Grand View University brings students in from all over the world, especially for athletics. For some of these students, it will not be easy to go home for holidays. There are many student from other countries that stayed on campus over thanksgiving, but Christmas break is a different story.

While students that live in the apartments are allowed to stay, students living in the dorms and suites on campus are required to move out for the few weeks of break, unless are they are given special permission. This is to allow the rooms to be cleaned.

John Chamone, a Viking volleyball player from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, says that he will not be traveling home for Christmas break this year. Instead he is traveling to New York City to visit his mother’s side of the family since he was originally born in Miami Beach, Florida. He will be in New York for the entire break, with the exception of coming back a little early to start practice on the 3rd of January. Chamone lives in a suite and his flight is not until December 19. Because of his circumstances, Chamone will have to pay 15 dollars for each night he stays on campus during break.

Michael Branch, a senior on the football team from San Fransisco, California, says his plans are to go home for Christmas break. This year, his flight won’t leave until the December 20. Since the football team made the playoffs this year, he wasn’t exactly sure on when their season would come to an end. The national championship game is on December 17 and the team will have practice up until then. Branch therefore bought his return ticket early to ensure that he got the best deal. Branch lives in the L Apartments, so he will not have to pay extra fees for staying. Last year, he lived in the Hull Suites but he avoided the fees by staying with someone in the L’s for a few extra nights.

Destiny Collins, a junior from Chicago, Illinois, says he is spending Christmas break on campus in the L apartments. He has a job at Champs and says he needs to make money during break. It can be expensive when he takes a trip back home, so he chose to work and save money. Collins says he will miss his family and celebrating Christmas with them.