Aryn Henning Nichols

Eighteen years. It had been 18 years since I traveled off this continent, and got fresh perspectives and new inspiration from seeing the world. But in April 2023, we reset that ticker with a trip to Greece. International travel was achieved once again, and this time, my whole family was along!

International Family Travel

When I graduated from University of Iowa in 2003, I knew I wanted to Travel. That “t” is capitalized for a reason – I wanted to live on another continent, and really get to know some places other than the ones I’d known since birth. 

I looked into being an au pair or joining the Peace Corps, I applied for a fellowship in Germany, and also for a job teaching English in China. I got the teaching gig, and prepared myself to not only leave the continent for the first time in my life, but go halfway across the world to do it.

It was one of the best decisions of my life. It not only informed my work with Inspire(d) – because if people are good on our side of the world AND the other side of the world, logic implies there’s a whole lot of good folks in between as well – but it also added an even greater sense of wonder to my already pretty massive sense of wonder at the world. (Read one of my memories of that time here.) There are some seriously beautiful things in nature and to be learned through history, and the fact that we get to witness them is truly a marvel!

When we had our daughter, Roxie, I knew I wanted to try to share experiences like that with her as well. What we had to figure out was timing and money.

Timing

Kudos to families that travel with small children. We are not one of those families (at least not to more logistic-heavy locations like Greece). We decided to wait until Roxie was old enough to remember the destinations, strong enough to lug her own suitcase (for the most part), and responsible enough to pack her own clothes. At the time of our trip, Roxie was 10 (and three-quarters), and we felt like she was ready to tackle this trip. (Spoiler: She did great! But she was still a 10-year-old, and didn’t have the stamina of an adult.)

The other timing part of it was our dog. We have a bernedoodle named Athena, and we are her guardian family. That means we have taken care of her from puppyhood on, socializing her and in general making her part of our family, and that when it’s time for her to have puppies, she goes to the home of the breeders – in this case Bluff Country Bernedoodles – where she has and then nurses her puppies. We agreed to a certain number of breedings, and once she’s done, Athena is our dog to keep forever, free of charge. It has been very interesting to learn more about dog’s gestation cycles and mama dog instincts and all of that (did you know it only takes nine weeks to gestate puppies?!). 

While we were making this decision on being a guardian family in early April 2020, one of the things in the “pro” column was that there would be a handful of eight-week time periods where our dog would be on what we lovingly called “maternity leave.” We wanted to use these blocks of time as catalysts for traveling as a family. Because it’s so easy to let time slip by, with the “oh, we’ll do that someday,” mantra on repeat. 

Athena’s first litter of puppies was due in mid-April 2023, so that some day was no longer a vague moment in the ether. It was time to plan!

Planning Our Trip

When dreaming about our first international trip as a family, we asked Roxie where she would want to go. She immediately said Greece! She and I were in the middle of reading the Rick Riordan Percy Jackson series (and all the other related series to follow), and were learning a lot about Greek gods and goddesses. I love the idea of travel connected to books (watch for a future post about that), Greece seemed like one of those “trip of a lifetime” places, and I was ready for some culture that felt vastly different from American culture (akin to my time in China).

Plus, the fact that our dog’s name is Athena seemed like the universe pointing us across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

We got to work figuring out a (what we like to call) “Frugal High Life” trip that would involve saving money where we could, and spending it when it was important. It equaled a travel experience that worked great for us, and we’re excited to share more about it.

We traveled from April 10 to April 28, 2023. 

Our itinerary was as follows:

April 10-12: Ames

Odd place to start a voyage to Greece, I know, but we went to the Iowa Rural Summit! I spoke at a Round Table, and then Benji and I were among the winners of the 2023 Rand Fisher Rural Leadership Award!

