Meet a CSGer: Madison
She started as an intern now she's here. CSG's newest Coordinator, Madison Cascio is an eternal optimist with a travel bug, and her passport has hella stamps. Read on to find out where in the world she's been.
Diggin’ the Dinos
Before I could even pronounce the word paleontologist, I was obsessed with Dinosaurs. And I still am — I even have a T-rex nightlight in my room. Why? It probably stems from my love for animals and the unknown. Dinosaurs have always fascinated me, and I can tell you right now that I have seen Every. Single. Dinosaur film ever made.
My favorites is Jurassic Park, the OG version, of course — nothing beats that Velociraptor in the kitchen scene. Claws clicking on the tile floor? CLASSIC. I also love the Walking with Dinosaurs docu-series from BBC. So informative and so entertaining. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest you do as soon as possible. And The Land Before Time will always hold a special place in my heart. I have fond memories of begging my dad to put the VHS in “one more time” until he had to drag me to my bed, which also had dinosaur pillowcases, if you were wondering.
I couldn't find any pictures of me in my dino onesie, but here are some pictures from the helicopter ride in Kauai I begged my parents to take me on so I could see where they filmed the intro scenes to Jurassic Park,
#OnlyChildProblems
Surprise! I’m an only child. The day I came out my parents decided they couldn’t do any better than perfection.*hair flip* Just kidding. I’m not perfect, but I am an only child. I used to hate it growing up because “I was always the one getting in trouble” and I couldn’t even blame it on my childhood dog, Jackson.
These days, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I will never have a brother to introduce me to his cute friends or a sister to steal my clothes. Instead, I choose to see the upside of only childhood, like never having to share a room growing up, and the fact that I have an amazing relationship with my parents. Being an only child is weird to a lot of people and more uncommon than I thought, but I think it’s given me an interesting perspective in life. And it’s allowed me to become an extremely independent individual, a major point of personal pride, even if I still sometimes call my mom to ask how to wash my sweaters… but like I said, I’m not perfect.
Ask me about my Bernedoodle!
What the heck is a bernie-noodle, you might ask? Why, my half-Bernese Mountain dog half-Poodle bundle of joy, Ellie Belly, of course. She is the best doggo you will ever meet, and I will fight to the death defending that statement. Okay, maybe that was a little aggressive, but I can’t help it. Ellie is just the best. No one can make me laugh like she does. She is the quirkiest, most human-like dog that I’ve ever had. She will follow me everywhere I go — except on the rug by the front door. I have no clue why, but I have tried to entice her to that spot with toys, treats, peanut butter — you name it -- and she still will not touch it. She is a princess in every way, but if she spots and puddle, snow patch and just plain old dirt, you best believe she’s rolling around in it. I love that dog more than life itself and when cloning becomes a thing, I’m making 12 just like her.
World Wide Woman
I’ve got the travel bug and I only know one way to cure it!
I’ve been fortunate enough to travel the world with my family and by myself. I’ve been to a total of 27 states, 12 countries and 3 continents. I love traveling and being immersed in cultures and lifestyles that I’ve never experienced before. Even if the destination is only 2 hours away, there is still so much to explore.
In college, I was able to study in London and work with the BBC. I met so many amazing people from so many amazing places. From there, I traveled across Europe with friends and family, and it’s something I will never forget.
The Northern Coast of Ireland is another one of my favorite places. I am almost 80% Irish so it was great to get in touch with my roots and see where my family came from. We even have a little cottage in Bushmills, Ireland where my great-great-great ancestors are from. I hope to continue traveling for as long as my body and wallet allow!
Next up on my list of must-visit destinations: The pyramids of Egypt.