, Jay Leno is filmed in Burbank, California, Jimmy Kimmel is filmed in Hollywood, California. Most late night comedy shows are filmed during the day, with the exception of SNL, which I believe is still filmed at night!)

And then in the middle of Times Square I would stop.

And stand.

And breathe.

I would look at the lights and allow a dreamy feeling to overtake me. I would look at the horizon. I would look at the people. I would smell all the scents, good and bad, and listen to the sounds, be it cabbies swearing at one another, or vendors calling out their wares, or children crying or people singing. I would take a picture of the sky and whisper:

"I love New York!"

Then I would start singing as loudly as possible. No one would even look at me because we're New Yorkers, and we mind our own darn business. (That's simply my own explanation, I'm sure they would think I was just another one of those weird tourists, intoxicated with the beauty of New York.)

Finally, exhausted, I would go back to my hotel and crash on my bed. The next morning I would find myself an apartment so I could stay in New York for my whole life. There is just too much to see and do for one day, heck, for one lifetime.

But I'm going to try.

Our 6th Grade 1st Place Winner

Congratulations to Cari, a 6th grade student from a middle school in northern Utah! Cari won $100.00 in the Kylie Klein Writing Competition for her essay on England. This essay accidentally ended up in the 9th grade pile and Cari nearly won the 9th grade essay competition as well. Please, congratulate Cari on her winning essay!

Where in the World I Would Like to Visit

If I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be England. On a north European isle it lays, shrouded in mystery, dotted with castles, and laced with historical intrigue. In England's golden age, it was the jewel of Europe. Its vast empire stretched across more than eight countries from coast to coast!

I would like to visit England because of the mysteries that have not yet been solved, like Stonehenge. The great pillars of stone are like a jigsaw puzzle with no picture. Even the most advanced historians and technology can't figure it out!

Along with Stonehenge, I'd love to see some castles: the ancient homes of royalty, some of which are at least as intricate as the Old Catholic cathedrals. Tall and majestic, they rise like mountains. Can't you see it? The banners dance to a wind off the sea, the mist surrounds the towers like a scene from a fairy tale, and white clouds overhead begin crying softly. I would love that.

England is historically important or notable because of the Kings and Queens of England. For example, Queen Elizabeth I is one of the most beloved Queens that England has ever known. The "Virgin Queen," they called her. She lived in the 1500s when men were considered the stronger of the two sexes. Although many people believed women were weak, Elizabeth was such a good ruler that her reign was later called the Elizabethan Age.

Her father, King Henry VIII, was considered a tyrant. King Henry VIII married six times and only his third wife was allowed to live all her days with him in peace. Most likely it was because she bore (and died giving birth) to his only son, Edward VI. Edward only lived to age sixteen, he died of tuberculosis. In short, many of the English royalty didn't lead very happy (or long) lives.

"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore are thou Romeo?" is a quote from William Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. Did you know that Shakespeare was also from England? He is considered to be one of the most famous play writers in the world. He wrote a total of thirty-seven plays and one-hundred-fifty-four sonnets! Shakespeare left a huge mark on history.

When arriving in England, the first thing I would do is find my hotel and lose myself in a dream. The flight from Utah to England is thirteen hours long! After resting and eating, I would visit an old castle from the 1300s and on my way there, I would wish for rain. After visiting the castle, I would make my way to Stonehenge.

Later, I would visit Jane Austen's house and enjoy the peace I found there. Jane Austen, as you probably know, was a famous realistic fiction author who lived from the 1700s to 1800s. Some of her more popular books are Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility.

England has long been favored with talented authors. Jane Austen isn't the only English author who has left her mark on history. Some other famed novelists include J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia).

(Kylie breaking in here...After reading this part of Cari's article,I'm wondering if I should follow the example of all the famous English writers and go by my initials.... K.K.Klein? No, no, that is a terrible idea. Sorry Cari, back to your well-written essay.)

England in the 1800s is one of my absolute favorite time periods. It was when men were gentlemen and women were properly educated and did not believe in slurping, burping or making other disgusting noises.

The next day I would go to Westminster to see the cathedral Westminster Abbey. I would be utterly amazed as I stared at the gothic architecture, the meticulously carved statues, windows and walls. After visiting the graves of the famous Kings and Queens of England, I would tour Westminster Palace, then the Westminster tower clock, commonly known as Big Ben. Tic-Toc! Big Ben's hands turn tirelessly and at the beginning of each hour, he sings!

Later I would visit the famed Buckingham Palace where Queen Elizabeth II currently resides. If I'm lucky, I might see the Queen, Prince Charles or one of his two sons, Prince William or Prince Henry!

Outside the palace, uniformed guards stand at attention. The guards stand there all day, doing nothing but looking forward. They don't even acknowledge your presence!

At lunchtime, I would try some English cuisine. Fish and chips anyone? Although I personally wouldn't drink it, tea-time is a daily custom. While the English drink their tea, they eat biscuits (cookies) and they chat. If there was one sweet in England I would have to try, it would be English Trifle (layered cake, pudding, cream and fruit.)

Exhausted after a long day in London, I would return to my hotel bed and fall asleep the moment I hit the covers. Inside my head a tiny voice would say, "I'm in England, finally!"

Nice job Cari. Your essay was well-researched and well-written. I read this essay right after my own trip to London was canceled (because of the spewing volcano in Iceland), and this Cari reminded me of all the fun I would have had in London. Cari, save your money and try to do a study abroad in college for a semester. I'm sure you would have all these experiences and more.

Again, congratulations to Cari! I hope you enter the competition again next year.

Winners of the Kylie Klein Writing Competition

In addition to my weekly blog, over the next four or five weeks I will be posting the winning essays from the 2010 Kylie Klein Writing Competition. Prepare to be amazed by how talented our Utah 6th through 9th graders are! I will try to post a winning entry every day, but because of the nature of my job (and my life!!!!) this may not always be possible. The winners will be watching both my blog and my Facebook, so please comment on their work, especially if you have been (or want to go) to their city of choice.

