Is it a small world after all? With seven continents, Five oceans, and at least 195 recognized sovereign states according to the UN, small isn't the word I would use to describe it. Our world is ever-changing and ever-growing. With every breath we take, life happens, changes and moves on. Yet with this amazing statistics of how big our world is, you would think many would jump to explore it. And, yes, traveling to explore new places has become an essential part of our culture for many generations. It is a right of passage, curiosity, or even necessity.
With the accessibility to all parts of the world, thanks to technology, today it's become very easy to travel, or even to keep in touch with people and events in all parts of the world. You could be face-timing in New York to a friend in Hawaii. Or in Wisconsin skyping a friend in India. You can even be in Rhode island watching a Snap of Kim K in Paris! There are many reasons to travel and explore our world, yet only about 42% of Americans have valid passports.
In our current generation, a relatively small percentage of young adults have "traveled the world." But, all these numbers and statistics depend on how you define the idea of travel. It could be going from one country to another, or state to state, and even continent to continent. Do you travel just to reach a destination or are you traveling to explore an area? I personally believe that many people seem to get stuck on the idea that traveling means you have to leave the country to go somewhere foreign and great. Some people are lucky enough to have the opportunity to study abroad through school programs in many different, interesting countries. And, many believe this is the only way to be able to see the world. If you live in America, you generally wouldn't study abroad in California and count that as your amazing, tell-all experience. Getting to visit places like Paris, Italy, and Spain are adventures of a lifetime that anyone would be lucky to experience. But, not all have the means to jet off to these places.
In our current times, we try to show off our traveling if we feel society has said it is worthwhile. We tend to have conversation with other travelers, trying to outdo each other with the distances we have gone. This is as similar as comparing Apple products to Samsung products. We are forgetting the real reason why we travel in the first place. It's not for the Instagram pictures or to be able to check in on your status on Facebook. I still don't think the small world ride was completely wrong. Maybe we can't see the whole world in a boat in three minutes, but no matter where you go this world, you will find it can be a world of cheer and a world of hopes and so on. Out of the words of the famous double-life pop princess, Hannah Montana, or Miley if you prefer it, "Ain't about how fast I get there, Ain't about what's waiting on the other side,It's the climb..."
It doesn't matter where you go, what matters is what you take away from your adventure. Traveling is for the journey, to get to see something new, to experience something that is foreign to you. It is for the memories of an amazing time that you can cherish forever. You can have these feelings anywhere as long as you have the positive and determined attitude to make it happen. You can save up for years to visit London or spend twenty dollars at Splish Splash. It's all about your attitude and your feelings toward the trip.There are many ways to have this experience without an eight-hour plane ride. You can drive across country with your friends to see a new site. You can go exploring with family around a town unfamiliar to you. Its all about enjoying your time and letting the world surprise you. As they say in Up, "Adventure is out there." So, there is always a way to experience it, no matter the distance or where you are in the world. It's what you do with your life that makes your travels worthwhile.
