I think a lot of the authors I have read in class have changed
my perspective on travel and how I see myself as a traveler. I really enjoyed
reading the article that Iyer wrote because he discussed the importance of
visiting other places and why we do it. For example, Iyer states that “…the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new
places but in seeing with new eyes. Yet one of the subtler beauties of travel
is that it enables you to bring new eyes to the people you encounter” (Iyer 1).
This quote really stood out to me because he described the importance of going
to new places and seeing new things. I believe that seeing how other countries
live their everyday lives compared to America can be really eye opening some
times. I feel like in our country I am constantly and impatiently waiting to go
from one thing to the next. I have never actually visited another country, but
when I watch house hunters international I find myself wanting to go to every
place on that show. In house hunters, almost every person moving to another
country discusses how laid back and slow paced everything is there. I sometimes
wish America was not so fast paced, but I do realize how amazing our country is
and well off we are. Therefore, in my travels I really wish to just relax and
take in the culture day by day.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Journal 4
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Your desire to see through 'new eyes' is one that I think drives many of us to travel...
ReplyDeleteAbby,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that seeing how people in other countries live and operate can open your eyes and perspective. I agree with Kapuscinski when he says that traveling is not about the final destination but the journey of crossing borders and like you said entering a new world. I think that this is what makes traveling so interesting. We can travel to places in Europe and enter completely different cultures and a different lifestyle. Sometimes in America, we do not think how others live and instead are focused on the present instead of the amazing opportunities that lay in the future when we just relax and take our time.
First off I love the show House Hunters International. I also find myself wanting to travel to all of the places the show visits. They make it so interesting there and it does seem slow paced. I really do want to take in a new place day by day and just relax as well. I think that is the only way to travel when going to a tropical place. Relax and enjoy the weather along with the different food.
ReplyDeleteAbby,
ReplyDeleteIyer's quote about not necessarily seeing a new place but rather seeing the place with new eyes really speaks to me. I have never traveled over seas and so I like to marvel at the wonders in our own country with fresh perspective and an open mind. I have also been told by friends, and international students that the cultures in most foreign places is sower than ours. I see how this could be true as we are going one hundred miles per hour five days a week, twelve months a year. The demand that we feel, (that we honestly put on ourselves) is relentless. Wouldn't it be eye opening to see people enjoying their leisure time as opposed to working overtime?
If I could put an emoji in this comment, I would. It would be the one with the hands raised, the kind of amen-ish one. I would be using it to agree with how you described America, always rushing, hardly ever stopping to enjoy anything. Americans are so impatient all of the time that when you go to a different country, it is shocking how relaxed they are when it comes to time. When I went to London, I would be stressed out if I knew I was going to be five minutes late for my internship, but the lady I worked for would be a half hour late and not think a thing about it. Most of the travel I have done in the states has been in the air. But, the way you talk about driving through the different states to get to Maryland makes me want to drive the next time just to see all of the difference for myself.
ReplyDeleteI liked what you said about how crossing a border is like entering a new world, because that's how I see it. Just the experience of going to this new place that's so different from the place we come from is something I think everyone should experience at least once.
ReplyDeleteI liked what you said about how crossing a border is like entering a new world, because that's how I see it. Just the experience of going to this new place that's so different from the place we come from is something I think everyone should experience at least once.
ReplyDeleteTo my mind, to see through "new eyes" is crossing a border, and not necessarily a physical one. I think in order to truly see a place through "new eyes" means to overcome the metal border or mindset to be open to the ideas and customs of another culture. Furthermore, I feel, as Tiffany mentioned, it could be interpreted as seeing the same place through new eyes, which relates to the comments you made about seeing new cultures and reflecting differently upon your own. It would be interesting to travel to the same place twice at different times in life and see how perspective changes.
ReplyDeleteI also chose Iyers because the way he talks about traveling is to me is the best way. The way you talked about it in your journal you have great traveling experience. Getting to see how the locals live and do thing, and getting the full experience is what traveling is all about. It is not staying in your comfort zone its about changing that and living a different way while you are traveling.
ReplyDeleteAbby, the way you use quotes in your article is amazing. It helps clearly describe your reasoning for your thoughts. Boarders are amazing things, but the journey to those boarders is also fascinating. I love how you included house hunters in this. I watch that show all the time! The houses on there are sometimes amazing, but at the same time make me think about how good we already have it here. Great job on your article.
ReplyDelete