Each spring semester, Doane celebrates Easter by giving days off to students. This year, it was from Wednesday, April 16, to Sunday, April 20, giving students a pause on the academic calendar.
Easter itself is one of the main religious festivities, commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This break not only honors a centuries‑old tradition but also provides an opportunity to rest before finals.
Freshman and golf team member Jaime Palá spent this year’s Easter break in Chicago with his family. Palá is an international student from Madrid, Spain. He started attending Doane last fall. He has since enjoyed his time at Doane, but of course, he misses his family. Due to distance, his family decided to spend this year’s Easter in the States with him.
According to Palá, he left on Wednesday, April 16, for Chicago, where his family was already waiting for him. They had been there since Sunday, April 13, exploring and resting at the hotel after their 10-hour flight from Spain.
“The first thing we did was to eat at Canes,” Palá said. “My family had never been there. They had to try it.”
According to Palá, they visited a lot of places. “We visited Cloud Gate, the center and downtown of Chicago, Chinatown, went to the top of the Willis Tower, took a boat trip through the Chicago River, went to Union Station and on the last day we explored the zoo.”
“The boat trip was definitely one of my favorite parts, we got to see the city, it was beautiful,” Palá said.
During the trip, he not only got to visit an amazing city like Chicago, he also got to spend time with his family, whom he has not seen since January.
“The most memorable part of the break was having the opportunity to see my family in a place close to me,” Palá said. “I missed them and being able to see them just for a couple days as well as being able to explore a new city was definitely the best part.”
As an international student, taking care of himself has become the new normal for Palá. Since the fall of last year, he has been living here on his own. He’s gotten used to being independent, having to manage various responsibilities and always covering his own expenses.
“I was very surprised because I could barely remember living with my family every day,” Palá said. “Living alone, I’ve gotten used to having to worry about everything since my parents are many miles away. I was able to just relax and enjoy the trip since I was with them.”
Just four days later, Palá found himself at the airport again, returning to Doane for the final part of the semester. “The airport, of course, was the hard part. My mom was very sad,” Palá said. “I’m gonna miss them very much, but I’ll get to see them in the summer.”
Easter break was definitely a break from academics for students and for Palá, it was a special opportunity to see his family.
Though the goodbye was tough, Palá looks ahead with hope and excitement. Summer is just around the corner and it won’t be long before he’s reunited with his family.
The short trip was a powerful reminder of the importance of family and the sacrifices that come with studying abroad.
