Last summer, I went on a trip that I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve always wanted to travel more but always made excuses. “My finances won’t support that trip. I’m scared to go by myself.” Lucky for me, I saved enough money to go on my trip, and I had a special person who wanted to go with me. My heart and soul enjoys learning from others and using what I learn to better my life. Traveling gives me opportunities to learn from others. My trip last summer helped me learn more about myself and who I am meant to be.
Growing up, my parents took my sisters and I on family camping trips. Many times, our trips were to historical places such as Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, Bunker Hill in Massachusetts, and Mackinac Island in Michigan. Other times, we took weekend trips where we set up the popup camper, enjoyed nature, and made new friends. During my childhood, my family and I moved five different times. Although we kept the moves within two states, we still lived in five new areas. As an adult, I was given the opportunity to go away to school twice; once in a major city and once in the countryside. I recently moved out of the suburbs of Philadelphia and into a military city in North Carolina. I also recently was given opportunities to go to Atlanta, Georgia and Phoenix, Arizona for school conferences. My father comes from a large family where many of his siblings and cousins are spread throughout the entire United States. Last summer, our cousins held a family reunion in Wisconsin and since I was living in North Carolina at the time, I had an opportunity to take the trip I’ve always wanted to do.
What I’ve learned from traveling is that no matter how far I go or where I go, I have been given opportunities to learn from others who are unlike myself.
- In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, I learned that there are people who are willing to give up their lives for what they believe in.
- On Mackinac Island, Michigan, there are people who live on an island that forbids motorized vehicles. Their main mode of transportation is horse and buggy or bicycle.
- In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Fayetteville, North Carolina, people have a hard time seeing stars at night. However, in Dubois, Wyoming, people see billions of twinkling stars that seem close enough to touch.
- In Hayes Center, Nebraska, the local restaurant owner buys their hamburger beef from the cattle farm down the street.
- In McPherson, Kansas, people park on a slant.
- In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, there is a family who owns a pizza restaurant. The family runs a business in South Carolina and owns property in Greece. The family upholds their Greek ancestry by passing on their traditions to their children and grandchildren.
- In Chicago, Illinois, there were many radio stations. Wyoming had few.
Places are different in location and diverse in the way people live their lives, but each place and each person has beauty to share.
At ten years old, I was playing on a playground in a campground asking a girl where she was from. At 29 years old, I was attending a school conference when six of us went out to dinner, all got carded, and was asked by the waiter why we all had different state licenses. I have been given various opportunities to see and learn how people live. I use each opportunity to reflect on myself and see if I can use the information I learn to better myself. Then, I can give what I learn to the people whom I surround myself with.
This summer, I’ll be taking a longer trip similar to the trip I took last summer, and I can’t wait to see what I learn!