By Amanda Keblar/Gator Galaxy Staff

While most of us were sleeping in after an exciting Christmas day, North Star junior varsity cheerleader Mikaelah Molifua (10) was up before dawn after only five hours of sleep. She was going on a vacation that many people only dream of, to London, England for their New Year’s Day Parade.
At cheer camp in June, varsity cheerleaders Amanda Cage (11) and Maddie Justa (11), reserve cheerleader Dakota Hollis (9), and Molifua were chosen as All-American cheerleaders after an all-camp competition. The All-American award gives cheerleaders in grades 10-12 a chance to be part of the All-American cheer squad and travel to London for their annual New Year’s Day parade. However, only Molifua was lucky enough to attend.
As a reminder of her trip to London, Molifua kept a journal. Over the course of the seven days she spent in London, she kept track of everything from her experiences away from home to the feelings she experienced on her vacation.
After a long flight from Dallas to London, Molifua, her mother Dani, and family friend Julia met up with other cheerleaders and got onto a bus to tour London  for  the first time. After settling into their tiny hotel room, they decided they could use a little bit more space. Family friend Julia pulled a few strings, and the next thing they knew they were in a king suite on the 11th floor of the hotel.
That night, instructors and tour guides took the girls on a tour of London to keep them awake, because the cheerleaders weren’t use to the time change. They visited attractions including Buckingham Palace and the Millennium Bridge, otherwise known as the “Wobbly Bridge” from the movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  They also went to see Legally Blonde: the Musical.   Molifua says of the play, “It was vulgar, but I loved it.”
The cheerleaders took advantage of their time together, and became close to inseperable. They spent every moment of every day with each other, giving them the chance to become close friends within just a week of knowing one another. On New Year’s Eve, the girls threw themselves a dance party in the Tower Suite of their hotel. Although the cheerleaders were missing friends and family back home, they partied the night away.
On New Years day, the cheerleaders finally got to put on their uniforms and prepare for the New Year’s Day Parade. “Everyone looked so cute and we walked the streets of London going crazy and dancing,” Molifua said. All the cheerleaders went out to eat for their last night in London together as a celebration of new friends and new experiences.
On the last page of her journal, Molifua reflects on her time spent in London. “Okay, so a lot has changed, I’m thinking. But now that I’m home I can’t believe that I’m not in London! When I look at everything it’s so shocking to believe that I went. I think about it a lot because it was like a big escape from everything.”

Editor’s note: Megan Woodard contributed to this story.