One of my favorite movies, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, has a quote that I always keep in the back of my mind. It says, “To see the world, things dangerous to come, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” The movie is about a man who spends a majority of his time daydreaming about life rather than living it out. Eventually, he takes off on an adventure around the world, where he finds his true self and gains the confidence to do the things he always wished he had the courage to achieve.
This movie and quote will always hold a special place in my heart, because it showcases what exploring the world can do for a person. Ever since I was a young girl, travel has played a key role in my life. My parents always encouraged me to take every opportunity to experience something new. They loved taking my sister and me to different places throughout the country, because they knew travel was the best way for us to learn.
Having grown up and reflecting back on my childhood, this idea of travel resonated with me. If there has been one constant in my life, it has been my desire to expose myself to what this planet has to offer. It has translated into both my International Studies and French majors, and I hope to continue incorporating it after my time as an undergraduate. In all honesty, if I could put my life on hold and pull an Eat. Pray. Love. to take time for myself to go see the world, I would in a heartbeat. Visiting a different state or country opens so many doors for you as an individual. While playing tourist and getting to see the sites is an experience in itself, there is nothing I love quite like getting to participate firsthand in the culture of a new country.
This past May I had the opportunity to spend a month in Tours, France, studying French at an international school located in town. I stayed with a host family and got to visit various cities throughout the Loire Valley. I am currently going on my eighth year of French, and I don’t think I ever learned as much as I did during that quick 4-week stay.
By being exposed to the culture through schooling, living with a host family, and becoming a resident of Tours, I got a true taste for what life was like in France. This is why I love traveling. It puts into perspective not only your own culture, but it showcases how truly unique and vast our world is.
I encourage you to take every chance you get to see the world. I have this hunger to continue traveling, because I feel like I can be the best version of myself when I experience something new. I am open to trying anything and everything; I meet people I never would have met otherwise, and I get to learn something along the way. If you are on a college campus, get to know the international students.
They have amazing stories to tell and you can learn so much by just sitting down with them and hearing what they have to say. Learn about different cultures and discover how they impact our world. Do whatever you can to get out of your hometown and/or college campus bubble to create adventures for yourself. In the meantime, I will be off taking every chance I get to see this beautiful place we live in.
