Why we travel?

Outline

1. My travels
2. Why travel?
3. Why travel top 10
4. Why should young people travel?
5. Why don't Americans travel?
6. Self-imposed Isolation
7. Passports

My travels

I have traveled throughout most of the United States, on road trips. My boyfriend and I take a couple of road trips a year to explore the country on vacation. Some of our favorite drives are through the sandhills of Nebraska; we are attracted to the different experiences of culture, food and lifestyles that define and re-define what it means to be an American. We could be driving through Iowa to the State Fair or heading to Kansas City for their delicious dry rubbed barbecue, every state and their respective areas have so much to offer if we really just open our minds and hearts. From staying in Tennessee to indulge in the famous Tennessee hot chicken and devour Memphis styled barbeque, to delighting in the spoils of Nashville there is nothing like a good road trip. With a lot of patience and a little planning, it has been possible to visit the majority of the United States. Doing so has allowed me to experience the good of our country despite any negative perceptions and subsequently gain a greater appreciation of our country.

Outside of the United States, I have traveled to Ecuador to visit my family. When thinking of motivations behind this was to connect with my family and spend quality time together. When I traveled to Costa Rica I went for the purpose of learning the language and immersing myself in their culture. In 2015 and 2016 I traveled to Honduras on a humanitarian assignment distributing foods and other supplies to lower income communities that were unable to afford certain necessities. I am currently living in South Korea, traveling for my first time in the Eastern Hemisphere and I hope to increase my travel throughout Asia because there are so many elements of life that remind me that many humans have just as many similarities as differences, and ultimately traveling reinforces my belief that humankind is very interconnected.

Why travel?

Huberman initially romanticizes her expectations for her travels as “a chance to see novel things”, she embarks on her journey full of wonder and naivety and we see through the discourse of her writings a revelation that ultimately transforms her perspective on the world. Her encounters traveling on rickshaw, littering and the more severe molestation incident forced Huberman to see firsthand, specific cultural values that have significant influence in Huberman’s life.

 Huberman describes her eye-opening experiences and ensures to highlight the contrast between her ideals and Western societies’ ideals. Her closing statement “only from the outside can you look back in” further supports her newfound perspective on different cultures and the significance that traveling brought to her life. Her  experiences and obstacles brought a deeper understanding of the world and the cultural differences between her home in Maine and that of the countries she had visited.

Why travel top ten

 Of the ten lessons we reviewed, the top three that resonate with me are as follows:

Learning to accept and appreciate the differences between myself and different people is very important to me and is something I try and practice every day. Sometimes people can be very set in their ways and I find myself becoming rigid and headstrong with my beliefs. While this may be advantageous in some situations, I think it is important to recognize that people are in fact different and being accepting towards others can make for a better world.

Another lesson I find important that traveling offers is that it makes you more confident and independent, putting you in unexpected situations and uncomfortable scenarios ultimately help you understand your strength and bravery. Sometimes a language barrier will introduce uncertainty and confusion which is why it is so important to do the proper research before traveling to a foreign country. This is when sticking to your gut feeling and being confident will be the most useful resource. I have never traveled to another country on my own, but it is something I definitely want to delve more into and discover a new sense of independence.

The last reason that is most important to me are the stories you gain! Traveling can be exciting and looking back on the places you’ve been and the things you have seen is a wonderful thing to be shared. I hope when I am older I can share my stories with my family and inspire their sense of curiosity to this world. Ultimately, I hope to empower others with my stories.

Why should young people travel?

Peterson’s six reasons young people should travel include getting out of your comfort zone, building a sense of confidence, developing cultural sensitivity, adapting to globalization, being immersed in a different-language, and encountering infinite opportunities to network.

These are all great reasons Hannah Peterson provides to support her claim of young people traveling, not only does traveling offer people a more holistic view of the world, it can develop a sense of self and help an individual understand the world from a brand new perspective, opening doors of opportunity to impact the world in a positive manner.

Why don't Americans travel?

According to the CNN article from 2011, Americans don’t travel because they are “too comfortable in their own environment”. The United States of America has an abundance of cultural and geographic diversity that eliminates the need to obtain a passport and travel outside of the country.

Matthew Kepnes, an avid traveler, claims Americans are “skeptics and ignorant to experiencing different cultures”. Another reason this article claims Americans don’t travel is their commitment to working hard. Kepnes further supports this claim by explaining that the American culture of working hard throughout the entirety of their lives leads to a lack of life satisfaction. He further describes the different European countries that have leap years and the success it brings to those individuals who partake in taking a year off of work.

 In addition, this article claims cost and logistics to be a major factor as to why Americans don’t travel, however the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries argues that 30.3 million Americans who have traveled overseas for vacation in 2009 spent an average of $2,708 dollars each.

Self-imposed Isolation?

Each of us live in varying degrees of isolation from the rest of the world. This isolation is both happenstance and self-imposed. If we are born in an isolated part of the world with few opportunities to travel, we will likely lead an isolated existence. Self-imposed isolation occurs when have many opportunities to see other parts of the world but choose to spend our time and resources in one tiny area. We isolate ourselves because we are afraid or uncomfortable in other parts of the world.

The people I know that engage in self-imposed isolation live fairly simple lives. I would describe them as content and they appreciate what they have and feel they don’t need more. I think sometimes people can get caught up and preoccupied in trying to see every bit of the world when everything they have or want may be right in front of them.

Passports

Maps of passport ownership in US by state have been used in different ways.

 

 

In a U.S. Passports Ownership map from 2011, the distribution of passports showing over 60 percent are concentrated in California, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, and Alaska. That is 12 percent of states out of all fifty. Because this map is from nine years ago, this data is not as relevant today based off of the data reported on the U.S. Department of State’s website. For example, in FY2019 Alabama issued 139,053 passports, compared to the 45,354 that Alaska issued. This may be reflective of the growth of the middle class population being able to afford a passport and vacations.

 A common factor between the states with high passport ownership is higher cost of living and progressive attitudes. Passport ownership first and foremost indicates a want or need to travel. It indicates an individual having enough money to buy a plane ticket and afford the extraneous expenses that accompany travel. It may also indicate an individual’s attempt to be more open minded to other aspects of foreign cultures  

 

References:

Avon, Natalie. “Why More Americans Don't Travel Abroad.” CNN, Cable News Network, 4 Feb. 2011, edition.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/02/04/americans.travel.domestically/index.html.

ChartsBin statistics collector team 2011, How Many Americans Own Passport? The Percentages, State  by State, ChartsBin.com, viewed 24th January, 2020, <http://chartsbin.com/view/1147>.

Eurama. “Top 10 Benefits of Travelling - Learn Why Travelling Is Good for You.” Eurama, 10 Feb.2017, maps.dsc.unomaha.edu/Peterson/travel20/Assignments/travel/Top_10_benefits.html.

Huberman, Amy. “Why Travel?” Transitions Abroad Magazine May/June 2000 Vol. XXIII, No. 6, maps.dsc.unomaha.edu/Peterson/travel20/Assignments/travel/Huberman.html.

U.S Department of State. “Reports and Statistics: Passport Issuance by State or Territory by Fiscal Year.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/about-us/reports-and-statistics.html.

 

Submitted by Suzanne Lopez  on Jan 24 2020.