Why do I travel?
I will never forget the night I stepped foot on French soil for the first time. I had just spent a relaxing two and a half hours in my Eurostar cabin and was still feeling some wine-induced lethargy. After a splendid excursion through London, I thought to myself, “Man, there’s nothing to this travel thing. It’s just like home.”
Boy, was I in for a rude awakening when I exited the train onto the platform of the Gare du Nord!
I’m not sure what time it was. All I know is it was sometime after dark. The mind plays odd tricks when the sun averts its gaze. Everything around me seemed extra-foreign! There was a macabre sensation gripping me as I gazed up at the ribbed-roof which resembled the ribs of a skeleton and the bare concrete pillars and walls which looked all-the-more decrepit in the dim light.
The cold November weather in the open pavilion further assaulted my sense of security. I felt like I was in Wonderland, where up was down and in was out and nothing was familiar. There was a brief sense of relief when I saw a blue digital sign beckoning my attention. I knew I needed to find the connecting train to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy. From afar, the sign looked like any other you would use to guide your travel in an American airport. To my chagrin, I realized it was not my salvation at all. Everything was in French!
I should have known, of course. I spent at least some of the train ride studying basic French words and sentences. I didn’t want to be “that American.” You know, the stereotypical, flag-toting, I-reek-of-superiority-because-I’m-American-so-cater-to-me type. But, all of a sudden, my anxiety boiled over and, for the life of me, I could not find my ticket stubs. Everything I had done to prepare myself flew out the window. I was in the throes of a panic attack when I saw an attendant nearby. I hastened over and tried to recall any of those French words I had memorized.
They were all gone. My tongue felt like lead and he just stood there in his blue uniform staring at me.
“Par…” Um….Oh, gosh! How on Earth do I speak to him? What do I say? I’m going to miss my train! It was something with a “P.” “Parlez…” No, that’s not it.
“ENGLISH???”
I blurted out only the single word. All at once, I sensed the collective gaze of every person on that platform, followed by the synchronous sigh of disapproval. In a moment, I became “that American.”
Great.
Well, it ended up working out for the best. The man was extremely kind and understanding. I cannot express how grateful I am that he was a genuinely nice person who truly wanted to help, regardless of how rude I must have sounded. Instead of turning a disapproving shoulder to me, he welcomed me as a friend and, beyond directing me to my train, he actually offered me a bit of advice to ease my travels thereafter.
He told me how to ask if someone spoke English (“parlez vous Anglais”), say I do not speak French (“je ne parle pas Français”), tell someone I’m lost and need help (“je suit perdu, aidez-moi”), and inform someone where I was going (“je vais à Disneyland”). Sadly, I do not remember this kind gentleman’s name. That level of travel was not something I was ready for at the time.
Though, I really wish I did catch his name. His generosity exemplified the best of humanity. The universal language is kindness, something that is so often ignored. In our fast-paced society (especially in the United States), more people are worried about the result rather than the journey. Whether it is the destination, the goal, or the amount of money earned, everyone is so focused on achieving something quickly and efficiently that we forget to simply open our hearts in the service of others.
I have told parts of this story many times over the years but it wasn’t until I sat down to write this post that I realized how much it impacted my worldview. The unabashed affection of this nameless stranger changed the way I traveled over the subsequent 5 years. Most importantly, it changed the way I lived.
So, the answer to the question I posed at the top of this post is simple. Why do I travel?
I travel to spread unabashed affection to the nameless stranger. In that, I live better and help others do the same.
Below, I want to touch on some of my favorite things about travel. I have found that traveling helps me give the world the best version of myself. It is only when we give the best version of ourselves to others that we can truly make a positive difference in the world.
Read on and find your best version.
History
This one really goes without saying. History is literally all around us, and you don’t have to travel to find it. Taking a look around my living room, I see a gray couch, an antique wooden church pew, framed photographs scattered across the walls, and a German cuckoo clock hanging near the front door. The church pew and the clock clearly possess storied pasts. Throw a metaphorical pebble across Google lake and watch the ripples of information explode. What about the couch?
