Autor: Macsim Adriana-Elena, clasa a X-a C
Sursă imagine: https://www.shutterstock.com/search/beach-staycation
You probably don’ t like the term ‘ staycation’. Me neither. But don’t be put off. As a concept, it’s quite attractive. Perhaps, you’ve alreday had one, but weren’t aware of it. Staycations are holidays at home. But they don’t just mean staying in and doing things around the house. They involve things that you might do on holiday – like sightseeing, eating out, going swimming, etc. – but instead, you do them in your local area. You could even camp in your garden or at a local campsite. Anything goes really – you just mustn’t go to school or work!
Staycations began around ten years ago when people were looking for a cheaper holiday. Wouldn’t it be nice, people thought, to have a holiday without all the costs of one? But let’s not ignore the other benefits here: you get none of the problems associated with travel – no packing to do, no long drives or delays at the airport; and also, you bring money to the local economy.
Some staycationers like to follow a set of rules: they fix a definite start and end date; they plan activities in advance; and they avoid their normal routine. You don’t have to do these things, but they help to create the feel of a traditional vacation. Others, aware that a barbecue and a visit to the local zoo probably won’t match the thrill of foreign travel, take it a step further. Karen Ash, whose story I read in the Wall Street Journal, was one.
Karen, who lives in New York, decided not to go to Japan, as originally planned, but instead took a weeklong Japanese vacation in her own city. She bought postcards and souvenirs at a Japanese market, admired bonsai plants, ate ramen – even spoke Japanese when ordering – all without leaving New York. Her itinerary also involved participating in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, attending a taiko drumming concert and watching Japanese soap operas on DVD. I don’t think everyone would take that much trouble over their staycation ( at least I hope not), but it gives you an idea of the possibilities!