The subject this year was, "If I could visit anywhere in the world it would be...."
The first place winners all received $100.00, not bad for a three page essay. I only included Utah in the 2010 competition, however for 2011 I plan to include students from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee and in 2012 I plan to open the Kylie Klein Writing Competition to the entire United States.

(If any of you own a business and are looking for a worthwhile charitable donation, please consider the 2011 Kylie Klein Writing Competition. It is my goal to award $700 in prize money to each participating state, so I need to raise $8400 by next January. I have NO DOUBT I can do it!!!! I appreciate your support, even if it's just a good-luck-with-that email.)

But back to what is important, which is encouraging good writing and education! We need to encourage our youth to stay in school (and stay off drugs) and to learn to write intelligently and passionately. I've noticed that adults with good writing skills, backed by an education seem to have an easier time with life. Although I am not a teacher, I am trying to do my part to encourage students across American (and maybe one day across the globe) to learn these valuable skills that will help them excel in life.

I hope you enjoy these essays as much as I did. And please, take a moment to post your comments. I'm sure the winning students would appreciate your support.

Machu Picchu Part 2

Although the smell of insect repellent permeated our room, the roar of the river below our window lulled me to sleep. Before we turned the lights out for the night, I watched in horror as huge mosquito-like insects continuously bumped into the lamps which dimly lit our room. Fortunately we had read several horror stories about Machu Picchu visitors who woke up with huge, itchy red splotches all over their bodies. Mitch and I were prepared, we had brought insect repellent with us. It wasn't the best smelling, but it kept us protected from bug bites.

The alarm went off at 6:30 and poor Mitch had the chore of patiently encouraging me to get out of bed and into the shower. I was absolutely against waking up, but after some prodding, Mitch was finally able to convince me that we should visit Machu Picchu; we had, after all, made an extraordinary effort to travel deep into the mountains of Peru.

There are two different options to get to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, you can either hike up, which takes about two hours, or you can take a bus ($14 round trip) which takes about fifteen minutes. The bus ride is on a tiny, winding road with sixteen switch backs and lots of long drops down. Mitch, who is a pilot, has a terrible fear of heights, so while I spent my time looking out the window admiring the view and taking pictures, he spent his time bravely looking forward. We held hands, it was sweet.

We made it to Machu Picchu without incident. We climbed off the bus, walked past locals residents who offer tours, handed over our tickets (and showed them our passports) and entered Machu Picchu. We climbed up a small hill and looked to our right. The view took my breath away. It had been such a long journey; we'd finally arrived.

Then the clouds rolled in, and we spent much of our day in Machu Picchu in a hazy, creepy, daze, often unable to see the gigantic mountains that surrounded us.

From a distance, Machu Picchu is an impressive, overwhelming ruin. Perched on top of a mountain, the view took my breath away. Initially I genuinely believed the Inka's were architectural geniuses. As Mitch and I wandered around the city, we were both amazed by the structure itself until, I asked Mitch the all important questions which altered our feelings about our entire trip:

“Hey Mitch, what year was Machu Picchu built?”

“1450.”

“B.C.?”

“No, A.D.”

“You mean like 500 years ago? Not 3500 years ago?”

“Yeah, 1450 AD.”

“As in 1500 years after the Colosseum?”

“Yeah,”

“As in 200 years before Versailles?”

“Yeah.”

“So this place is about as old as The Mona Lisa?”

“Sure.”

“So it was built when Henry the 8th was the King of England?”

“Um, I guess . . .”

“It's as old as the Louvre?”

“Yeah,”

“You know the Vatican was constructed in the early 1500's, right?”

“No, I didn't know that . . .”

“The Notre Dame in Paris was constructed in 1100 A.D.”

“Okay . . .”

“Christopher Columbus landed in America in 1492, that's when he sailed the ocean blue . . .”

“Kylie . . . “

“Mitch, the Inka's were way, way, way behind in their technology. This place is cool to look at, but you have to admit it's kind of archaic for something built as recently as 500 years ago. I know that the Inka's are considered excellent stone masons, but I'm having a hard time being amazed by this. I'm sorry.”

Silence ensured for a few, long tense moments as Mitch considered my comments.

“The Inka's, they were kind of isolated people . . .” Mitch said in their defense.

“It's still cool because it's on the top of a mountain,” I agreed. “I'm just not sure it deserves to be on the same list as the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China or the Pyramid of Giza. And I'm also not sure it was worth six days of travel to spend one day here."

As we thought about Machu Picchu's place in world history, we both felt let down. We had journeyed three days to spend a few hours at one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, and we still had a three day trip to get back home. Neither of us felt quite sure Machu Picchu was historically ready to be given the all important "Seven Wonders of the World" title.


We wandered around the rest of the day, intrigued by the the craftsmanship and marveled at the beauty of the cloudy mountains around us. If someone were determined to build a city in the sky, Machu Picchu was a beautiful place to do it.


At the end of the day, Mitch kissed my forehead. “It was nice spending the week with you, but I'm not sure it was worth it either. Damn volcano ruining our London trip.”

“I'm just sorry I slipped on that rock and hurt my back,” I said wincing. “Can you help me off this ledge?”

The next day we spent nine hours in the pouring rain waiting for a train which would take us to a bus that would take us back to Cusco.

Back Next Week....

I know I promised to tell you more about my trip to Machu Picchu, but I am swimming in essays from the Kylie Klein Writing Competition. I must get through them, the kids are anxious to discover who will win the $100 cash prize! Tune in next week for part II of my Machu Picchu trip.

Until then, remember,

Life's an Adventure, Take Notes!

