-Discover enlightenment
I do not necessarily mean religious enlightenment, moreover the enlightenment of self discovery. If you let yourself surrender and become lost in the place you’re visiting and shed all of your preconceived biases, judgements and worries; you then become vulnerable. This vulnerability is a huge step in the right direction - without it you are a tourist, going sight to sight and never changing and never growing - taking nothing from the experience. There is a very strong feeling of freedom, knowledge and understanding once you fully release yourself and connect with your travels - within this feeling you actually begin to find who you really are and whom you wish to become. This is why many (myself included) tend to preach about letting travel change you. If you reach enlightenment through travel, you are never quite the same again - it’s a wondrous experience! (Photo from EverestUncensored.org)
I do not necessarily mean religious enlightenment, moreover the enlightenment of self discovery. If you let yourself surrender and become lost in the place you’re visiting and shed all of your preconceived biases, judgements and worries; you then become vulnerable. This vulnerability is a huge step in the right direction - without it you are a tourist, going sight to sight and never changing and never growing - taking nothing from the experience. There is a very strong feeling of freedom, knowledge and understanding once you fully release yourself and connect with your travels - within this feeling you actually begin to find who you really are and whom you wish to become. This is why many (myself included) tend to preach about letting travel change you. If you reach enlightenment through travel, you are never quite the same again - it’s a wondrous experience! (Photo from EverestUncensored.org)
-Grow wiser
Moving away from the typical tourist trail is a necessity for a great travel experience. Immerse yourself within the local culture, go where the locals meet, eat what the locals eat, and never be afraid to strike up a conversation. Growing wiser is about having a greater understanding of the world, where wise and educated judgements are the only kind, if any at all. Those who are culturally foolish tend to have discriminations and lack in acceptance, typically ignorant of the real world - which sets up barriers. Growing into a better sense of wisdom leads to the ability of being able to see the true beauty in the world. This wisdom can alter your beliefs of what’s precious and maybe you will no longer take the aspects of life which are most important for granted. (Photo by deviantart user Poeheej)
Moving away from the typical tourist trail is a necessity for a great travel experience. Immerse yourself within the local culture, go where the locals meet, eat what the locals eat, and never be afraid to strike up a conversation. Growing wiser is about having a greater understanding of the world, where wise and educated judgements are the only kind, if any at all. Those who are culturally foolish tend to have discriminations and lack in acceptance, typically ignorant of the real world - which sets up barriers. Growing into a better sense of wisdom leads to the ability of being able to see the true beauty in the world. This wisdom can alter your beliefs of what’s precious and maybe you will no longer take the aspects of life which are most important for granted. (Photo by deviantart user Poeheej)
-Meet people
There are countless times that I’ve met a random local who taught me a wonderful lesson that I still remember to this day - from either their outlook on life, the way they perceived the world or their appreciation for life and the little things. Many times I’ve been offered a drink (or five), just because they were interested in having my company as well. My personal favorite is being invited to join local family dinner. This is the absolute BEST way to learn and feel as a part of the culture. By opening yourself up to local experiences you gain a stronger understanding of yourself and other people in the world. (Photo by flickr user emm77)
There are countless times that I’ve met a random local who taught me a wonderful lesson that I still remember to this day - from either their outlook on life, the way they perceived the world or their appreciation for life and the little things. Many times I’ve been offered a drink (or five), just because they were interested in having my company as well. My personal favorite is being invited to join local family dinner. This is the absolute BEST way to learn and feel as a part of the culture. By opening yourself up to local experiences you gain a stronger understanding of yourself and other people in the world. (Photo by flickr user emm77)
-Learn cultures
There are countless cultures in the world, each unique in its own ways. Those who never leave their hometown or state are suffering in my opinion - I believe this is one of the reasons why prejudices continue to be nourished and passed down through the generations. The famous quote by Saint Augustine sums it up quite well, “The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.” When I travel, I make it a point to not only see the sights and the history, but to understand how each destination came to be how it is today. However, I only devote a small portion of my travel time to this aspect. My goal in each destination is to feel it, not just to know of it. Understanding a culture can take a hundred trips and even then you may never really totally understand it at all. But learning and accepting by feeling and becoming a part of it (even in some small way) is the only way to truly let that culture change you and assist you to grow (into a person of the world). (Photo by Laura Rutgers)
There are countless cultures in the world, each unique in its own ways. Those who never leave their hometown or state are suffering in my opinion - I believe this is one of the reasons why prejudices continue to be nourished and passed down through the generations. The famous quote by Saint Augustine sums it up quite well, “The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.” When I travel, I make it a point to not only see the sights and the history, but to understand how each destination came to be how it is today. However, I only devote a small portion of my travel time to this aspect. My goal in each destination is to feel it, not just to know of it. Understanding a culture can take a hundred trips and even then you may never really totally understand it at all. But learning and accepting by feeling and becoming a part of it (even in some small way) is the only way to truly let that culture change you and assist you to grow (into a person of the world). (Photo by Laura Rutgers)
-Adventure
There’s no shortage of adventure in this world - with extreme sports in the South Pacific to exploration of past ruins in the Middle East, as well as trying strange food delicacies in Asia to getting lost in the ancient back alleys of Europe. Besides the changing of your attitude and perception, travel can alter your courage and fortitude. Get out of your closed-in little box and let yourself live life to the fullest - remember, your days are numbered, so try something new. I’d like to leave you with one more quote by Mark Twain, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Photo by flickr user Zulu Incomplete)
There’s no shortage of adventure in this world - with extreme sports in the South Pacific to exploration of past ruins in the Middle East, as well as trying strange food delicacies in Asia to getting lost in the ancient back alleys of Europe. Besides the changing of your attitude and perception, travel can alter your courage and fortitude. Get out of your closed-in little box and let yourself live life to the fullest - remember, your days are numbered, so try something new. I’d like to leave you with one more quote by Mark Twain, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Photo by flickr user Zulu Incomplete)
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