Happy #DidisTravelsTuesday!
Last year was filled with travel, learning, and self-reflection. I traveled to 7 new countries, a handful of U.S. states, and learned so much about myself and the world around me. To me, this is what traveling is all about. Now that the year has come to end, I'd like to take some time to reflect on some big lessons I've learned through traveling this year and talk about what my hopes are for 2019.
Reflections on 2018
It's okay to not know your next step
For a long time, I thought I had to have everything planned out. For most of my trips in the beginning of the year, I would make an itinerary and plan out every minute of everyday. I thought this was me getting the most out of my experiences, but as I took more trips, I realized that it was doing the opposite. You can never truly know what a place has to offer you until you get there, and by planning every minute, you miss so many opportunities to be spontaneous and take the day where it leads you. While I still think a rough outline is important so that you don't waste time trying to find things, I hope to be more flexible going forward. There are so many surprises waiting for you in new destinations, and it would be a shame to let opportunity pass you by.
Believe that the universe is conspiring in your favor
Okay, I know. This reflection sounds a little hocus pocus, but hear me out! Traveling is not an easy thing. There are so many variables: things that could go wrong, things to keep track of, planes to catch, tickets to buy, et cetera. If you take all of that burden onto yourself, there is no way you can enjoy your trip - it would be too stressful. So, you have to have a little faith. You have to believe that the universe is conspiring in your favor. Everything that happens during your trip is not coincidence, and things that might seem like setbacks (ie missing your train) may actually be opportunities (a chance to go to that museum you didn't have time for). You have to have a positive mindset to truly get the most out of your travels. Don't waste time worrying about or lamenting over things "gone wrong", because if you truly believe that the universe is conspiring in your favor, then mishaps are actually occurrences that guide you in the right direction.
Don't take life too seriously
Seriously. It's never that deep. Taking everything to heart makes your travels un-enjoyable and makes nobody want to travel with you. It's simple, really. Take your adventures as they come and don't try to alter them to what you think they should be. Be honest with yourself about your expectations and realize that if they aren't met, it is more of a reflection of you than of the situation. For example, I could have thrown a fit about almost being robbed on a bus (stay tuned for that blog post!), but instead, I took it gratefully as a learning experience and can reminisce on the experience with fondness for the lessons learned. I could have let the experience leave me afraid and miserable for the rest of my trip; I could have sworn off bus travel altogether. But, no - I took it in stride and moved on, and it was truly for the better. Don't take life too seriously and your travels will be all the more meaningful and enjoyable. I promise.
Assumptions make an ass out of you and me
There have been countless times I thought I knew the place I was traveling to before I got there. For everyone's sake, please don't be that person. Remember that your preconceived notions of a place are really just that and nothing more. How can you know of a place you've never been? No book, blog, or movie can tell you the true experience of a destination. They are great sources of information (and you should ALWAYS do your research before traveling), but that is it. Don't go to a new country or city thinking you know it all. Your ethnocentric view of the world is something you should leave at the airport. Really make an effort to embrace a place without expectations. It will be rewarding for both you and the locals.
It's not about how many places you've seen
Two years ago, I received a scratch map for the holidays. It is an amazing gift for someone who loves to travel, but it also sparked quite a bit of self-reflection. I found myself obsessed with how many states and countries I could scratch off. I would plan my trips on the basis of how many places I go within my time frame. In retrospect, I wish I'd just taken time to fully immerse myself in the place I was, instead of trying to pack so much in one trip. It's not about how many places you've seen, it's about how the quality of the experiences you have, and you can't truly dive into a destination if you're only there for a day and spend half of that time planning your next stop. What good is seeing 20 countries if I've only spent a day in each one? What could I really have learned and immersed myself in during that time? Please don't take this to mean that short trips aren't worthwhile. Just understand that biting off more than you can chew for clout or a scratch map is really not worth it.
Preparing for 2019
I want to take a solo trip
While in Amsterdam, I met up with a friend who happened to be traveling there at the same time. She told me that this was her first solo-trip and I was instantly pulled to the idea. I've never traveled alone. Sure, I've traveled to particular destinations by myself, but I've always met up with a group once I touch down. As I think about my life as a whole, I have to come to terms with the fact that I rely heavily on my community. If I'm not traveling with my family, I'm with my boyfriend, and if I'm not with him, I'm with my friends. There has always been someone to fall back on, split costs, figure out confusing directions, share meals, and share my love for traveling with. I don't regret any of those experiences, but lately I've been feeling called to do it all alone. I truly believe that 2019 will be transformative for me. I hope that being outside of my comfort zone all by myself will challenge me and force to grow. I'll keep you all posted during that journey.
I want to feel vulnerable
Part of this goes hand-in-hand with my desire to travel alone. Another part of this is genuinely hoping to travel somewhere that is completely out of my element. While I was in Europe this past fall, I realized that I have never been to a country where I couldn't communicate. I spoke Chinese when I was in China. I spoke Spanish while I was in South and Central America. I spoke English while I was in Europe. Every single place I have been held a level of comfort and familiarity in language. While everyone should make an effort to learn some basic phrases in their destination's language, you can't be expected to know the language in every place you travel. As I've never subjected myself to that level of foreign-ness, I think it's about time I made myself uncomfortable, because it's in those moments that we grow.
Journaling is important
For nearly all of my trips prior to 2018, I kept a travel journal. At the end of my days, I would sit down and reflect, record, and process my experience. Sometime while I was living in Peru, I lost this practice. I stopped taking the time to internalize my adventures and it has changed the way I'm able to both remember and learn from them. While this blog is a form of recording those moments, I hardly ever write these posts on the days I live their content. In 2019, I aim to write not only with more frequency, but with more timeliness about my travels.
The perfect shot is not worth it
.While keeping this blog is important to me, doctoring content to match societal expectations is not. Over the past year, I've noticed myself be increasingly worried about getting "the perfect shot." I've staged photographs, had multiple takes, and spent hours editing lighting. Not only is it downright exhausting, it's also fake. All the time I spend trying to catch the sun perfectly glinting off of a lake in X country is time I could have spent actually watching the sunset. While I travel, I would much rather be present in the moment than to watch the moments pass through a camera lens. I'm sick of trying to impress my social media followers on my personal accounts with all of my adventures, when instead of actually living for the moment, I'm living for the photograph of the moment. To this end, I've decided to delete all of my personal social media apps. Going into 2019, I will be focusing on this blog only. All of the photos I share here are authentic snapshots of my travels. They are quick, candid photos that share the raw beauty of the world and people around us.
I've learned so much this past year, and I'm excited for you to join me on my journey through 2019. I can already tell it's going to be an amazing year.
Until Next Time,
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