Travel To Find Yourself

A couple went on an around-the-world trip. It was their dream of a lifetime. They packed and planned for weeks, they read books and researched on the Internet about all the places they were going to visit, and they documented every step of the trip through digital photos. 

They had stayed at the Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok; eaten Kentucky Fried Chicken in Beijing; seen an American movie in Calcutta; drunk Budweiser at a bar in Amsterdam; ate Kellogg’s Corn Flakes for breakfast in London; and, they rarely passed up a McDonald’s.

Those tourists remind me of the classic American tourist getting off the bus: white tennis shoes, camera in hand, name tag, and fanny pack strapping valuables on tight.  They choose to travel the world but cannot really experience anything new. 

If you happen to be traveling this summer try to experience where you are rather than pine for your home.  After all what’s the point of traveling if you can’t enjoy a new environment, if only for a short time?

For the many who are unable to travel, or have no desire to travel, realize some act like tourists even in their own home; to experience something different is beyond the pale.  New food, music, literature, or friends, would be unimaginable.  Yes there are tourists even in our own hometown, often people who have never left or will never leave their own community.  This summer, while there is still time left, try to enjoy some new aspect of living, even if only for a short while.