St. Augustine
Thoughts? Comments?
Sydney
10 years ago
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
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- WorldTraveler87
- Over 30 U.S. states, including Hawaii-Australia-Italy-Holy See-Belgium-Holland-Egypt-Germany-England-Ireland-Paris, France-Spain-Poland
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LOVE the quote. I think the most appealing thing about travel is being able to learn about a new place and coming to an understanding of the diversity around the world. No two places are the same, nor are any two people's experience of a place. That being said, it is impossible to travel somewhere and not leave changed in some way.
ReplyDeleteThis quote was copied to me by a really great friend of mine (cough::Mike::cough) when I was hesitating about traveling to Mexico for a service trip, because my family was concerned about increased reports of violence in the weeks leading up to my departure. He followed this quote with a piece of advice of his own, which I think complements the heart of the quote nicely: "The world isn't a safe place, that's for sure, but if you don't get out and explore it, you're going to just watch it pass by."
ReplyDeleteI didn't take these sentiments as an excuse to behave recklessly, however, they did, and continue to, give me the courage to take some risks, such as participating in that service trip to Mexico - and it has been my experience that the greatest rewards come from the biggest risks. Some of my most stimulating, memorable experiences have resulted from wrenching myself away from my comfort zone, my home. And the lingering effect of these chances taken is a reconfigured perspective, even if it seems I bring it all back to the smallest corner of the world.
"The world isn't a safe place, that's for sure, but if you don't get out and explore it, you're going to just watch it pass by." This is an awesome quote. When I think about the places I've been, I by far learned the most, both about the world and myself, when I stepped out of my comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteThis past summer I went to Shanghai, China. I never thought I'd be able to make it in a country with such a language barrier. I don't speak Mandarin, but learned so much about the culture, the wonderful people and this whole new world I could never have imagined existed.
My mom wrote this in a card that she gave me before I went on a trip once. The sentiment has stuck with me, and I'm glad you like the quote too. Traveling is such an education.
ReplyDeleteA big question for me is always how to balance being at home/putting down roots and exploring this big, wide, beautiful world. I just think that there is no better education than traveling, and there is no better way to learn about yourself either. I too have been bitten by the travel bug and dream of seeing every corner of this world. But I also love home. The nuances of daily life. The getting-to-know something really well process. The comforts. The predictability. The everyday beauty. In addition, my journeys have made me love and appreciate coming home as well.
On that topic, I'd like to share this quote, which I found in a novel called "The Cave" (by the Portuguese writer Jose Saramago). I read this novel on a place coming home from Peru near the end of my study abroad experience, and it was perfect for me at that time.
"Minds, however well traveled, need to come back home now and then because only there can they achieve and maintain a resonably satisfactory sense of themselves."
Traveling teaches us about who we can be and who we want to be, but I think we have to come home to figure that out and see who we are.
Thanks, Mike! :)