Travel seems to
have become one of the topics that I blog about the most. Perhaps because it is
the only topic that I actually think is interesting enough to blog about. Or
perhaps even though I haven't done a lot of it, adventuring to different
countries is something that has had a profound effect on me and the way I view
things. It's invigorating to learn about different places and cultures and you
really do find that what you thought you knew about the world can be completely
incorrect to how it actually is.
To travel is
to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries
I've been able
to quash a few misguided thoughts about other countries through my travels.
I've met some insanely nice French people in both Belgium and France,
disproving that people in France are snobs and arrogant (a very common belief
in predominately English cultures). Not all Spaniards are sun-kissed and lazy,
as the siesta would lead one to believe. Not all Americans are worldly ignorant
and patriotic to the point of annoyance. Not all Canadians are super polite and
friendly. All those examples are cultural stereotypes. And though stereotypes
are there for a reason, it doesn't always emphasize the people.
It's better
to see something once than hear about it a thousand times
This statement
rings especially true, no matter what we are talking about. Someone can
describe countless times the sensation of running barefoot through the grass,
or sand between your toes, cold winter air invigorating your lungs, the salt
drying on your skin after a swim in the Mediterranean... But unless you
experience it for yourself, you will never ever get the full sense. The
complete package. The memorable experience. That's what life is about, after all.
Experiencing all that you can.
I am not the
same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world
Travel seems to
have put a different perspective on the way that I see things. Or perhaps it
hasn't and I've just matured a little bit in my thinking. Regardless, I don't
want to go on continuing to be ignorant on the way things are and led around by
a shoe-string on the opinions of media and biased news. I would much rather
learn things for myself and if that means learning things the hard way, then so
be it. Like the paragraph above says, that's what life is all about.
I'm in the process of planning my next trip, though thanks to landing a permanent full-time job it won't be until next year. Plenty of time to do some planning, right? Though I'm a severe procrastinator... If you want to
read up on my other travel related posts, you can find them by clicking on the
titles below.
Sinceriously,
-Chad
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