Machu Picchu -

After the erupting volcano in Iceland spoiled our trip to London, Mitch and I made a last minute decision to visit the recently opened Machu Picchu ruins in Peru. This week's blog will focus on how to get to Machu Picchu, next week I will discuss Machu Picchu itself and week three will be our return trip home. For my flight attendant/pilot friends, I hope this blog is both helpful and interesting.

When it comes to traveling, Mitch and I both have strengths and weaknesses. I am good at finding inexpensive, safe, clean hotels and I usually plan the details of what important places we should visit. Mitch is responsible for ground transportation, which usually includes bus, car and rail. When our trip changed last minute from London to Peru, Mitch suddenly had his work cut out for him because he went from needing to plan a few subway transfers to a trip full of extensive, exhausting travel. A word of caution . . . for those of you planning to visit Machu Picchu, I would advise you to wait until the trains are fully operational.

On the morning of our grand adventure, we woke up at 3:30 am (yes, that is in the morning) to ensure we would make it to Atlanta before 5:05 pm. We were not brave enough to wait around for the direct flight to Atlanta so we hopped on the 6:00 am to Denver and then got on a flight to Atlanta without any trouble. We arrived in Atlanta with plenty of time for lunch and then wandered down to our gate. Because we were flying space available, I was thrilled to learn that the only spaces available were in Business Class.

Whoopee!!!

I love flying Business Class! On the Delta planes, the seats lay all the way back, the meals are always delicious, and they serve ice cream! You have your own TV and a huge variety of movies to watch. There are also comfy blankets and pillows and a little Delta gift box with eye shades, socks, lip balm, tissues and a teeny, tiny toothbrush and toothpaste. I'll be honest, if I'm going overseas, I'll plan my entire trip based around how many seats are open in Business Class. I've become a little spoiled, but on a long flight it's the best way to fly.

Grateful that things had gone so smoothly, after my airplane dinner of steak and shrimp, I put on my eye shades, unwrapped my fluffy blanket, laid my seat back and went to sleep. I'm still not sure what Mitch did during the flight; I woke up a few hours later at 11:00 pm as the flight crew was preparing for landing. We got off the plane, quickly cleared customs and went through the Lima airport to check in for our next flight, which was scheduled to leave six hours later.

Mitch and I were both surprised to find that the Lima airport is open and incredibly busy all night. I can't think of an airport in the United States that has flights scheduled to leave regularly all night long. Mitch and I went into the food court, which was also open all night (who wouldn't want Papa Johns and a Duncan Donut at three in the morning?) and found a place to sit on some uncomfortable metal chairs. I immediate fell asleep, and at 2:00 am Mitch woke me up so we could pick up our tickets.

With our tickets in hand we went through security. Airport security rules are different in every country, but I was still surprised that we weren't asked to pull out our liquids nor were we required to remove our shoes, yet they insisted we take off our watches. Behind the security guards were huge, clear tubs of contraband removed from passenger's luggage. There were a lot of scissors, pocket knives, fingernail clippers and files, scalpels, a leatherman and even a closed-ended wrench.

Seriously, who would put a wrench in their carry on bag?

Regardless, we both managed to get through security without getting arrested. We got to our gate and fell asleep for another hour or so before our flight left for Cusco.

If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, but don't want to fork out cash for a plane ticket to Cusco, there is a bus you can take from Lima to Cusco. It is an eighteen hour bus ride which Mitch and I were prepared to take if for some reason we were unable to get on a LAN flight. The bus ride is $44.00 each way, however now that I'm back home and thinking about our trip, I'm not sure I would ever, ever, again, for any reason, get on another bus in Peru. So a bus ride would not be something I personally would consider, however if you are cash strapped, it is an option.

Sometimes the flights to from Lima to Cusco are weight restricted because of fruit cargo. Although we were prepared for the worst, there was no reason to worry, we got right on the plane. Mitch and I both promptly fell asleep before the plane took off and and hour later we were on the ground in Cusco.

Needing a ride to our hotel, we mistakenly hired a “tourist” cab driver. When we got to the hotel our cab driver spent fifteen minutes trying to convince us to take one of his special tours to the “Sexy Woman”. Although he was showing us the Sexy Woman on a map, I'm still not exactly sure where he wanted to take us. Once we were able to convince the cab driver that we were not interested in any tour, he finally left.

After twenty four hours of traveling Mitch and I were exhausted. Although it was 7:30 in the morning the Hotel Emperador staff were incredibly hospitable and they allowed us to check in. I would highly recommend the hotel (http://www.emperadorplaza.com/index_2.html), it is near the town square, the beds were comfortable and they had hot water. Our rate was only $51 a night, and they prefer you pay in American cash.

If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, at least twenty four hours in Cusco is necessary. As I curled up in bed, I found I was having trouble breathing. Regardless of what I did, I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. Mitch reminded me that Cusco is nearly 11,000 feet above sea level, a full 6,500 feet higher than Salt Lake. We had journeyed to Cusco early so we could acclimatize, so I shook off my discomfort and went to sleep.

We woke up a few hours later and spent some time wandering around Cusco. Cusco is a cute town, but there is a lot of poverty and the street vendors won't take NO for an answer. One kid working as a shoe shiner actually told Mitch that his shoes were ugly and that he should not be wearing them around, which made me laugh because I had made the same comment about Mitch's shoes earlier. (In Mitch's defense, he was wearing them “one last time” so he could destroy them in Machu Picchu.) After a relaxing day, we went to bed early, the next morning we had a long trip to Aguas Calientes.

In January the Cusco – Aguas Calientes rail line washed into the river leaving thousands of tourists stranded in Aguas Calientes. Because of this disaster, transportation to Machu Picchu had changed drastically and the information available on the internet doesn't exactly describe the new traveling process, which, as you can imagine, is frustrating. We were able to secure two backpacker train/bus tickets to Aguas Calientes (about $100 per person) and although Aguas Calientes is only sixty miles away from Cusco, it takes nearly four hours to get there.

