Mark Twain was a traveler and once said “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, and charitable view of men and things cannot be aquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s life.”
What are your thoughts on this quote?
While I agree that America is a great country and one could spend an entire lifetime traveling within its borders. I also think it is vitial to get outside of America to see how the rest of the world thinks and acts. We are so isolated by our geographic location and our own culture, it is hard to fathom how others in the world live.
What are your thoughts on the afternoon siesta found in many Spanish speaking countries? How about ‘island time” in the Carribean? What about the idea of being a nomad in Central Asia? Or the concept of society, or company, needs above an individual found in some Southeast Asian cultures?
You see, while you might not agree with a different culture, religion, or way of thinking, if you become a traveler and visit those parts of the world you get more of a sense as to how it developed. For example the siesta is a way to beat the heat in the mid afternoon. Yes they rest during the “work day”, but did you know they usually do not have dinner until after 8 or 9 at night because of it? Also, in the Carribean there are really no seasons, so every day is basicly the same. To a true islander what is the difference to doing it today or tomorrow?
Again, you may not agree, but being a traveler helps you understand and that is half the battle to helping us all get along better. Do you agree? I would love to hear your thoughts!!!!!
