Travel is one of my biggest passions. As someone who had only been to Florida a dozen times with my family and a few states that surround New York, I decided I needed a change.
I made a promise to myself at age 21 that I would visit at least one new destination per year. I've overachieved my goal thus far, having been to New Orleans, Honolulu, Punta Cana, Bangkok, Koh Samui, and after this trip I'll be able to say that I've been to Athens, Mykonos, Kushida, Patmos, Rhodes, Santorini, and Naplion.
My travels started out as a way to satisfy my thirst for adventure and to learn about the world the way no text book could teach me: by throwing my whole self into new cultures and surpassing my comfort zone.
Yet, the more I travel, the more I realize that the adventure I crave can never be fully quenched because this passion has become a characteristic within myself.
Even after I see the whole world, I don't think I could ever stop traveling.
It's not a list of chores that you complete in order to avoid revisiting, rather it's something you do to find your favorite places and figure out which one of them is right for you. After all, how can we truly know our place in the world if we have not seen all of it?
The more I travel the more I question my home and what home means. I'm not one of those Americans who will say that "America was never great." I love my country and respect the people who fight for it. I acknowledge that no matter where you go in the world there are people who will be ignorant or rude. Moving somewhere new will not rid your life of all of the jerks of the world but everywhere I go I find myself questioning the quality of life in each country and what I am willing to give up in order to call one of these new places home.
Would I be able to trade in my Constitutional rights to live in a place where the sun is warmer, the views more breathtaking, and the people more friendly? I think at the end of the day, the answer is "yes."
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Crete, Greece
You make me want to travel more. It's really exciting to read something personal like this, because it's honest and I really believe you mean what you're saying. I hope you get to keep traveling! My favorite line was "After all, how can we truly know our place in the world if we have not seen all of it?" I think a lot of people need to hear that; they'll spend their whole lives in the same place and not be able to grow because of it. It's great that you've figured this out already and are actively trying to live by it.
ReplyDeleteEvery year since I was a kid my family has gone on two vacations during the summer. Always to somewhere new and exciting. That's where I got my love for traveling. Traveling to new places is a break from the normal routine. I agree you definitely learn things by going and experiencing it for yourself than any textbook can teach you. Traveling is full of adventure and life lessons. Your self reflection is something that others should read. I'm glad you're sticking to your promise!
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