Traveling

After my recent trip to Japan, I've discovered that I actually like traveling a lot. I used to be indifferent to travel because of the complex logistical details, cost, and other unpredictable hassles involved. Now I realize that I learn and grow at an accelerated pace when in a totally new and different country, with interesting cultures, communities, and people. Observing how a city operates, how people relate to each other, how businesses are run, all of those details are incredibly interesting. And then meeting the people, trying to understand their attitudes, ideas, and opinions, it is all a pleasant surprise and exciting change of pace. And then finally trying to live in the new location, learning how to be proper, how to communicate, how to navigate, how to have fun, all involve aspects of living that are usually inactive when at home.

Traveling not only increases knowledge and experience with a new location and culture, but it instills an awareness of the nature of the world, how much activity is happening all over it, how the various parts are connected, and how one may fit into it as an individual. Many times one may feel insignificant, his problems trivial, his attitudes and opinions unfounded, his way of life needing adjustment. It's fascinating.