Why I Travel: How Travel Challenges and Changes Me
"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of looking at things."
~ Henry Miller
Growing up as a “hyphenated” American, I always felt different.
Interestingly, however, when I went overseas, I realized I wasn’t hyphenated any more. I was simply “American.” Strangely, I felt more myself, more at home, abroad than I did in the U.S.
And that feeling prompted me first to study Intercultural Communications in undergrad, then to earn a master’s in International Affairs, and ultimately, to join the Foreign Service and start my career abroad.
Fast forward two decades, and overseas is still where I go for clarity, inspiration, and to feel the most “me.”
What I love about travel is two fold:
Travel challenges my assumptions by reminding me there’s more than one way to live. Each day I step foot in a new country, I'm not-so-subtly reminded to rethink everything–from the foods I eat and the language I speak, to the way I commute, and perhaps more importantly, the rhythm of life.
Second, as a creative person, the history, art, architecture, and culture of new places inspires me like nothing else does. In fact, the two novels I’ve written were both inspired by living and traveling overseas.
But the real reason I travel is to experience awe. To marvel at feats of architectural genius, complex dance steps, rousing music and song, historic costume, colorful cultural dishes, and breathtaking vistas.
Experiencing wonder nourishes the soul. And in stepping away from the norm and into something new, I often experience the peace and quietude required to achieve breakthrough.
I never know what my travels will unearth, but what I do know is that change (and its accompanying discomfort) often inspires growth.
How has travel inspired, challenged, or changed you? Email me at christie@get-the-degree.com and let me know.
