I no longer need reasons to travel, but they exist anyway. A few reasons I travel:
1. My parents took me places.
I was lucky. Most of the travel my family did involved all four of us (Dad, Mom, Dwayne, and me), whether within the United States or abroad. And my folks were Indiana school teachers in the 70s and 80s, so you know they weren't pulling down the big bucks. They just made traveling a priority. Not all of the trips took place over the summer break, either. But the one I remember best did -- a 6-week camper trip that looped around the Western U.S. That's when I got hooked.
2. It's about the journey.
There's a really cool moment travelers encounter -- packed on a bus, or walking the aisle of a train, or waiting at the baggage claim -- when you realize you're enjoying just being. The bodies pressing you are a comfort, or you realize the speed of the train means you're walking at 70 mph, or the luggage starts to look like giant pieces of sushi on an even-more-giant conveyor. Being mindful of where you are is rewarding in surprising ways.
3. It's about the destination.
Let's face it, I wouldn't travel if I weren't going somewhere cool. San Antonio has a lot of great things, but if I want mountains or medieval tapestries or an authentic 12% Pilsner, I'm gonna need to get out of town. Plus, I kinda enjoy putting flags on my travel map.
4. Other languages are cool.
Not every travel destination puts me in the midst of another language, but I feel a special draw to places that do. Watching toddlers in other countries learn their native language is fascinating. Listening for the words you know is fun. And giving a local a well-pronounced (and heartfelt) Thank you brings smiles all around. A big shout-out here to Richard Ritz, my high school French teacher, who made language a life-long love for me.
5. Home rules don't apply.
You want a banana-Nutella crepe in the middle of the afternoon? Want to sleep all day and wander the cobbled streets till dawn? How about an hour-long Thai foot massage while all your coworkers are still clocked in? You could probably do these things in your own town, but a few thousand miles between you and home make them more fun. Also, you won't get fired.
6. The world is bigger than here.
It's easy to get comfortable at home, and I've met a lot of people who've never left their hometown. I couldn't do that. The wider world is just too interesting. No matter where I am, some other place has something different to offer. I've learned as much about myself, my culture, and my country while abroad as I ever have at home.
7. I can always come back.
Nothing feels as good as that first night back in your own bed after weeks or months sleeping elsewhere. Dave and I usually grunt something like, "Bed good," and then plummet into deep sleep. There's nothing like it, and you don't have to go far to appreciate what you have at home.
4 ate pie:
I want to see everything!
LORD I love to travel. I seriously, seriously do! My dream life would be to be able to travel as much as I want.
One of my favorite things about travel is coming home--which sounds so contradictory, but traveling does make me appreciate my home (especially my bed) all the more.
I love seeing history. I will never forget the time I was walking in Bath, with my hand trailing on a stone wall beside the sidewalk. My fingers bumped over a metal plaque that said the wall was built by the Celts centuries ago. I couldn't help but marvel at how that wall had been there before America was America--before Europe was Europe, even!
I also really love seeing how different people are--and how similar they are. I've never left the Western Hemisphere (YET), but even so, people are very different. The most "foreign" place I've been was Malta, the little island under Sicily. We got very close to some locals--and didn't find out until afterwards that the meat hash we'd eaten was horse! It felt so alien to me...but the next day we visited a school, and the little girl I was helping had a Sailor Moon pencil case (this was just when I'd discovered anime--I was young!). It felt like we were so different, but still so similar.
I love to travel to experience and see new things. I like trying to immerse myself in a different perspective and get a feel for all the cultural differences. Hearing different languages is also a huge treat for me! I love languages and learning bits and pieces. Hearing it is like an auditory massage for me and I love to make connections about how language and culture interact. I could go on and on, but those are the ones that are on the top of my list.
carrielaura - Me, too! Dave likes to tease me about a 4-day marathon I did through the Smithsonian. Didn't even dent that pile of museums.
beth - YES. Love touching history -- good thing it's everywhere :)
Jenn - Language as auditory massage -- yeah! I like picking out patterns in languages.
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