How traveling has changed my view of the world
I’m participating in the Indie Travel Art Project for the month of April 2014!
Day 1 prompt: How has your view of the world changed because of travel?
For me, there are maybe 2 things that have changed about my view, one positive and one negative.
The Bad
The downside to traveling in parts of the world like South, East and Southeast Asia are the various ways that women are oppressed and/or treated poorly. These are not the only places in the world where it happens, but these are the regions I have seen most outside of my home country. It’s not the same in every country, but it’s hard to accept and get used to it as a female traveler. The truth is, travel is not always the mind-blowing greatest thing that ever happened to you. I feel closer the some of the worst parts of humanity sometimes when I’m traveling and sometimes when at home in the USA. That is just the uglier side of travel and opening up yourself to seeing more things. You can’t just ignore the bad stuff.
The Good
The more positive thing that has changed is that I want to keep learning and experiencing from other cultures. I want to move past glorification of other cultures, and really appreciate everything about a place (the good and the bad). I want to understand the history of the place, and what factors are influencing changes and evolution of the place. I want to be able to embrace change abroad and at home for what it is, lots of interesting things interacting.
I will always travel
Although there are good and bad about traveling, I don’t see myself giving it up in the foreseeable future. It’s a part of my lifestyle now! I’ve learned a lot about the world and myself through travel, and I don’t want that to end.
