Folium: What America Feels Like After 7 Months Of Foreign Adventure via Gizmodo
Folium: What America Feels Like After 7 Months Of Foreign Adventure via Gizmodo
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Connect
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Local Gas Station?
This life is filled with many types of opportunities. We seek ways to open our minds and let our eyes see and our ears hear new and interesting experiences. These opportunities will present themselves at some point in our lives and when they do, we need to seize those moments and go on life changing adventures. Carpe diem right?
Those who have grown up in the United States and have never traveled outside of the U.S. don’t know what they’re missing. But those who have taken long flights to reach a distinct destination, know the struggle of living outside of the U.S. It wasn’t until I left the country that I was able to open my eyes more fully to what goes on outside of our city streets.
“Now I’m back in LA – and man, this place is weird.” – Chris Brinlee Jr. via Gizmodo
There is always that somebody who has traveled all over the place and always says they can’t quite describe what they saw or what it was like in another country, other than the fact that it was way different from the United States. We are privileged the live in a free country. There are many who are much less fortunate than we are, and those who may be more fortunate than we are.
Lunch time?
We are used to this American lifestyle. There aren’t many disruptions in our lives. We study, or work, or both. But for me at least, I never have to wonder where the next meal is going to come from or how I am going to see my family if I have to go to work far away in order to make money. Coming back to America was a huge culture shock for me. The day after I got home, I walked into a local mall and just about dropped to the floor. I cannot even begin to describe how I felt the day I took a hot shower for the first time in a year and a half.
“Nothing has changed, but it feels so strange. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Everything looks the same, but it feels different.” … “Nothing has changed, except me.” – Chris Brinlee Jr. via Gizmodo
Chris, in his article, isn’t exaggerating when he says “Now I’m back in LA – and man, this place is weird.” He mentions that our “first world problems” aren’t real problems. Because let’s be real, when you walk to your favorite cafe on the corner and their wifi is out, you just need to get over it. We take advantage of so much here, and we don’t fully understand what we have until it’s gone.
“Having a dead phone battery, running out of gas, or even losing my camera and computer doesn’t really bother me anymore. Having those “problems” is just a reminder of how good I’ve got it.” – Chris Brinlee Jr. via Gizmodo
I truly believe that travel makes us better people. If we stay in one spot our whole lives and never expand out of our little bubble, we will never get to know the struggles that others may face so that our lives can be the way they are. When we come to the realization that life here in the U.S. is so much different than it is in South America, Africa, or Asia we will become more grateful for what we have. After traveling abroad, I dare you to come back and tell me that not having wifi in your favorite cafe is still shocking. Dare to push yourself out of the U.S. borders to explore a world with a more defined purpose.
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(ed. Video is not from the Gizmodo article, but related nonetheless…)
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Julie Martin
LEAF Editor & Contributor
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