From Cusco, we took a bus for three hours to a train station which was located up in the mountains, literally in the middle of nowhere. The last forty minutes of the ride was on a winding, cobblestone and dirt road which overlooks a long drop into a river. From the bus station we had another ninety minutes on a train. Both the train and bus rides were breathtakingly beautiful, and we were able to see where the rail lines had washed away into the river.

We arrived into Aguas Calientes in the early afternoon and we checked into the Waracocha Hotel (no web site and you have to call to make reservations. Our room was $65 a night and they prefer American cash). The owners of the hotel spoke little English, but the hotel was clean, the water was hot, and our room overlooked the river. Mitch and I had a nice linner (lunch and dinner) and went to bed early so we would be refreshed for our day at Machu Picchu.

Tune in next week to see how our day at Machu Picchu went. It was an interesting day, but the historian in me isn't convinced Machu Picchu should be considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. If you've been to Machu Picchu, I'd appreciate your thoughts as I consider the best way to present my opinion to you.

Until next week, remember,

Life's a Journey, Take Notes!

Itchy Pooh Pooh...I Mean Machu Picchu

I would like to clarify that I am the master of taking a cheap vacation. I love to see the world, I love history and I love to learn. Being a flight attendant is the perfect job for me because it allows me access to the world, which is something I value. I know I'm lucky, and please believe me, I don't take my life for granted.

I've learned that to travel safely and cheaply, it all boils down to doing your research, planning ahead and visiting www.tripadvisor.com. For those going to Europe, the most current Rick Steves' travel guide doesn't hurt either. I get my travel guides from the library, which is a simple way to save $20-40 before I leave home!

I try to take three international trips a year, and lately Mitch usually comes along with me, most of the time willingly. Our last trip to Paris, one of the most expensive cities in the world, cost us less than $600.00, and we were there for five days! (Granted we don't have to pay for airfare . . .) I have also gone cheaply to Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan, and if I need a break for a few days and don't want to spend a ton of money, I head on down to Puerto Vallarta.

In January, I asked Mitch which international cities he would like to visit this year. I patiently waited for a whole 24 hours, and when he didn't offer any suggestions, I told him that we were going to visit Machu Picchu in Peru, Toyko and London. He didn't scoff at my suggestions, so I began planning.

I would have never actually visited Machu Picchu on my own. In fact the first time someone mentioned the ancient ruin to me, I thought they said “Itchy Pooh Pooh,” which apparently isn't a common mistake. I have a bunch of flight attendant friends who visited Machu Picchu last year and they all RAVED about it. So Mitch and I did a bit of research and we learned that Machu Picchu had recently been named a new Wonder of the World and a place that must be seen. We also heard reports that there are plans to permanently close a section of Manchu Picchu (I can't remember if it's the top or the bottom), but all of my flight attendant friends have encouraged me to visit ASAP because the closures are scheduled to happen within the year.

Originally Mitch and I decided to go to Machu Picchu in the spring, Tokyo in the summer and London in the fall. In January I picked up my Machu Picchu guidebook from the library and began planning our trip. As we were about to book our hotels, the worst news came across my Yahoo homepage: the rail lines in and out of Machu Picchu had been flooded and two thousand tourists were stranded! I was naturally saddened by the devastation and concerned for the thousands of stranded tourists who were eventually extracted by helicopter, but I was equally irritated that the natural disaster had foiled our spring trip! Although I was deeply disappointed, we still had two other places on our agenda, so I took my Machu Picchu book back to the library and picked up Rick Steves' London.

London is notoriously expensive. However, I had visited Rome, Venice and Florence on a shoestring, I had confidence I could visit London and not drain my 401k. I knew we needed to find cheap, safe accommodations so I visited www.airbnb.com, which is a worldwide Bed and Breakfast Web site that I would highly recommend. In my research, I found the most delightful, affordable flat in London, it was only $377.00 for a whole week! The best part was, it included a cell phone! I couldn't believe our good luck! I booked the flat months in advance, Mitch and I discussed the London sites we wanted to visit, and we watched the flight loads every week, happy to see that there were consistently plenty of available seats both coming and going! It appeared we had made a perfect choice and we were both so excited! (I've included a lot of exclamation points, we were really jazzed!)

Last week, (ten days before we were set to leave for London), an ill-timed volcano began spewing over Iceland, closing the airspace over Europe. Initially Mitch encouraged me to be patient, to wait and see what would happen, and I tried to be hopeful that the airspace would open up quickly and we could still go on our trip. However, as the days ticked by and I read more and more news stories detailing the hundreds of thousands of passengers stuck and the tens of thousands of flights that had been canceled, I began to realize that London wasn't going to happen. Disappointed, I had to cancel my perfect bed and breakfast and our trip to London was officially canned.

Over and over I asked myself (and anyone else within earshot), how was it possible that two different trips, in two separate parts of the world could be canceled because of two totally different natural disasters?

Discouraged, Mitch and I, once again, went back at the drawing board. Since Europe was out of the question, we decided to look south. As we contemplated where to go, I noticed an article on Yahoo boldly declaring that Machu Picchu had reopened! So, Mitch and I decided that, once again, we were, as originally scheduled, going to head to Lima, Peru. Because I had to work, Mitch planned our entire trip (awwww, what a sweetie!). Fortunately he likes to plan “transportation-y trips” because our trek to Machu Picchu appears like it's going to be quite a journey.

We are finally on our way, and what a way it is! Salt Lake to Denver, Denver to Atlanta, Atlanta to Lima, Lima to Cuzco...that's right, four flights plus a four hour combo train and bus ride to Aguas Calientes to actually get to Machu Picchu.

Will our pilgrimage be worth it? Will we be able to get back home on schedule?

