Traveling #10

   Besides the obvious lessons I learned such as not answering a phone at security or not arriving at the airport 20 minutes before boarding time, traveling abroad has taught me a lot and influenced my life in many ways. I learned to appreciate what I have when I traveled to India and Costa Rica, their appreciation for what they have made me realize how much I value material goods. Travelling also helped me understand that a smile really is something everybody knows whether or not they speak your language.

   There are millions of people in this world who don't know where their next meal is coming from or where they will sleep at night or have any hope of a happy future. I realized that many of us rely on material goods to give us our happiness. It made me realize the value of simple gifts in my life. Going to India and watching men and children play cricket with wooden sticks and balls with genuine smiles on their faces made me think of the value of material goods in my life. Another eye-opening experience for me was visiting our sister school in Costa Rica and giving them school supplies. It made me understand that we take so many things for granted. If I lose a pencil, it doesn’t affect me. I know I can go and buy new ones. For the students in Costa Rica, it is not always that simple and they learn to appreciate what they have. Visiting the school, I learned to let go and stop harping about things like homework, long lines, and a lack of things I thought I needed to have in order to be happy. I now know that I should appreciate what I have and not rely on material goods to bring me happiness.

   I found that cultural divides are definitely not unyielding. I was proud to show that I could truly communicate through a smile or a kind gesture. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, what language you speak. We all laugh, cry, hug, and smile over the same things. I found out in Denmark how influential a smile really can be in making new friends across the globe. I am clueless about soccer, and apparently I wasn’t the only one in Denmark. A smile and a few hesitantly spoken words on the side of the red carpet for the Portuguese soccer team helped me make a new friend. We bonded over our mutual confusion of soccer and her telling me about her life in Denmark. We never ended up seeing each other again but I always remember that a smile was what ended up saving me from two hours of boredom.

   Travel is something that I gained valuable life lessons and new outlooks on life from. I have learned to value simple gifts and the family I have. Travelling taught me to smile more at home and abroad. Smiles have helped me make new friends and occasionally make someone’s day a little brighter. All of my travel experiences have had a profound effect on my views of myself and the world in which I live.