I want to travel.

[Mordecai]

I want to travel. I want to go everywhere.

I'm shackled to a town in highschool for now.
After college, I'm off.

I'm going to just drive and see where it takes me.
I'm going to forge memories without even realizing it.
I want to look back and feel as though I fulfilled some unspoken goal in life.
I want to remember the things I haven't seen and experienced.
I want to take friends,
and I want them to go on adventures with me.
I want to end up in the middle of nowhere launching fireworks into the night sky.
I want to wake up and drive to a diner and have pancakes in a town I don't know the name of.
I want to travel the world
I want to see caves with homes carved into the walls
I want to see a viking funeral pyre launched into a lake in the middle of the night.
I want to experience everything I can,
and I want to look back on those events.

I don't even know where I'm going with this, or why I chose to post it here.

Whatever.

 

[Teffnology]

Have you read/seen Into The Wild?

Learning a few card games makes traveling a fun bonding experience. Gin Rummy is a good one.

I vote for Alaska.

 

[Frankie]

There are AROUND THE WORLD tickets. I'm yet to fully explore this but it sounds really good.
I love to imagine that I love travelling but I don't know how it'll actually be - bonding with people and trying to have fun.
I like to think I like Venice tho.

 

[Helvete]

Go travelling, as soon a you can, while you don't have any commitments. I am travelling now, south east Asia and then Australia. Today I met some French travellers in Hanoi who have been travelling for a year already; they told me they started in central America, they are loving it. It was cool making similar friends I will never see again.
Most of my trip isn't planned, I don't know what's around the bend, the wonder of unexpected new experiences.

Don't take too much stuff. I was wary of this and tried to pack light, I still took too much stuff...

Don't go with dumb people. There are times I wish I was on my own.
although the SJ's are good at getting shit done, they do make some awfully bad decisions.

Now be free, little bird!

 

[onesteptwostep]

You go read Alain de Botton's The Art of Travel

I really want to go to Bolivia myself.. those salt flats look amazing.

And there's this small island off to the east of Madagascar (republic of Mauritius) which calls out to me:

 

[SpaceYeti]

Too bad. Stay home.

 

[Architect]

Travel, like graduate school, is something I heartily recommend to everybody so that they can learn the perfect uselessness of it. Ideally you do it on somebody else's dime too. in my case I got a free ride through grad school, and had a company send me around the world, but generous parents or a rich uncle work too. In absence of either the Military will sometimes give you both in one package.

 

[Yellow]

I want to travel. I want to go everywhere.

I'm shackled to a town in highschool for now.
After college, I'm off.

I'm going to just drive and see where it takes me.
I'm going to forge memories without even realizing it.
I want to look back and feel as though I fulfilled some unspoken goal in life.

Traveling is great. I think that every time you expose yourself to a new culture or vastly different experience, it adds a little to who you are. I would advise you, though, if you want new experiences and memories and fulfillment, don't write off things that seem mundane. After all, everywhere you may go will seem boring to the people who live there.

So in the meantime, have some adventures in your local area. Go on 1-12 hour road trips and explore. It'll be good practice for when you are ready to travel.

Don't go with dumb people. There are times I wish I was on my own.
although the SJ's are good at getting shit done, they do make some awfully bad decisions.

I have always regretted going with people on trips, so I usually travel alone. Even the best people make it impossible to go at your own pace (which is a big part of the experience for me). But it's more than that. I don't quite know how to word it. Even if your travel companions are your perfect match in preferences and adventurousness, they form a cultural bubble around you. They filter and soften your exposure to the strangeness and the sameness you will encounter. When you see the world alone, it's just you, and that's such a beautiful thing.

On the other hand, I would highly recommend making friends while traveling.

 

[r4ch3l]

Travel, like graduate school, is something I heartily recommend to everybody so that they can learn the perfect uselessness of it. Ideally you do it on somebody else's dime too. in my case I got a free ride through grad school, and had a company send me around the world, but generous parents or a rich uncle work too. In absence of either the Military will sometimes give you both in one package.

This is how my dad feels. He was in the military and then became a top international fly and fix guy in the 80s. Once he had kids and a house he hated traveling and just wanted to enjoy his setup and routine. But, as you say, it's a result of having experienced so much of it. He doesn't have the grass-is-always-greener mentality that many people do.

I think that there's an unstructured type of travel that can be beneficial to young people who haven't had the opportunities you listed. The type where you go alone or with a close friend and take time out to just experience life without an agenda, evolve away from your usual influences/environment, and think about what is important to you and what you'd like to do or be next. When I was 23 I impulsively got on a plane to Barcelona with just over 2 grand in my bank account. I couchsurfed, worked random jobs helping people with computers and cleaning when I ran out of money, and ate three dollar falafels pretty much every day. Sometimes it was fun and sometimes it was hard. Overall it was a great experience because it forced me to interact with people and the world around me and to work with life as it actually is in any given moment. I don't think I'll have or would want to have an experience like that again. But I'm so glad that I did.

 

[Architect]

This is how my dad feels. He was in the military and then became a top international fly and fix guy in the 80s. Once he had kids and a house he hated traveling and just wanted to enjoy his setup and routine. But, as you say, it's a result of having experienced so much of it. He doesn't have the grass-is-always-greener mentality that many people do.