Tune in next week to hear my tale (and to get some travel tips), because it sounds like getting to Itchy Pooh Pooh, I mean Machu Picchu will be an adventure in itself!

Until then, remember,

Life's a Journey, Take Notes!

I'm NOT a Granola...and I'm not sure what to do about it....

Although I was born and raised in Utah, I've never been to any of the Utah National Parks. A few weeks ago, Mitch and I had a couple of days off so we packed up the car and hit the road for an impromptu road trip. Mitch and I are preparing to climb to the top of a couple of mountains and thought a hiking trip would be a nice way to break our legs in. We drove three hours south and spent the first night in Cedar City, woke up early the next morning and made our way to Zions National Park.

Zions National Park itself is beautiful. It is a geological wonder, and if you take a moment to really read the informative plaques strategically placed throughout the park you can learn quite a bit about how the natural formations were created. Mitch and I spent two full days hiking around the park. Because it was during the work week there were a lot of retirees at the park and more than a few Grandmas breezed by us as we strolled up the trails. Mitch and I pretended like we weren't fazed by being passed by “old people”, and to save face we took our time and explored and enjoyed the area. We took a billion pictures and had a really great time.

That being said, I am not here to talk to you about Zions National Park, other than to encourage you to visit, because it truly is a natural wonder. What I am here to talk about is pants-that-zip-into-shorts, and other (atrocious) hiking attire.

Mitch, who is not a Granola, proudly brought his pants-that-zip-into-shorts pants on our trip. He opted not to wear them (I'm not sure if it was because I giggled anytime he put them on or for some other, unexplained reason), so we both wore levis, short sleeved shirts and tennis shoes during our visit to the park. Although I felt we were both casually, properly dressed, we were, by far, the best dressed pair at the park. As I looked around me, people had on their hiking shoes, there were lots of pants-that-zip-into-shorts, special, fussy Columbia and North Face shirts, Camelback backpacks, Indiana Jones explorer hats, wool socks, North Face Jackets, hats that covered the head and neck and walking sticks. If REI makes it (and sells it for a ridiculous price), we saw it.

It's cool that the people like dressing outdoorsy, but Zions National Park is a simple park to navigate, and to me, most of the tourists had gone a little too far with their outdoorsyness. I can completely understand the extreme gear for those hiking the Narrows, but the majority of the people were just wandering around the park; wilderness attire really wasn't really necessary. Which brings me to my “bigger” problem.

It was my idea to climb to the top of Nebo and Timpanogos, and I managed to get Mitch,my sister Farrah, and her husband Dallas to agree to climb with me. As the hike gets closer, I am finding myself less stressed about the hike itself and more stressed about the pressure to dress like a Granola. The problem is, I am innately NOT a granola. I buy the majority of my clothes at Macy's, my shoes from Famous Footwear (I'm a sucker for their buy one get one half off sale), and I pick up my every day t-shirts at Target. I'm not a fussy gal, but I try to dress fashionably.

However, Mitch, who is also not a Granola, has been dragging me into REI and Dick's and making me try on “real” hiking shoes. He has spent hours looking up the proper Camelback for me so I have enough to drink on our hikes. Mitch is incredibly sweet, and he has offered to carry most of our “gear”, whatever that means. While I am so grateful for his help and his excitement for our hike, I am incredibly uncomfortable in outdoorsy stores, and I always feel really over dressed, even if I'm just wearing a t-shirt, jeans and running shoes.

I don't wear a lot of green or brown. I flat iron my hair. I wear some make up. I think you understand what I'm saying.

So what should I do? I genuinely find all hiking shoes to be incredibly ugly, and I don't understand why Merrill can't make ONE pair of their hiking shoes in black. Is there some hiking shoe rule out there that says hiking shoes must all be green or brown? I don't have any clothes that match my new hiking shoes, so I have two options, not color coordinate, or buy a new “hiking wardrobe”. Mitch says I have to buy a special shirt that absorbs my sweat. I have to have special wool socks, which has turned into quite an ordeal because I don't want my socks to come above my ankles and I don't want them to be crazy colors. Mitch found some special socks for me that met my special requirements and he gave them to me as a gift. Isn't he sweet?

That being said, Mitch genuinely believes I should get pants-that-zip-into-shorts.

Unbelievable!

I told my non-granola sister that Mitch says I should get these ridiculous pants and she said, “Oh I love my pair.”

Has the world around me gone mad?

When I decided to climb the mountains, I thought I would just have to physically train. If I had any idea I would need special shoes, socks, shirts, pants and a camelback, I might have kept my great idea to myself.

Why is this such a problem, you might ask? Because Mitch LOVES to take pictures. I am going to end up with 300 pictures of me crawling up a mountain looking like a Granola! He's gonna post the pictures on Facebook and the entire world is going to see me dressed in brown and green, and the whole world is going to think, “Oh, look at Mitch's girlfriend, she's a total granola.” I can't have people think that, especially strangers!

Oh dear, I'm afraid I have serious issues.

I'm gonna buy my hundred dollar shoes, and then with the advice from my friends, I'm gonna Bedazzle my shoes so they look pretty and sparkly. Maybe I will Bedazzle my hundred dollar Camelback, too. I can hear the other hikers now, “Wow, I really like your sparkly shoes, they are so much cuter than normal hiking shoes.” “Thanks,” I will reply. “They've been bedazzled.”

Oh my, what have I got myself in to?

So my Granola and non-Granola friends, am I making too much of this? Am I silly to not want ugly hiking shoes? Is it terrible that I find the-pants-that-zip-into-shorts unbearable? Did I take on too much instigating two mountain climbs without first learning I would have to change my wardrobe?
I'd love your feedback, I want to find out if what I am feeling is normal.

And poor Mitch! When we go shoe shopping for his shoes, he shows me shoe after shoe and asks me what I think about them. All I can do is look at him blankly and nod my head because the truth is I HATE ALL OF THE SHOES!!!