April 12: Chicago O’Hare to fly SAS

Flying from Chicago O’Hare meant our flight was a lot cheaper than if we went from MSP (even though the drive is 4.5 hours from Decorah, and even a little farther from Ames). I started with a google flights search to see where prices were landing during our travel window, and that was consistently the case. Plus the flight times were better. (FYI, we booked everything late February to travel in April.) We flew overnight, leaving at 10 pm, and arriving in Copenhagen in the afternoon on April 13. SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) gets really good marks in my book (even though Roxie dreaded the nine-hour flight home after experiencing her first long haul flight on the way there).

April 13-15: Copenhagen 

The SAS flights routed us through Copenhagen on both ends of our trip, and at both times it was an overnight layover. We decided to extend our layover on the front end of our trip, so we could actually check out Copenhagen (really quickly). We were able to do this by booking our flights through Expedia. Watch for our “48 Hours in Copenhagen” post to come! We LOVED this city! We stayed in the cutest hotel! And don’t get me started on the amazing Scandinavian breakfast spreads! I loved it all so much.

April 15-19: Athens

Our flight into Athens arrived on the eve of Orthodox Easter (around 8:30 pm). We took the metro downtown from the airport, and came out of the station right into view of the Parthenon! There was a lot of Orthodox Easter excitement! In our four days in Athens, we explored on foot, did a Parthenon tour, took a bus to Delphi / Arachova for a great day trip (both through Get Your Guide – loved this website for booking tours), and did lots of laundry in our Airbnb (it was in a fabulous location for sightseeing), ha!

April 19-22: Santorini

We took the shortest flight I’ve ever had from Athens to Santorini (and it was cheaper than the at-least five-hour ferry ride). In Santorini, we had a wonderful hotel (Altemar Suites) with our own personal balcony and our own personal hot tub! Santorini gives you those blue-roof-views you often imagine when you’re thinking of Greece (Greece islands, especially). We did a cool day trip tour that took us by boat to the active volcano, hiked to the top and back down, then boated to an area where we jumped into the Aegean Sea and swam over to volcanic hot springs! It was pretty epic, as were the Santorini sunsets.

April 22-25: Naxos

We left Santorini on a 2.5 hour slow Blue Star Ferry to Naxos, and loved that mode of transport for that amount of time (and longer would have been fun too, honestly). Naxos was the “chill beach vacation” part of our trip, although it was a little cool for actual beach chilling. We loved the labyrinthine streets of Old Naxos and exploring the little stores that seemingly appeared like magic around every corner. Plus, we had an adorable Airbnb with super cool Cycladic architecture.

April 25-26: Athens / Artemida-Artemis

Rounding the wagons back toward home, we flew from the tiny Naxos airport to Athens, and stayed at a beach Airbnb in a small town near the airport (Artemida-Artemis). It was fun to see another part of the Athens area, and get one more day to dip our toes in salt water.

April 26-27: Copenhagen, with an overnight in Malmo, Sweden

The flight the next day took us from Athens back to Copenhagen. But instead of heading back into this lovely Denmark city, we decided to take the 20-minute train ride (which goes under the channel!) to Malmo, Sweden! Woot, one more country added to the list! We didn’t extend this layover, so it was just one night in Sweden (in a fancy hotel we booked with points!).

April 27: Chicago

Our flight was delayed, but I honestly love a good airport beer so I was okay with the extra time. This flight left in the early evening, so we chased the sunset the whole way home! Upon landing in Chicago, we waited in line for an hour at U.S. customs in a sad, windowless part of O’Hare. But we made it through, got our bags, and took a shuttle to where our Dodge Grand Caravan was waiting in a Park and Fly (booked through way.com).

April 28: Home to Decorah by 2 am.

We thought about staying in a hotel on the way home, but we were all ready to be in our own beds again, and I didn’t want to pack the suitcase one more time! So I chugged some gas station coffee and powered through it.