Well, other than Wikipedia, most of my search results had to do with purchasing the plush centerpiece of many American homes. I did a bit of scrolling until I found an interesting blog entry called “The History of the Sofa.” I was a bit disheartened to find that the post is an aspect of a larger furniture-selling brand. Regardless, Salt Creek Home Furniture opened my eyes to the intriguing etymological evolution of the term—reportedly, the Greek term “kline” (meaning “to lean” or “to recline”) is one of the earliest derivations of the term couch. The term is also attributed to the French word “coucher” but it is from an ancient Arabic word for “cushion” that we got the term “sofa,” which is what became its customary monicker as popularity boomed in the 18th century and people behaved more informally.
Pretty cool, huh?
I say that as my daughter’s eyes glaze over with my fascinating retelling of my newfound knowledge. To spur her interest, I need something dazzling, something ostentatious, something larger than life. A couch or a clock or a wooden bench simply will not do.
Travel provides the perfect solution. And you don’t have to be an Archaeology or Architectural Studies major to enjoy the story when you’re actually standing in it. That’s the thing about immersive experiences. They are engaging and enlivening. The city seems to be brimming with life as every street, every building, and every lamp post tells a unique story about the given culture.
My favorite place to travel, by far, is Europe. I was fortunate to live in Germany for a bit over 2 years, during which time I checked off 24 countries. (If you take a look at our “About Us” page, you can see our map down at the bottom.) Before moving to Europe, the only other country I had seen was Mexico. The significance of visiting Mexico was lost due to the combined effect of my youth (it was sometime before high school) and how it being our next-door neighbor only a 2-hour drive away seemed to dampen its foreign-ness.
In my late-20s and well-established in my chosen career field, I embraced my new residence from a much more mature perspective. (In hindsight, possibly too mature. Toward the end of my time there, thanks to Amanda and Sarah, I started to have more fun and was much more cavalier in my travels.) Perhaps a result of me living there and being a part of the community, I felt like I was a part of the stories surrounding me, not just an onlooker or passerby.
As I grew more accustomed to bridging language gaps and found a degree of comfort with uncertainty, I started seeing how history shaped much more than the expansive bridges, picturesque buildings, and immaculate cathedrals. The history was in the people. Ages and ages of world events transformed the cultures of each country (and even each city or village) into a mesmerizing tapestry of social harmony.
The way sheep cheese is rendered in Tuscany, how clocks are intricately carved in the Black Forest, the process of allowing beer to be “spontaneously fermented” in Belgium, and the leisurely practice of dining on Khachapuri in Georgia are all marks of historical influence. History is literally infused in every single aspect of a European experience.
The same can be said about anywhere in the world. What they all have in common is travel. Travel gives us the means to be immersed in this spectacular display of the human journey.
Food
I touched on this one a bit while pining over the “good ol’ days.” Food is a language, art, and story all on its own. I plan on doing various posts about traditional (and not-so-traditional) cuisine in select countries as my blog grows. But let’s leave that for another time. For now, generalities will have to suffice.
That really is the best way to start when it comes to the food you’ll encounter while traveling. There are simply so many options. So many unique dishes. So many peculiar combinations. And so many different takes on the same entree. Take goulash, a dish Sarah Copeland adeptly calls the "World’s Most Famous Stew." You can get this savory meat stew virtually anywhere in Europe (even in many American restaurants, for that matter).
While the basic elements are the same, the details vary drastically from the peppers, carrots, potatoes, and heavy doses of paprika in your typical Hungarian Goulash to the simpler Český Guláš served in Czech which relies on fewer ingredients and is accompanied by houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings). American goulash, on the other hand, has been also called American Chop Suey as it is often more tomato-based and served with macaroni noodles.
