While many do not seize the opportunity to travel around the world, Cindy McCormack is passionate about traveling. McCormack, an eighth grade English teacher at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Valparaiso, has traveled the world extensively and enjoys absorbing the different cultures of the world.
“I’m not sure what it was that made me want to travel,” McCormack said with a laugh. “I’d go on family camping trips to Canada with my parents and grandfather who had a camper, but nothing too crazy. My dad was definitely an adventurous guy. He was an avid motorcycle rider, and he’d plan these big trips riding his bike to Nova Scotia, Mexico, and Alaska. My parents were definitely supportive of me experiencing the world.”
McCormack’s travels have taken her all around the world, from Scotland and England, to Russia and Japan alike! She said that the lengthy vacation time she gets as a teacher allows her to plan the trips she takes.
“A lot of people will ask me how I plan these trips,” McCormack said. “I like planning the trips almost as much as I enjoy going on the vacation. I spend a lot of time searching for things to do wherever I’m staying, same thing with finding a hotel to stay at. I never use a travel agency or anything like that. I don’t think there’s anything quite like experiencing the history and culture of a country. I tell people there’s two things you need when planning a lengthy trip, time and money. As a teacher, I get the summers off, and I save all year so I can travel to wherever I decide to go. I try my best to plan it all out as best I can.”
McCormack’s last big trip was to Russia in 2019, where she got to experience St. Petersberg and Moscow. She recalled a funny story from her adventure to Eastern Europe. This trip presented the first real language barrier she’d experienced on her trips abroad.
“When I travel to a country that speaks another language, I try to learn at least the basics of their language,” McCormack said. “But when my son and I went to Russia, I wasn’t really able to grasp the language. So we kept seeing the word ‘ресторан’ when going around, and I had no idea what this word was. I finally asked one of the guides what it meant and he said ‘restaurant.’ It’s definitely hard to learn a language that doesn’t even have the same alphabet as your native language. We still enjoyed the trip, and once we got to St. Petersburg, we met more people who spoke a little English and were able to communicate better.”
Although her travels have been extensive, when she is not traversing the globe, she reads as many books as she can. She enjoys the different voices that writers bring out in a novel. McCormack’s dad and grandfather were also avid readers.
“Surprisingly enough, my dad was a big reader,” she said. “When he passed away, I boxed up so many books and magazines he subscribed to. Same thing with my grandfather, he was always engrossed in a book. I remember when Christmas was going on, and Grandpa McCormack would be reading a book while there’s like 40 people in the house. I think reading fosters empathy and diversity. If you can’t go to a certain place or a time in history, pick up a book and get engrossed in it.”
The power of literature is no stranger to McCormack, who also runs the library at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. Her love of books has helped foster the growth of the students she has taught over the years.
“We must give students the chance to choose their own books and give them dedicated, ample time for reading during the school day to create lifelong readers,” said McCormack. “Reading and travelling are pretty much the same thing. That’s probably why I love both.”
Once the COVID-19 pandemic passes, McCormack hopes to begin planning her big odyssey for when she retires from teaching. Her dream trip is to take a year and experience all of Greece and its rich history.
“Whenever I retire, I’m going to take a gap year (yes, like college kids do) and live in Greece for a year,” McCormack said. “I love Greek mythology, and I don’t think I can experience and absorb all that history in a month. Living there for a year would give me plenty of time to experience it all. Every now and then, I’ll catch myself googling things like how much is an electric bill in Greece. All I know is once I start planning it, I’m all in and serious about it.”
McCormack’s positive and outgoing personality has led her to befriend many people on her trips.
“I know my son rolls his eyes at me while I’m chatting with people while traveling,” McCormack laughed. “But I love talking to people, and I end up befriending people on our travels. I think that with maintaining a good attitude and being friendly, good karma will happen to you. I truly believe that I've been very lucky to have met some of the people I have. There’s good people out there, you just have to seek them out.”
When she is not teaching or traveling, McCormack spends time reading, watching her son’s sports games, and watching whatever peaks her interest. She hopes to one day plan a literature-themed trip with some of her friends.
“I think it would be a really cool idea to tell my friends to read a novel and then take a trip to wherever the book is set. I think that’d be a great way to absorb not only the book, but to appreciate the setting in a way not many others would.”