In the coming weeks, we’ll share different details about our trip! I love planning and putting puzzle pieces together (it’s a lot like making a magazine), and had a great time researching guided tours, ways to connect the Rick Riordan books, and how best to find that balance between travel hustle and vacation chill. Here’s what we’re hoping to cover:

• Travel Connected to Books

• Pros / Cons of Flying Overnight

• Extended Layovers

• 48 Hours in Copenhagen

The Nichols Family in Greece!
The three legs of our Greece itinerary in more detail, including tour reviews and favorite spots!
• Athens
• Thira, Santorini
• Old Naxos Town, Naxos

And (maybe) more (like Airbnbs vs Hotels, exchanging money in Greece…)!

Planning your own trip? Use this International Family Travel Checklist (I love a good list!) to get ready to go!

Speaking of lists, here’s a little playlist I put together that brought back the Greece vibes for me. There are some retro songs on this list that we heard in random shops or in cars going down the streets, so I had to add them!

Patience in Bloom: Build your patience with these tips

I don’t know how many times over the last 16-and-a-half years (that’s how long we’ve been making Inspire(d) Magazine) I’ve thought, “How am I not further ahead right now?” It’s a question I can put to my day, my magazine production schedule, and my life in general. It’s always so easy to envision the finished product/goal/dream, etc…if I could JUST snap my fingers, it would be perfect! Ugh. Not being a magic genie is rough.

In the era of social media and the Internet, where likes, loves, and information are instantaneous, it feels hard to wait. 

But when I really look back on those 16+ years, I don’t think I would do it any differently.This work has offered a flexibility that almost always allows me to be available for our daughter or other loved ones at the drop of a hat. Sometimes it means I have to stay up until 3 am working (I try not to do that much anymore), or that I’m strapped to my desk on a 60-degree sunny Sunday, but if I’m needed somewhere else by someone important in my life, I am there.

This slow-and-steady pace has also allowed for adjustments as I learn new things about myself. What 26-year-old Aryn created in 2007 has been refined and redesigned by 43-year-old Aryn in 2024. Our lives and plans and dreams sometimes change, and that’s okay. I’ve gotta be patient.

So, then I find some peace. I accept that it’s okay that I don’t currently have a positive news media empire, with Inspire(d) Magazines franchised in every region of the country. That is still the dream, to watch the positive news ripple out across the US, making community-level change that has national impact. But we’ll keep at it. It’s been a pretty amazing journey so far, and we’re setting some really deep roots here, with the knowledge that we’ll continue blooming in our own time. 

I hope this issue of Inspire(d) gives you a sense of peace as well. Life is a series of constant cycles. There will be good and bad, progression and regression, but if you keep moving forward, you’re gonna bloom so bright and bold in your very own way, I just know it. And I am here for it!

Thanks for reading, friends. Happy Spring!

XOXO, Aryn

10 Ways to Build Patience

1. Accept what’s out of your control. Hone in on what IS in your control

2. Don’t give up! If you get tired:

• Try a meditative breath – four counts in, hold four, four counts out, hold four
• Reach out to someone you know is good at pep talks
• Go easy on yourself. You’ve got time.

3. Take care of yourself. There’s no way you’ll bloom if you don’t fulfill your basic needs. 

4. Practice Mindfulness Techniques 

• Do a body scan, assessing each part of your body.
• Try a mindful walk. Focus on the different sounds, smells, feels of a spring day.

5. Recognize impatience. Waiting helps you see a new perspective. What is this meant to be teaching you? What have you missed in your impatience?

6. Show Gratitude. This can be a way to reframe your thoughts in a positive way. 

7. Let go of comparisons.

8. Say no to negative self-talk. It doesn’t matter how long things have been one way, each day is a new opportunity.

9. Look at the big picture and reorganize your priorities. What’s important in the long run? How does it affect what’s important today?

10. Slow and steady. Start small and stay committed. Don’t worry about the whole marathon. All you need to do is take the first step. And then the next step. And then the next.

You’ve got this!

It is said the art of teaching is in leading others to discovery. And Molly Holkesvik, longtime English teacher at Decorah High School, has helped literally thousands of Northeast Iowa students discover concepts both large and small, both in and out of the classroom.