Why is it hiking shoe makers are unable to make cute shoes? I don't understand.

I think I need professional help.

Oh, I gotta go. I'm being taken to an REI Map and Compass class. If you don't hear from me next week, you'll know I got lost and obviously failed my wilderness resourcefulness class.

Stay tuned next week when I will discuss how two separate natural disasters nearly sidetracked my Spring vacation this year. It is a tale you'll have to read to believe.

Until then remember,

Life's a Journey, Take Notes!

My Visit to Arlington

A few weeks ago I traveled to Washington DC to do some research for my second Mason Montgomery book. I was only able to spend a couple of days in Washington DC, but I had beautiful, perfect weather, comfortable shoes and a load of research that had to be done. I managed to see everything on my agenda, but the stop that moved me the most was Arlington National Cemetery.

My trip to Arlington was for a specific purpose, I was scouting locations for a critical scene in my book. I also happen to love cemeteries and I had always secretly wanted to visit JFK's eternal flame (I don't know why, I wasn't even alive when he died). As I left JFK's resting place, I took a wrong turn and happened upon a funeral procession. Curious, I stopped to watch. I absolutely did not want to be disrespectful to those in mourning, but in my research I had learned a great deal about Arlington funeral processions and thought it could be an interesting, insightful, good research opportunity to see the well known ceremony first hand. Had I realized how the ceremony would affect me, most likely I would have walked away instead of creeping up to get a closer look.

As I politely walked closer and hid myself behind a tombstone, I heard a military officer shouting commands followed by the constant chut-chut of his troops' rifles. More than a dozen men stood in formation performing an intricate rifle routine. Next to the drilling men was a lone coffin covered with an American flag.

I immediately became mesmerized by the soldiers and their perfectly synchronized precision and timing. Once they had finished their rifle drill, the funeral director drove out, followed by a hearse (which I was confused by because the coffin was on the back of a horse drawn trailer.) Then, a black car drove by, which I assume held immediate family members. Once all of the official cars left the area, the soldiers once again began a rifle routine, their guns rotated this way and that, not one gun ever out of place. Interestingly the ceremony felt very respectful, instead of mechanical.

For a moment the entire cemetery was completely silent. Suddenly two of the soldiers began drumming and all of the soldiers began marching. The noise of the drums reverberated throughout the cemetery, and the soldiers looked mournful as they marched away from the funeral home and up the winding road. The large group of soldiers passed by me and it was interesting to see how serious, yet respectful they looked. As the last soldier walked by me, the horse drawn trailer carrying the coffin begin to roll out.

Even the horses seemed to walk with respect for the fallen soldier. As the coffin began to move, for the first time I cognitively realized I wasn't watching some random ceremony, I was witnessing a funeral procession, that there was a a body in the coffin, and all the pomp and ceremony was to honor an actual person. The soldiers and their rehearsed routines gave the funeral a more theatrical feel, however it was a funeral all the same. Whoever was in the coffin had died for our country, to keep our country safe, and to keep me safe.

As the coffin rolled past me, the military band began to play, announcing to all those in the area that a soldier had fallen and was receiving the highest burial honor our country could bestow upon him. The air around me was full of music and the scene before me suddenly felt very tragic. As the stars and stripes rolled by, my eyes welled with tears.

The person in the coffin had died, he had lost his life to help preserve my freedom. He was receiving the highest military burial possible, which suggested he was an honorable soldier, but still a precious human life had been lost. His family and friends grieved for him. Surprisingly, I grieved for him.

I couldn't stop myself. Between the music and the loss of life, I began weeping, huge tears rolled down my cheeks. I stood there and watched as the funeral procession continued on. The fallen soldier must have been a local young man because a never ending trail of cars followed behind the horse drawn carriage. Realizing that a bawling tourist was not the spectacle mourners really wanted to see during their time of grief, I turned around and and tried to wipe the tears that wouldn't stop falling from my eyes.

I walked in the opposite direction, determined to get back to my research. I took a wrong turn and bumped into another funeral procession, this one with a black covered coffin and a horseless rider. The tears didn't spill again, but my heart had been touched.

I meet military personnel nearly every day. I always try to remember to thank them for all they do to keep our country safe. Usually they are taken back, they are not used to being thanked for their work. I try to make it a point to talk with all the military personnel I meet. Every single soldier I've ever come in contact with tells me they believe they are doing good in the Middle East. Their work is hard, but they all assert that they are seeing progress. I've also met and talked with several consultants who take the media into the front lines. I have yet to meet a media consultant who has claimed that any media outlet has told a fair and balanced story of what really goes on, choosing intentionally to only film the bad and ignoring any good they come across.

Right or wrong, I firmly believe that if our military forces were not in the Middle East, terrorist activity would become a common occurrence here in the United States. It is my conviction that the men and women who have left their families and loved ones to serve our nation truly make it safe for me to go to work and fly around in an airplane. For their sacrifice I will be eternally grateful.

Most of you don't have jobs where a terrorist would love to blow up your building. While I love my job, when I go to work I am fully aware that a crazy person could possibly come on board and try to make a big statement with my aircraft. I have the utmost respect for our Armed Services and I truly believe their work helps to make my job safer.

Looking back, I can't help buy ask myself why I cried for the fallen soldier who was a stranger to me. Part of me felt like the fallen soldier died a bit for me, to protect my freedoms. Part of me cried because of the general loss of life. Part of me cried because I felt like the band was announcing to the entire cemetery, “Out of our way! The most important man of the hour is coming through and we are going to honor him the best and only way we know how! Watch our pomp and circumstance!” It was touching and emotional, and I suspect Arlington funeral ceremonies were intentionally designed to bring out emotion in all those who happen across one. I hope you all have the experience to witness an Arlington funeral. It will change your perception.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with the war, next time you see one of our brave men or women who serve in the military, take a moment to say, “Thank you for your hard work.” They will look at you with confusion, and then a smile.

