Over the summer, I had the opportunity to travel to London and Paris with my mom. We had been planning this trip for years, and she promised that after I graduated high school, we would go.
I have always been a dreamer. Being from a small town, I have always dreamed of faraway lands. I’ve dreamed of walking the streets of Paris, with a croissant and espresso in my hand. I’ve dreamed of touring the Pyramids of Egypt and I’ve dreamed of taking a ride through the Grand Canal of Venice.
This was my first time out of America, other than visiting Canada. I had always had this idea of what it would be like to see Europe. From the second I stepped off the plane at Heathrow Airport, I felt a vibe unlike that of America. People were politer than us Bostonians. Their streets all had markers reminding you to look both ways before crossing the road. People smiled at one another on the sidewalks, and used their manners with all customer service workers.
I ate my first true scone. I went to high tea. I toured the city and saw British history. As an American I often forget how young of a nation we are. I live near Plymouth Rock- one of the oldest settlements of America in 1620. I walked through Westminster which was established in 1040. It puts things into perspective how much of a bubble America really lives in. Our entire history is equivalent to one fourth of England’s.
Then I went to France. I heard the language, ate fresh croissants and macaroons and smelt the ashy air. I had heard that the French smoked far more than Americans. Their regulations are far less strict. It really was true. I sat in a café with my mother and both of our neighbors would be puffing in our direction. I did not however experience any stereotypical rudeness often associated with the French. I found that as long as you showed an effort to speak their language, they would be willing to help you. I stood beneath the Eiffel Tower, a crepe in hand and dreamt of everyone I’d always seen standing where I was. Paris had always felt like a luxurious place that the elite lived. Being there, I felt as though it was just another city. I loved it, but it was not as exquisite as I’d imagined. In the end I loved the London vibe more.
Through this one trip to London and Paris, I feel like I learned a lot. What I had always pictured these far off places to be, was not as different from America as I’d believed. I thought that I would go and my world would be turned upside down. I thought that the grass was greener on the other continents. I’d never been content staying stagnant, and I’m still not, but at least I got my feet moving more.
Travelling can open one’s mind to other cultures and traditions. It can broaden your horizons and see the world through another perspective. Where I am from in Northeastern Massachusetts, I’ve never bared witness to ‘southern hospitality.’ I’ve never eaten chicken and waffles. I’ve never bared witness to a purely impoverished community. I’ve never seen starvation and malnutrition that exists in third world nations. I’m not used to ‘southern hospitality.’ I live in an aggressive and impatient place. We are always on the go and angry at people who get in our way. It is easy to just observe other regions from afar. When you don’t experience or witness it yourself, you can just ignore what makes you uncomfortable or confused. Travelling to other places can enlighten you to what it truly happening in other societies. It becomes a reality as opposed to remaining a story or a stereotype.
America in and of itself offers so many attractions and opportunities. In 2 days you can drive from Maine to California. Being so large, we can go from coast to coast and experience so many different lifestyles. I feel as though we take it for granted that we don’t even need a passport to see the Grand Canyon, the Big Apple, the Rio Grande, icebergs, volcanoes, and Mount Rushmore. Americans don’t have to be so secluded in their towns. We don’t have to only imagine travelling to the faraway lands on other continents. It may be enough for some to stay within the 50 states.
I’m a firm believer that everyone should venture out of their hometown in their lifetime. We risk ignorant comfortability if we remain in one location our entire lives. Take a car ride to the next state over. It doesn’t have to cost that much to take a trip to the next state or at the very least, the nearest city. Every town, every city and every state has its own unique culture.
If you have the means, I strongly urge you to travel to another nation. Head north or south of the border if you want to remain in the continent, or if you can travel abroad.