My Small World

When I initially met Max, I was in awe of his world travels of which he spoke and his thoughts on exploration. Despite winning a Geography Bee in middle school, I had never heard of some of these locations. His stories all sounded foreign (pun intended) to me. I absorbed everything he said and could envision the places he described so well.

Although I could envision these places, I could not envision myself ever being present in these places. International travel had never been in the cards for me. Money has always been a constraint and my logistical side could not bear to spend money on something as frivolous as travel when there were more functional uses.

Just over 2 years after that conversation with Max, I can envision myself every where.

Travel the World

My international trips have only sparked more interest the a world bigger than what has been engrained into my American head. America is beautiful and wonderful in many ways, but the world is so much more. It is often said in a common phrase that we live in “a small world”. In reality, the world is more than any one individual can comprehend. Our ‘world’ that we live in is dictated by our thought pattern and (lack of) action. If a person wants to stay in a familiar place with familiar people- their comfort zone becomes their ‘small world’.

In the Social Work field, I have worked with individuals that have never left the city in which they were born. They could count the number of 30 minute drives they have partaken in on one hand. Some have never been out of their neighborhoods.

What is the difference in thought between a person who chooses to never leave their city of origin versus someone who has been bitten by the travel bug and is on an around the world trip?

Yes, resources- whether that be time or money- is a deterrent for people. But then I would argue, what about the people who do not have ample resources available yet make travel and exploration happen regardless?

Theory or Practice?

I believe that it’s curiosity. Answers from others are never good enough- they must find out on their own. Draw conclusions from what is observed first hand. Born Scientists.

I once wrote on a paper to my 3rd grade teacher, “I have the urge to learn”

I hope to continue to learn from my future endeavors because I have the urge. Travel has taught lessons that I would not have learned anywhere else, especially if I had stayed in my ‘small world’. Many say that the more they learn about the world, the more questions they have.

Cheers to answering questions for myself…

-Leeann