If you've had a similar experience at Arlington National Cemetery, or if you would like to honor your military hero, I'd love to hear from you, Feel free to post here or you can email me at kylie@kylieklein.com

Tune in next week when I will discuss my recent trip to Zions National Park and why I don't like pants-that-zip-into-shorts. As you may know, we are preparing to do some mountain climbing and the pants-that-zip-into-shorts issue has become a highly contested subject in my circle of mountain climbers.

Oh, and one last thing. I am headed to London in a couple of weeks. If you have any must-see recommendations, please let me know what they are! I always try to visit the places people suggest.

Until next week, remember,

Life's a Journey, Take Notes!

My Opinion on the Catholic Church Abuse Scandal

I would like to start this blog with a short rant, which is unusual for me because I am not a big ranter. I steer clear of the “news” and I find politics to be boring. However, even with my head in the sand, I haven't been able to avoid the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. I have one thing to say:

Catholic Church, I am ashamed of you.

You know what should happen here? If a Catholic Priest or a Catholic Nun has molested a child (or several), then the Catholic Priest or Catholic Nun should be turned over to the local police and, if enough evidence has been collected against them, the Catholic Priest or Catholic Nun should stand trial. And if they are found guilty, they should go to jail. I don't know how it works where you're from Pope Benedict, but in my world, once a child molester is caught and found guilty, they are jailed....where they belong.

It's time for Pope Benedict to stand up and say, “Hey you know what, we are sorry, so deeply sorry. We cannot imagine the pain and suffering our Priests and Nuns, who were in positions of authority, have put on our faithful, impressionable children. We will fight for the rights of the children, we will remove the guilty from power and see they are justly prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, because child abuse is not something we tolerate in our church. And to make things right for the victims who suffered in the hands of those in authority, we will sell off some of our priceless Vatican Museum pieces and use the proceeds to pay for counseling, because the last thing we want in our church are members who are scarred from our priests who have abused their power.”

Unfortunately what we received today was a, “Please pay no attention to the man behind the curtain who spreads 'petty gossip'.”

I know that there are thousands of Priests and Nuns who serve in their positions faithfully, and I commend those Catholics, and any individual who is in a position of authority in their church, or their school, who can positively influence the youth. But today's teenagers have enough problems to deal with, the ABSOLUTE LAST thing a teenager needs is someone in authority abusing their power and doing it in the name of God.

What irritates me is the Catholic Church's refusal to stand up and do what's right, especially when it comes to dealing with the youth. Worse, what kind of example are they setting for their church members. In a world where people seem to have such difficulty accepting responsibility for their actions, the Catholic Church could do a lot of good by accepting blame and helping to find solutions.

I recognize that it isn't “the church's” fault that so many children have been sexually abused, However, the men and women who violated church policy (and common sense), and who took advantage of children...the same children they should have been leading, are the men and women who claim to represent what Catholicism means. Their guilt, unfortunately, resonates badly on the church as a whole.

Pope Benedict seems like a nice fella and I would agree that he is dealing with a very difficult and sensitive situation. That being said, it is my sincere hope that Pope Benedict climbs out from the rock his head is stuck under and creates a positive conclusion to this terrible scandal. Abuse should not be tolerated in the Catholic Church, and as the Pope he is the only person in the world who can exert influence to make sure the abuse stops.

Moving forward, to ensure this doesn't happen again, the Pope and Cardinals need to set, and enforce clear boundaries. I know when I'm on the airplane and a passenger refuses to turn his cell phone off, when I say to him, “If I have to ask you to turn that off one more time we're going back to the gate and you're getting off the plane,” the passenger always, unconditionally, turns his phone off. The Pope could consider sending a strong worded message like, “Okay Priests and Nuns, if you sexually abuse a child you'll be defrocked, turned over to the authorities and you'll go to jail.” There, clear boundaries set, everyone know what the punishment would be for the crime.

So, if anyone knows the Pope personally feel free to forward this blog to him. If he has questions, or would like more unsolicited advice on anything, like what priceless Vatican pieces to sell, he can e-mail me at kylie@kylieklein.com.

Wow, I was a little more irritated than I thought. I apologize if I have offended any of my Catholic friends. I mean no offense. Whether you agree or disagree with my stance, I'd like to hear your opinion.

Be sure to tune in next week when I tell you a bit about my surprisingly emotional experience at the Arlington National Cemetery. Oh man, I get weepy just thinking about it.

Until then, remember,

Life's a Journey, Take Notes!

Put the Phone Back Down!

So, you can't sleep at night because you've been thinking about that new special person you've met. You say you've lost your appetite? You can't concentrate on anything because you keep thinking about Mr. Perfect.

Isn't that cute?

Congratulations, you are the beginning stages of dating ,when things are hectic and strange and new and frightening but above all, exciting. You've got constant butterflies in your stomach. He (or she) is the last thing you think about at night and the first thing you think about in the morning. Every phone call, every text message, ever instant message, every email is saved and treasured. You can't help yourself, you really, really, really want to call this new guy and talk to him, to see what he's doing. You reason his voice would bring you comfort, and besides, you want him to know you're thinking about him.

DON'T PICK UP THE PHONE!!! STOP YOURSELF!!!!!

Please, take my advice. Do not call him, let him call you. This may be the best piece of information I could offer anyone in the cusp of a new relationship. I know, you've read this a million times in books and across the internet. I know, you are still thinking to yourself, “Whatever Kylie, it's not going to hurt anything if I call him, I will only talk to him for a minute.”

Trust me, pause for a moment and allow me to tell you why you should put the phone back down.

