When people ask me why I love traveling so much, I always answer with a shrug. It’s not that I don’t know why. It’s just that the answer is too big for me to convey through words…
How do I put all of my feelings into tiny words?
And how do I answer when my answer is constantly changing?
With every trip, I fall in love with somewhere else. With every trip, I leave a part of me somewhere but I also discover a new part of me.
The answer takes on so many shapes and forms. It’s the kind family that took me in when I visited Quetzaltenango and showed me generosity when they had little to begin with. It’s the child from Old Bagan, despite his upbringing, still smiles and carries hope for a better future, who taught me happiness and to have gratitude. It’s the meal in Ubud from a family restaurant that was prepared with fresh ingredients from their fields passed down through generations in the lush forest. It’s the sunlight during golden hour and the way it changes as it moves across the tree tops that make my heart flutter every single time.
It’s the fascination of being somewhere foreign, somewhere completely different from home. It’s the exhilarating feeling of covering new ground, getting lost and being found all at the same time.
I guess the heart of it is escaping the monotony of my day-to-day life. I hate being stuck in a cycle. Routine is convenient, it makes life simple, but it washes out excitement and curiosity. It makes me feel trapped when all I want to do is explore every corner of the world. It makes me crave adventure. I don’t want a life where I just live to make a living.
I want to live. In all definitions of the verb, I want to exist, be present, and be connected with time and space.
I want to meet my fellow human beings all around the world. I want to take part in their lives and invite them into mine. I want to see their culture and maybe, hopefully, show them mine too. The more I travel, the more I realize how similar we all are.
I travel to take away a new way of life. A new perspective. Refreshed eyes to a refreshed soul.
