how traveling changes you for the better
I voted today. Yes, I realize that's a pretty generic statement, but being able to exercise my right to vote is always something that makes me tear up. After traveling as much as we do (though most of it is in the continental U.S.), it's still a very surreal thing to think about everything that our country means, from the literal to the symbolic.
That being said, I am who I am due to the people in my life and the moments I've experienced. And traveling has been a big influence on who I'm (still) becoming.
it opens your eyes
Having grown up in a small town, hours away from the largest cities, it was easy to get stuck in a routine and start living in a bubble. Having had the opportunity to travel some has helped me realized that there's a whole massive world out there, completely different than what I've ever experienced. Traveling definitely helps you to be more cognizant of other people. I love hearing other people's views on subjects (books, politics, food, etc.). While we don't agree sometimes, it's refreshing to be able to have an intelligent conversation with someone who is just as genuinely interested about your life as you are about theirs. The world would be a much better place if people could simply stop and listen more.
it makes you more compassionate
Six weeks after the Man Friend and I had returned from overseas, the 2015 Paris attacks occurred. One of the restaurants where people were killed was just a little over a mile from where were stayed our last night in Paris. My heart ached. I worried about the safety of our friends. I even went so far as to email our Parisian hosts to confirm they were safe.
Every place you visit leaves an impression on you, some more than others. However, when you've traveled and made connections with people of different backgrounds from all over the world, it helps you to put more perspective and makes you feel more compassionate about what people are going through.
it creates memories
Every time the Man Friend and I visit New Orleans, we stop in this random little bar on Royal Street. While the drinks are mediocre and a little pricy, we still stop in for a drink every trip. Why? Because we went there on our first trip together. Not just to New Orleans together. Our first trip together period. They have this great little courtyard patio no one but us ever seems to know about. We're always able to steal a few minutes away to reminisce and just enjoy each other's company.
it builds your confidence
In early 2013, the Man Friend went to Abu Dhabi for work for a month. While I wasn't in a position to join him, we opted to meet in London on his return flight home. We planned to take the EuroStar from London to Paris day following my arrival. It was my first international trip ever. And I was making it alone.
Things did not go according to plan.
While the Man Friend was en route from the UAE to London, my connection to Dallas was delayed, causing me to completely miss the international flight. I had no way of contacting him. However, after a brief mini-meltdown, I managed to switch my flight by heading to Paris the next day instead, coordinated with our host in London, and he caught a brief window of internet where he saw my "F******CK!" email. However, we reunited in the underground station at Charles de Gaulle in Paris while it was snowing. *cues rom-com theme song here*
There's just something about having a travel disaster that makes you learn to say, "Hold up, I got this shit." That attitude works well in pretty much any high-stress situation.
it gives you motivation
My grandmother died earlier this year after a brief battle with cancer. When we got her diagnosis, I told her to pick a place she wanted to go and I would take her. Unfortunately, she wasn't healthy enough to visit Hawaii before she died. She also told me she didn't really want to go to the beach because it just wouldn't be the same...not just because she was sick, but because what was the point of the beach if she couldn't wear a bikini?
"I'm not gonna scare the bejeezus outta anyone with that visual, Amanda. No one wants to see that!"
She was cremated after she passed away. And some day, I plan to take a little vial of her ashes with me to Hawaii, because she always wanted to see their sunsets. Knowing that not seeing Hawaii was one of her biggest regrets motivates me to take every opportunity I have to have a new adventure.
it makes you grateful
I'm grateful for having the funds and flexibility to travel. I'm happy I have a travel partner who enjoys it as much as I do. I'm thankful for the beautiful places and people I encounter. I love experiencing new foods, drinks, and cultures. I'm grateful for my bed when we return home after a long trip. I'm thankful for all of the things I have and for the drive to achieve the things I don't. It makes me realize I am just a speck in this world. That feeling, in and of itself, is really amazing and mysterious.
