Activity description: Think about a country you'd like to learn more about  -- maybe France, Italy, or Mexico. Then, using cookbooks or the Internet, find some recipes from the country that use fresh herbs. Choose an herb (or a selection) to grow in your backyard. For example, think of rosemary for France, basil or oregano for Italy, and cilantro for Mexico. Have a couple different countries in mind, since the herbs you choose will be somewhat determined by the climate you live in.

Take a trip to a gardening center with a parent. Together, pick out one or two kitchen herbs that will grow well in your climate. Talk with an employee to learn about which herbs grow well in the summer in a limited amount of space. With the employee, decide if you want to create a small outside garden or grow the herbs in small pots. Some popular summer herbs that grow from seeds include basil (plant April through July), oregano, and thyme. All three of these often grow well in pots.

Using the instructions on the seed packet and the garden center employee's advice, plant the seeds. If you want to learn more, your local library and the Internet have plenty of information.

Over the next several weeks, it will be your responsibility to water and weed the plants and make sure they get the appropriate amount of sunlight. Keep a daily or weekly garden journal to track progress and growth. Observe the plants changing size, color, and smells.

Once the plants are ready to be harvested (there may be several harvest points), pick out a couple simple recipes from the chosen country that use the fresh herbs. With a parent, make your family a meal that you truly had a part in. While you haven't actually traveled, you've taken the first steps in experiencing the culture of another country.