Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
And yet, after every trip, things remain a bit out of whack...but only to
me. h ere's a loneliness in having a mind spinning with images, lessons, and
memories that can never adequately be shared—experiences such as i nding
out why the Salvadoran priest ignores his excommunication, why the Dutch
celebrate tolerance, and why the dervish whirls. I enjoy the trip-capping chal-
lenge of making sense of the confusion, and splicing what I learned into who
I am and what I do.
Travel Changes You
Travel doesn't end when you step of the plane into your familiar home air-
port. h e preceding seven chapters—while ranging far and wide across the
globe—all illustrate how travel is rich with learning opportunities, and how
the ultimate souvenir is a broader outlook. By incorporating those lessons into
my being, I am changed. Any traveler can relate to this: On returning from a
major trip, you sense that your friends and co-workers have stayed the same,
but you're...dif erent. It's enlightening and unsettling at the same time.
A wonderful by-product of leaving America is gaining a renewed apprecia-
tion for our country. When frustrated by overwrought bureaucracies overseas,
I'm thankful that it's not a daily part of my life back home. When exasperated
by population density, I return home grateful to live in a sparsely populated
corner of the world. Traveling, I sample dif erent tempos, schedules, season-
ing, business environments, and political systems. Some I like better—others
I'm glad don't follow me home.
When I return home from any trip, I realize that I am a part of the
terroir
of my home turf, just as the people who so charm me in distant corners of the
world are part of theirs. h ose people might visit me here, i nd it interesting,
incorporate a few slices of my lifestyle into theirs, and be just as thankful to
l y home. While seeing travel as a political act enables us to challenge our
society to do better, it also shows us how much we have to be grateful for, to
take responsibility for, and to protect.
In addition to gaining a keen appreciation of how blessed we are, travelers
also understand that with these blessings come responsibilities. Protecting the
poor, civil rights, and our environment are basic to good global citizenship.
Travelers experience lands that have a wide gap between rich and poor, places
without basic freedoms an American might take for granted, and regions where
neglect has led to ruined environments. Packing that experience home, we
can become more compassionate, even (or especially) during dii cult times.