A while back I began dating a new guy named Max. Max and I had gone out a few times, and he was a nice fella. I will be honest, I wasn't crazy about him, but we had a nice time together. He was always talking about money which, was sort of a turn off to me, but aside from the obsession with wealth, he was nice enough. One afternoon while I was on a flight Max left a message for me to confirm a date. After I listened to his message, I called him back, aware that he was in class, and I left a message for him, something like, “Hey, it's Kylie, Friday will work great! See you then!” and then I hung up my phone.

As I drove down the road, I turned up the radio and Miley Cyrus' “Party In the USA” was playing. I couldn't help myself, I sang along, at the top of my lungs. Then, Whitney Houston's “I Will Always Love You” came on the radio, to which I also sang along, loudly. As I finished up, “and I-I-I-I will always love you . . . .” I remembered I needed to call my mom. I picked up my phone, and much to my surprise I had made a ten minute phone call.

My phone hadn't hung up. I had left a ten minute phone call of me singing at the top of my lungs on Max's phone.

I was mortified.

I only had one option. I had to call his phone back, break his security code and delete my voice message. I could NOT have him hearing me singing on his cell phone.

I called his number and pressed pound. I entered 1234 as his code. I entered 1122. I entered his birth year. His phone locked me out and hung up on me.

I called his number again and pressed 1111. I entered the last four digits of his phone number. I began typing in random numbers. Again the phone locked me out.

I hung up and tried again, typing in random four digit numbers. Again, the phone locked me out.

I decided to try one final time. Of course I couldn't guess his secret code. After all, that's why it's “secret”.

I contemplated my many errors of judgment. I had called Max's phone five times, one message was me singing for ten minutes, the other four calls were made within three minutes of each other.

It took me a while to calm down. All I could do was wait to hear back from him to see how crazy he thought I was.

Two hours later the phone rang.

“Hello?” I said.

“Hey, I noticed you called me like five times in ten minutes. That's kind of weird.”

“Oh, sometimes my phone sometimes calls random numbers, I'm sorry,” I said.

“Yeah, well about Saturday...”

“You need to cancel?” I asked.

“Yeah, I need to cancel.”

I knew where Max was coming from. A few months earlier some guy had called me 56 times in one day between 9 am and 5 pm while I was at work. It freaked me out.

Needless to say, Max and I never saw one another again.

So gals...and guys.... you can learn many lessons from my mistake Girls, resist making the phone call. Guys, don't be funny about making the phone call. Everyone should resist making five phone calls in ten minutes. It's a bad idea to try to break into someone's voice mail. Never, ever, ever, for any reason call someone 56 times in eight hours. If you must sing in the car, make sure you aren't calling anyone. Follow these simple rules and you'll thank me in the long run.

If you have any funny or embarrassing phone call experiences, I'd love to hear them. Post here, or you can always email me at kylie@kylieklein.com if you don't want the entire world reading your mistakes. As always, feel free to friend me on facebook.

Until next week, remember, life's a journey, take notes!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Kylie Klein and I am from Salt Lake City, Utah. This year I am a writer/world-traveler/mountain climber. It's a lot to juggle, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

I love my life!

I am a flight attendant, which is a job I love! I can't imagine doing anything else for a living. I love being responsible for the safety of the passengers, and it's fun to visit different cities each week. During a typical working day I might have a bacon-and-egg breakfast in San Francisco, fried chicken lunch in San Antonio and deep-dish pizza for dinner in Chicago.

Wow, I'm surprised I'm not as a big as a house!

My job is great, however, the people, at times, can be incredibly difficult to deal with. Sometimes my co-workers have a bad day. Sometimes the airplane breaks. Sometimes the weather refuses to cooperate (making the passengers even more difficult to deal with). That being said, most flights run smoothly, and while most passengers behave like grown ups, the passengers who are bad can make my job really miserable. The passenger's bad behavior isn't only unfair to the gate agents and flight attendants, it's unfair to all of the “nice” passengers on board the aircraft.

Don't worry, bad passenger behavior will only be a small part of my blog. My blog is meant to be fun! I plan to share with you my experiences as a traveler, a dater, a writer, and a mountain climber. However I promise I will throw in crazy passenger stories here and there, (always purely for your entertainment). Trust me, you won't believe some of the things that happen!

I am a teen fiction author. I am currently seeking a publisher for my first book, “The Amazing Adventures of Mason Montgomery,” and I hope to see my first novel on bookshelves later this year. I am currently writing my second book, a follow up to “Amazing Adventures”. If you have teenagers, please have them join my Facebook page, they can follow my progress as my “Amazing Adventure” novels are published. I host a yearly writing competition for teens from 6th to 9th grades (cash prize of $100 for each grade's winner). You can find more information about the writing competition on my web site, www.kylieklein.com.

This year I have spearheaded the task of climbing to the top of both Mount Nebo (the peak above Mona, Utah) and Mount Timpanogos (the peak above Provo/Orem) in June. I have three climbing buddies and we are all actively preparing for our ascents. If you are a mountain climber, or if you have climbed any of these mountains, I would appreciate any tips or advice.

Of course I will also talk about my travels in my blog! This year I will be visiting Savannah, Georgia, Charleston SC, Wilmington NC, the Great Dismal Swamp, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York City. Internationally I am planning to visit London, Tokyo and Manchu Picchu (assuming the flooded-out road is rebuilt before Fall). I have recently been to Venice, Florence, Milan and Paris which are all beautiful cities. Don't be surprised if travel tidbits about those trips show up in my blog as well.

So my followers know what to expect from my blog, each Sunday I will post a longer, meatier blog. I will post smaller blogs three to four times a week.

Be sure to check my blog next week, “To Call or Not to Call...”. I will share with you one of the most important dating tips I've ever learned AND because I refused to follow my own advice you will be mortified and embarrassed by the consequences of my impulsive behavior.

Until next week, remember,

Life's a Journey, Take Notes!