“It’s the moments of genuine learning – of discovery and realization – that we have together that keep me going,” she says. Luckily, she’s just as motivated today as the day she joined the DHS faculty in 2002.

In her 20-plus years in the classroom, Molly has helped students hone their communication skills in a variety of ways, from grasping correct grammar to enhancing vocabulary to mastering the ability to write concisely. Beyond the classroom – as a speech, cross country, and (sometime) swim/dive coach – she has helped many of those same students build confidence, achieve goals, and better understand the definition of teamwork.

“It is a totally different kind of learning for students,” Molly says. “And I really get to know them when I see them outside the classroom, in different realms; I get to push them in different ways and see them grow in different ways.”

As an assistant coach, she helped guide the DHS girls cross country team to a conference title in 2023 and an 11th-place finish at state. And as one of DHS’s six speech coaches, she helped program participants earn a school-record-tying 16 All-State Large Group Speech nominations in early February.

Indeed, one might think that given all the long days Molly logs during the academic year – “so many hours” she confirms with her characteristic grin – she would take the summer off. But for Molly, whose self-professed goal is to “help everyone I can and meet tons of people,” the summer months present yet another opportunity for discovery.

Several years ago, Molly took over what was then an annual summer trip for DHS students to New York, but when the number of participants began to dwindle, she reimagined the program, and Viking Voyagers was born. In 2019, she coordinated a trip for students, family members, and a few fellow DHS faculty members to Europe (England, France, and Italy). Subsequent groups have toured Greece and Spain (2021) and Costa Rica (2022 and 2023), while future trips are planned for Ireland, Scotland, and England (2024), and Japan (2025).

Molly traces her deep-seated passion for seeing the world (and helping others do the same) back to her childhood. “My father died when I was two-and-a-half, and that changed my life,” she explains. “When I was young, we couldn’t afford to travel much … and that’s why I’m so passionate about helping students see the world. It’s really important to me because they learn so much from these trips, not only facts, history, and situational awareness but also how to travel, how to appreciate different cultures, and how to maneuver unexpected challenges.”

Molly emphasizes that her dedication to educating today’s youth is simply paying forward the investment her own teachers made in her. She had many impactful experiences with her own English teachers at DHS, she says, and also lots of fun participating in speech, drama, choir, band, and cross country throughout high school. 

Those experiences steered Molly toward studying speech and drama, English, and secondary education at Luther College in 1992; there she encountered “amazing, inspiring, wonderful” professors like Mary Hull Mohr, Peter Scholl, and Terry Sparkes. These and other teachers reinforced her career path even as she and her husband, Bob, also a Luther student, started a family that would ultimately include one daughter (Marea) and four sons (Hans, Steven, Dawson, and Nils). 

“When we could, Bob and I found classes that were opposite of each other, so when I was in class, he was watching the kids, and when he was in class, I was watching the kids, and somehow that worked,” Molly reflects. “Isn’t that wild?”

Molly went on to earn a master’s degree in communication arts from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002. Beyond furthering her own education – and devoting her career to educating others – Molly has finished two full Ironmans (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.22 run), three half-Ironmans, and multiple marathons. In the community, she’s acted in, directed productions for, and currently serves as the board president of the New Minowa Players community theater group. Last November, she co-directed (with Alison Blake) Ye Olde Cabaret: New Minowa Players Through the Years, its 200th show. “It emphasized how important every single person involved in each community theater production really is, from the performers on stage to the people setting up that stage to the people coming to watch,” says Molly. “In order for community theater to work, that continuum of support has to happen, and I think Decorah excels in that.” 

Given all she has accomplished in roles as teacher, coach, wife, mother of five, and grandmother of four, it would be remiss not to ask Molly how she’s able to wear so many hats. Her response is lightning-quick: the unfailing assistance and partnership of her husband of more than 30 years. “Bob is the be-all, end-all of husbands,” she says. “He really is the ultimate support system.”