This was the first example that came to mind but the list is endless. I absolutely love speaking (as best as possible) to the waitpeople at restaurants around the world and learning the intricacies of whatever particular dish I ordered. It is truly fascinating to hear their take on the local food. It gives me an intimate glimpse into the culture, as so many people take great pride in the food they serve, especially those that are steeped in tradition.
Then comes the fun of discerning fact from folklore!
You can learn a lot about a place just by what is on the menu.
Often, I let my food selection rely on the recommendations of the waiter. At times (when I can’t read anything on the menu), I even go so far as to randomly point at something on the menu and cross my fingers. The experience is remarkable. The only time I didn’t finish my dish and can wholeheartedly say I will never eat it again was the slab of raw herring in Volendam.
We have a set of children’s books called Disney’s Small World Library. They are no longer produced but you can find them used on eBay and Etsy. Amanda painstakingly pieced our collection together.
Everywhere we go, we take that country’s book with us and read it as Sarah’s bedtime story. The plot follows a Disney character through an adventure in a given country. The Netherlands book follows Donald through a handful of escapades, including indulging in the national delicacy.
Yup, you guess it…raw herring! Oh, don’t worry it comes with raw onions and pickles.
As Tom Coggins says, “raw herring is an acquired taste…definitely not for everyone.” The history (there it is again!) of the dish is intriguing, however. You can learn all about that over at Culture Trip.
That is the beauty of food and travel. You win some and you lose some. But if you truly want an adventure, food provides the perfect platform to do so. I mean, we all have to eat! Might as well make it interesting. As we dig deeper into some of these topics, I will give you my take on the pièce de résistance and the faux pas I’ve come across. Regardless of the review, the experience is what makes the difference.
An open mind satisfies any appetite.
Final Thoughts
Since there is simply too much to talk about in a single post, I’m going to turn the “Why I travel” concept into an enduring series. The posts won’t be consecutive, rather dispersed throughout the year, so keep your eyes peeled.
This week, Amanda and I formalized our schedule for the year. We plan on blogging every other week. It may shift here and there. You know, an extra post when the inspiration strikes and time allows, or skipping a week while we are road tripping to Florida in May. I will be sure to let you know what to expect in upcoming posts.
Follow us of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I typically post something daily. Our website is another great place to find information. Please sign up as a member and get involved in the Travel Forum and Groups. We want to hear from you and we encourage you to talk to each other and share ideas.
We are truly passionate about travel in my household. I cannot wait to share many more stories with you along the way. Traveling, for me, is all about growth. The story I told you at the beginning is just one of many encounters Amanda and I have experienced. The communal style of eating in Europe puts you in close proximity to strangers (this was before COVID but I’m confident it will return). This has been the catalyst to many interesting conversations where we learned much more about the place we were visiting than if we had just read a guidebook.
Many times Sarah was given toys or treats by smiling strangers who simply wanted to bring us joy. This is something you’ll see when abroad. While this may seem somewhat creepy in America, many cultures are genuinely kind and this behavior is refreshingly commonplace. Travel gives us a broader, more accepting outlook of the world and the people who live in it. More times than not, the nameless stranger is just like you and me. They are people who want to find happiness and share it with others. I travel to engage with the nameless stranger because, if you think about it, to everyone else, I am the nameless stranger.
Next time, I will be reviewing the “Side Hustle Challenge” hosted by Location Indie. It is a 7-Day event focused on helping you optimize your skills to build a successful side hustle into a profitable location-independent business. I have been listening to the Jason Moore’s ZerotoTravel Podcast almost every day since I found it in October and the concept of location independence resonates with my goals and the stories Jason shares are riveting. I encourage you to check it out if you want inspiration. I cannot tell you how excited I am to start the challenge. Follow the link above to sign up for only $27.
On to the NExT Chapter! Happy Travels!
-Michael
~"Change the world one nameless stranger at a time."~
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