I appreciate the mind-opening power of travel, the advantage of meeting people in their own environments and the beauty of having authentic person-to-person interactions. I try to bring my first-hand knowledge of other cultures into my day-to-day life, and I find it makes me a more compassionate and thoughtful person. During my time at The Traveling School, a semester program of highschool girls exploring, studying and volunteering in Southern Africa, I met many children in living situations much more challenging than my own. This photo, taken in the Knysna Township of South Africa, shows how kids are kids no matter their circumstances.