K-lene Kuhn

Staff Writer

While many college students seize winter break as an opportunity to catch up on sleep and Netflix, some adventurous Bengals used their free month to travel the globe. Some Idaho State University students traveled to California, while one even traveled to Poland and got engaged.

Krystal Geeson, a Mass Communication senior, has been dating former ISU basketball player Jakub “Kuba” Kusmieruk for the past year and a half. After leaving ISU, Kusmieruk returned to his native Poland.

Geeson and Kusmieruk been successful at maintaining their international relationship for the past seven months. Geeson flew to Szczecin, Poland, over break to see Kusmieruk for the first time since last summer.

During that trip, Kusmieruk surprised Geeson by proposing to her, making Geeson’s winter travels a memory she’ll treasure forever.

“We went out to a nice dinner then we went on a walk,” Geeson said. Surrounding trees’ holiday decorations illuminated the night as the couple lit a flying paper lantern together.

“When I closed my eyes to make a wish, he got down on one knee and he proposed,” said Geeson. “I didn’t know that he was going to propose but I was hoping.”

The couple met when Geeson, a native of Morongo Valley, Calif., was a freshman at ISU, and were friends for years before they started dating. Although long-distance relationships are rarely easy, the foundation that Geeson and Kusmieruk built led to them staying close enough to consider marriage, even when living across the world from one another.

The trip had other exciting moments for Geeson as well. The couple spent New Year’s Eve in Berlin, Germany.

“I have never seen so many fireworks,” Geeson said.

The couple hasn’t set a wedding date yet but Geeson said they’re hoping to be married in the United States within the next year.

Other ISU students had travel adventures over winter break as well.

Sarah Bartholf, an Outdoor Education major, returned to her hometown of Hollister, Calif. She and a friend explored the nation’s new national park, Pinnacles National Park.

“It is the 59th national park,” said Bartholf.

President Theodore Roosevelt initially established Pinnacles as a national monument in 1908. It was named a national park last year, when President Barack Obama signed the law creating it on Jan. 10, 2013.

While exploring the new park, Bartholf saw a young girl being sworn in as a junior park ranger in the gift shop.

“I totally wanted to do it,” Bartholf said. “You get this coloring book and they swear you in. It’s for younger kids, though, but I would totally do it.

Have a funny or exciting winter break story you want to share? Tell us about it on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/isubengal.