Personally, I never gave much thought to travel before I had done it. Sure, I've found my way across the country and through my fair share of states, but it never seemed like a life-changing experience. This all changed, however, when I finally ventured out of the country.
We had been planning our family vacation to Turks and Caicos for many months, and it felt like eternity until the morning finally came. I woke up at 4:30 a.m, made my way to the airport, and off we went. Little did I know how different I would feel, or how differently I would look at the world on my way back.
Let me get this clear—as an American, living in the state of Wisconsin, I don't have the chance to engage with many international events. The news has it's fair share of information, but nothing seemed real. It almost felt like I lived on an isolated island.
Visiting Turks and Caicos was amazing; I found myself at the beach, laying in the sun (with a safe amount of 100 SPF sunscreen), listening to the different languages that surrounded me. I recognized French, the second most popular language next to English, and couldn't help to think about how much diversity I lacked to be surrounded with. At the beach, I heard languages I've never even heard before, and couldn't help but feel like I was missing out. There are so many things, so many people, so many languages, I can't help but feel limited by only knowing minimal.
Turks and Caicos also allowed me to see happiness in a new way. As I traveled around the island in a local rental van, I saw the lack of materialistic items. I was expecting this, from a country that mainly made an income from tourism, but I couldn't help but be surprised. The locals I met were the nicest, happiest, and care-free people I've ever met. Driving in the small neighborhoods drastically contrasted the beautiful resorts, though the people who lived in the houses waved. The restaurant servers had the most beautiful smiles. This is something I've taken from Turks; the happiest people are often the least materialistic.
Another thing I pondered was how much patience the locals had to retain. My mother, being the typical, oblivious driver she is, struggled with the feat of driving on the opposite side of the road. She cut in front of a car, almost causing an accident, though the driver still let her proceed in driving across his path. Compared to American driving, people are definitely not this friendly. Believe it or not, the local man even waved and smiled at us. To say the least, I was in complete shock. If we had been in Chicago, my mother would've been met with a middle finger... or two.
Traveling is a necessity when it comes to appreciating the way you live, but also learning about other cultures throughout this world. There are so many people in this world I'll never know, and so many places I'll never see. However, it is my plan to limit the oblivion as much as possible; this world is far to extravagant to spend my days in good 'ole Wisconsin.
