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I've had the privilege of my working taking me to almost 40 states and other countries. I've worked for the top pols on down, and I mean top, three of them. Has it changed me? I don't think it has greatly, with one major caveat. I no longer make instant readings of people's value based on professional/economic status. One of the most charismatic guy I ever met was a ruthless murderer. Some of the top politicians in the country are skunks. Well, were. I've been away from DC quite a while.
The last 17 years I've spent a lot of time with and around folks of, well, limited assets. Lots are great. But many seem to have worked harder avoiding working for a living than had they held steady jobs. That gets painful in later years.
So I'm basically the same semi-redneck Nebraskan I was as a kid, just more experienced.
I'm with OP. I saw/experienced nothing that changed me or added to my quality of life when I used to travel. When the trip was over, all that remained was the charge card bills!
Nodpete, I do like the Mark Twain quote, but don't you think things have changed a lot since then? With globalization and the Internet, travel isn't necessary.
I think technology has made people more shallow and superficial. When I was traveling in my earlier years I took a lot of photos. I enjoyed being the amateur photographer and playing with light and framing. After a few more years I stopped taking as much photos because I was spending more time trying to get the coolest shot instead of experiencing the moment. The moment being the smell the air, engaging interacting with locals, watching the minute details of the locals interacting/coming-n-going, etc. This what you cannot get from photos on the net or stored in your computer.
Reminds me of the quote from good will hunting:
So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that.
I don't think anyone will have an epiphany or some aha moment, if that is what you hoped to experience, just from jumping on a plane to some cool exotic place. But rather a collection of these event that slowly pushes your maturity of understanding yourself and the world around you over time.
What come to mind was remembering the reading of the short novel "Siddhartha" in college.
I don't think anyone will have an epiphany or some aha moment, if that is what you hoped to experience, just from jumping on a plane to some cool exotic place. But rather a collection of these event that slowly pushes your maturity of understanding yourself and the world around you over time.
That's an interesting perspective: traveling to a variety of different places over the course of your life will bring about a gradual change and maturity in you that wouldn't happen otherwise.
My strength and health are more important to me, than seeing other places where their quality of life is lower than my hometown, which is the best in the world.
How is it possible to know the quality of life in your hometown is best in the world when you say you don't travel?
I don't think the my trips have changed me as far as who I am at my core, however it has broadened my horizons. It has exposed me to different ways of living, different thought, different ways of doing things, etc. I can appreciate that. Returning from Italy, I discovered I really like white wines and cured meats. I also appreciated the fact at how "laid back" Italians are when it comes to life in general. It's not always about the go go go breakneck speed of the US...where one works, goes home, eats goes to bed and repeats 5 and 6 days a week.
Australia has taught me to appreciate the oceans and water more. Greece has taught me to appreciate history more. I mean from every trip I've taken intangible things with me that have stuck with me over the years. And I love travel for that. I always want to see new and interesting things in this world.
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