"We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves."
Let me ask you a question... Why do YOU travel? Is it to visit new places? Meet new people? Or do you travel just to relax and find yourself in the world? Traveling can be viewed from many different aspects, whether it's from your own experiences or what you have learned from the people around you... To me, I can definitely say that I agree with Pico Iyer's essay upon the subject of traveling. Traveling opens up a doorway that leads to new things,... literally! Whenever I travel, I see the world from a different perspective, giving me an opportunity to learn about new cultures and their everyday lives, especially to see how different it is compared to where I live. I travel to see the world and find myself in the midst of this undescribable landscape; the world may seem like a huge place, in which you'll never see half the things you'd want to, yet somehow, you learn so much more when you take one step at a time! Traveling is pretty much a way to put yourself in another person's shoes and imagining how another person lives... It's hard at first, but trust me, with time, you'll begin to respect the world, yourself, and all of the cultures around you, for this world is an amazing place worth living in and experiencing! Iyer believes that we travel simply to see the world and new places, as well as to find out who we really are on the inside. When you can't seem to find yourself in this world, just turn to the idea of travel! It will really bring on a different perspective to your life and who you are as a person, broadening your horizon and bringing about a world of endless possibilities... Through travel, you can really change as a person, even when you least expect it!
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new places, but in seeing with new eyes."
Traveling is a way not only to find yourself in the world, but to change as a person! Whenever you travel and come back from a trip you don't really seem to notice that you have changed; yes, your personality may have stayed the same, but the perspective from which you see things now, has changed dramatically... You probably don't even realize it! According to Pico Iyer, traveling is away to see things differently- from a different perspective, from a different angle, and from a different point of view. When you have the opportunity to grab the idea of traveling somewhere on your own into your hands, most people tend to find exact destinations, list all the attractions they'd want to see, and map out their entire schedule from beginning to end. It seems as if they're scared that something might go wrong... These travelers travel "just to travel" and visit a new place. On the other hand, there are also those travelers who do the same, but with one difference- they prepare themselves to expect the unexpected and live those moments to the best of their ability! When it comes to traveling, I always tell myself that experiencing the unexpected first-hand is a good thing! You have the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective, or light, and think of the world as a fascinating place. In my lifetime, I've had many opportunities to travel and I've enjoyed it every single time! Though each time, I seem to look at my surroundings in a different way. This is most likely because I tend to move away from what I've known my entire life or what I've learned in my life over the years... Instead, I go my own way and make my own path, experiencing the view with a different mindset, and trying to find myself in the world. To me, just like to Pico Iyer, "for seeing without feeling can obviously be uncaring; while feeling without seeing can be blind." And that is one of the many meanings of travel... "A quest for not just the unknown, but the unknowing."
"What gives value to travel is fear."
Many travelers begin with the instinct and feeling that something is going to go wrong in their journey,... that they're going to get lost,... or even that they might lose something along the way... This is what makes a trip memorable most of the time! You travel to visit a new place, in which you fall in love with and can never forget about. But there's always that one thing that happens that just makes you laugh and smile everytime you think about it... And, usually, it's always about the things that went wrong or happened when you least expected them to! You don't have the slightest idea of WHAT you're going to stumble upon a trip. To Iyer, traveling is a way to search for answers, but even better, it's a way to acquire better questions. If you're traveling to experience life from a different point of view, it's for certain that you'll learn something totally new and different along the way! I like the fact that this happens everytime, no matter where you might go. You learn a new language, you learn something about a culture, and learn to live in a different lifestyle... These are the things that you were probably afraid of encountering at the very beginning; now, they're a part of you, and you'll never forget it! Being afraid of something makes a trip much better, eventually making the trip something memorable... A once-in-a-lifetime chance that you got to spend time with your friends or family in a different place! Traveling always helps bring many new excitements and twist to an adventure.
"And in the process, we also get saved from abstraction ourselves, and come to see how much we can bring to the places we visit, and how much we can become a kind of 'carrier pigeon'."
I personally think that travelers do have some sort of responsibility to share their knowledge and experiences with all they visit and those they return to. After a trip, you probably don't even realize that you're spreading new knowledge and ideas on life. I mean, you don't have to tell everyone everywhere you go all that you've learned and everywhere you've been on a trip... We just do it naturally and without knowing. Personally, I find it fun to be able to retell all of your favorite memories and things you did, but it'll never be the same as if they've been there with you. Millions of people visit the same exact places that you do, yet each person takes something different into account from their own experience on the journey. They remember things differently, and because of that, they view the world in a different way! We transport back what every culture needs- new ideas and thoughts. With these thoughts, we change ourselves, our morals, and our beliefs about the world. In some places, what we consider "normal", may be weird or strange and just completely odd and different... However, because of these unique lifestyles that we have, we're able to see how others live like and accept the fact that everyone is different in their own way :) By being such "carrier pigeons" and bringing back with us new ideas about life, we're able to spread this knowledge to others, even when we don't know we are!
"Abroad is the place where we stay up late, follow impulse and find ourselves as wide open as when we're in love... and all good trips are, like love, about being carried out of yourself and deposited in the midst of terror and wonder."
All of the quotes above are very special to the idea of travel, yet somehow this quote seems to summarize everything! This is one of my favorite quotes, as it not only explains the wonder that you find on a journey, but who you become at then end... Traveling gives you the opportunity to become who you want to become, going about doing your own thing- how you like it to be and how you want it to be. No one is telling you how to behave, what to say, how to act... You're being yourself, just in a different place in the world. I find that wonderful and amazing how one trip can change your life forever, and make you see things in a way you never thought of seeing them before. We live in the moment and truly make the best of it! Yes, we may have some uncertainties and fears that tag along with us... But that's what make a trip memorable! We learn from our mistakes and fix any problems that may occur at the last second; and by doing so, you enjoy the experience more and more everytime! When you're outside of you comfort zone, it begins to seem as if you're more comfortable with the surroundings and people around you. If you accept what the world has to offer, you will be amazed by how many things you can find if you just look at it open-minded!!
Last year, I went on the Australia and New Zealand trip and I can honestly now look back and say that I have truly changed as a person because of it! My views towards traveling have changed drastically, making me a different person from when we left to when we came back. I've become more outgoing and not afraid of what people think of me as a person, realizing that everyone comes from a different background and different cultural lifestyle. Surroundings make a person who they are and where they come from. When I went on the trip, it seemed as if the world instantly became a bit smaller, as I was now much more familiar with another country. I feel as if everytime I will travel to another country, the world will slowly become less foreign to me, and feel much more like home!
I hope that this will happen when I travel this summer to England, Ireland, and Scotland! I plan on seeing new places, making new friends, and just making the absolute best of my time there! I truly can't wait until this trip becomes a reality, as I'll be eager to visit the most popular icon in the world and try new cuisines! I'm very daring when it comes to traveling, especially when it comes to trying new things, and I have the hope that this will pay off at the end! :)
Traveling has something about it that seems to bring a lot of people in... Whether it's the view, the culture, or just the feeling... To me, traveling is a passion and a hobby, and I am more than certain that it will stay that way for the rest of my life! :D
