Travel, like love, leaves us forever changed.
Here are 7 ways travel has changed me:
1. Gratitude
I never thought about electricity, hot showers or stocked grocery store shelves until I left home. Things I once took for granted, have now become the highlight of my day.
2. Patience
Derek recently told me, I no longer dictate my days, this country does. When the internet goes out, the room goes dark or the trip is cancelled, you learn that there’s always tomorrow.
3. Resourcefulness
When there’s not a Target to pick up everything you want and need, you find ways to mend those shorts and make a familiar meal with local ingredients. Learning to use what you have is half the fun of traveling.
4. Flexibility
Travel is for the heart, what yoga is for the body. Traveling in a bus filled to five times its capacity, eating foods you can’t identify, and figuring out how to communicate will encourage you to stretch in new ways.
5. Tolerance
It’s much easier to stereotype, fear and hate from afar. Travel introduces you to those thought you knew everything about, but after one meal it turns out you them had all wrong.
6. Dependence
The more I travel the more dependent I become on others. Being out of our element reminds us we need help and while we are leaning on others, they are leaning back on us.
7. Self Discovery
I’ve heard to the extend you travel outwardly, you travel inwardly. Travel pushes me like nothing else can. It forces us to look at ourselves, who we are, what we want and what’s really important in life.
My greatest treasures are the memories I have created across four continents and 18 countries.
Hungry for More, Monique Alvarez *Have you downloaded my free ebook, The Hungry Soul’s Manifesto? It’s all about remembering what’s important in life – creating purpose and passion, instead of just passing the time amassing stuff. p.s. If there are typos, spelling or grammar mistakes in this post don’t worry about. Those are the kinds of things I’ve worried about for FAR too long. It’s time to just get it out and who cares if it’s not perfect, it’s from the heart!
About Monique Alvarez
Travel definitely does push you! I’ve definitely been learning patience here in Albania ;-)
Albania is the Olympic games for patience! LOL
Moniique, I thought you were special, now I am beginning to know why. You are also wise and unique, Elaine, Erin’s Mom
Oh Elaine I can’t tell you what an honor it is to have you at my blog. Your words really touched my heart – thank you!
Looking for something else, I wandered here to your blog. Isn’t that “The Way”? Most of my best adventures have been on the way to somewhere else. I’ve learned while traveling (and from that, life) to ALWAYS, take the side path, whenever some flicker from the universe beckons my eye, “Over-here .. this way.” Trust, and the universe will provide.
Now 70, with increasing Muscular Dystrophy, I’m so thankful for all my memories of rich adventures around the world. Not one regret; so blessed to have been able to experience so much life on this lovely blue-planet — the wee-wet-one not too far from a small rich sun. It’s been a marvelous adventure, — so fortunate that somehow I escaped mundane mediocrity, living life outta-the-box.
If there is anything we must do it’s encourage kids to escape the trap of self-absorbed insular consumer-life, enslaved by credit tied serving their “stuff.” GO; gather some skills, get out of here; work your way around the world. It’s not that big; but it’s one hellofa lot bigger than any US shopping-mall.
Leave your fears, your phone, your GPS; sell your car, your clutter and stuff. Take a small pack, your passport, air-ticket and a few hundred-bucks (stashed in several places). Head out to some third-world country and experience real-people; share living reality from the ground up. You’ve nothing to lose worth keeping.
No reason not to. You can travel cheaper than living at home, even travel forever teaching whatever you know. Quickly travel-wise, just pay attention, stay alert. Learn to follow “The Path” that the Universe lays before of you. Trust and It can be done; just do it.
Jim, I’m so happy you looked over here. Your words couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time. Thank you for reminding me that I’m doing the right thing. Just doing it!
Jim, That is the best advice that I have seen :-),, Life is meant to be lived,,, sounds like you have done a good job of it… I bet you have more stories to share !!