Yeah, lots of free travel to foreign places on the company dime will do that. I used to take driving trips into Paris on those long German weekends, all free. Had my wife with me for a few trips too. We might go back to Paris some day, but it does teach you that there usually isn't different from here, substantially.

I think that there's an unstructured type of travel that can be beneficial to young people who haven't had the opportunities you listed.

Actually that was the point I tried to make, not clearly enough. You can't learn some lessons until you go through them, and the lesson itself has worth, even though the end result doesn't.

 

[Analyzer]

I think a benefit of travel especially for Americans, is that exposes yourself to the outside world. Out of all people it seems people in the US have the most pride(exceptionalism) and narrow-mindedness when it comes to other places - at least in the developed world. There's a lot out there and these imaginary lines around the world are pretty arbitrary. The idea of having passports while important, is hilarious. What would aliens think of border patrols, customs, and these other immigration restrictions?

Why stick to one place? There is a financial reason as well. Many people talk about diversification of their portfolio but everything is stuck to the geographical boundary of the nation state they reside in. Doesn't seem like true "diversification".

 

[crippli]

I travel alone. I often come across others from the same country that travel in flock. They eat, drink and believe they are traveling. In reality they stay as closed off that they might as well have stayed at home.

There are tourists and there are travelers.

 

[Analyzer]

I travel alone. I often come across others from the same country that travel in flock. They eat, drink and believe they are traveling. In reality they stay as closed off that they might as well have stayed at home.

There are tourists and there are travelers.

Yeah good point. There's a peculiar Se trend that I have been noticing as well. This has gained steam because of social media I think. You find some folks who go somewhere just to say they went there or to take a picture showing they were there. I know a girl who's friend works in the airlines, gets buddy passes and sometimes she goes to places for a day or two for this very reason. Immersing yourself in the culture is important however it's done to truly experience what it means to travel.

 

[Architect]

I think a benefit of travel especially for Americans, is that exposes yourself to the outside world. Out of all people it seems people in the US have the most pride(exceptionalism) and narrow-mindedness when it comes to other places

That's a trope that I disagree with. Instead I'd say Americans have the biggest foreign inferiority complex in the world. We kicked out the Brits, declared independence and ever since fall all over ourselves when some foreign dignitary visits (or we visit elsewhere).

Best way to get ahead in America? Put on a British accent and drink tea. Works every time. Americans are plenty aware of other countries, hell we're made up of them all. We just feel bad about being the jesus of cool.

 

[Analyzer]

That's a trope that I disagree with. Instead I'd say Americans have the biggest foreign inferiority complex in the world. We kicked out the Brits, declared independence and ever since fall all over ourselves when some foreign dignitary visits (or we visit elsewhere).

Best way to get ahead in America? Put on a British accent and drink tea. Works every time. Americans are plenty aware of other countries, hell we're made up of them all. We just feel bad about being the jesus of cool.

I think this is more apparent in more cosmopolitan places like LA, SF, Miami, or New York areas. In general California is probably one of the most sophisticated areas in the world I would say. This meaning having a lot of progressive ideas and establishing trends. American excpetionalism is still very real in the South and scattered across in other places. This stems from a narrow-minded worldview.

 

[Architect]

I think this is more apparent in more cosmopolitan places like LA, SF, Miami, or New York areas. In general California is probably one of the most sophisticated areas in the world I would say. This meaning having a lot of progressive ideas and establishing trends. American excpetionalism is still very real in the South and scattered across in other places. This stems from a narrow-minded worldview.

America is the only country with rednecks?

 

[Analyzer]

America is the only country with rednecks?

No but the only ones that think their nation is better or special than other developed places that I am aware of. Most rednecks in other places(S. America, Australia) while ignorant could care less what the country they live in do, and are aware and annoyed at the problems they may cause. A lot of rednecks and other simple-minded people in the US(which make up probably half or more) join the military and think spreading democracy around the world with a gun is what their suppose to do. They believe America is exceptional. I don't know many other places where this is prevalent considering the influence of American culture on the rest of the world. These folks are the laughing stock of the world and I think would benefit from traveling.

 

[Ex-User (11125)]

No but the only ones that think their nation is better or special than other developed places that I am aware of. Most rednecks in other places(S. America, Australia) while ignorant could care less what the country they live in do, and are aware and annoyed at the problems they may cause. A lot of rednecks and other simple-minded people in the US(which make up probably half or more) join the military and think spreading democracy around the world with a gun is what their suppose to do. They believe America is exceptional. I don't know many other places where this is prevalent considering the influence of American culture on the rest of the world. These folks are the laughing stock of the world and I think would benefit from traveling.

yeah
imo people should spend less time reading books like the kite runner to feel worldly, books which give very superficial view of the -other- culture, and travel more

 

[OrLevitate]

yeah
imo people should spend less time reading books like the kite runner to feel worldly, books which give very superficial view of the -other- culture, and travel more

primary/secondary education should involve living in at least 3 different countries

 

[Quietude]

I want to travel. I want to go everywhere.

I'm shackled to a town in highschool for now.
After college, I'm off.

I'm going to just drive and see where it takes me.
I'm going to forge memories without even realizing it.
I want to look back and feel as though I fulfilled some unspoken goal in life.
I want to remember the things I haven't seen and experienced.
I want to take friends,
and I want them to go on adventures with me.
I want to end up in the middle of nowhere launching fireworks into the night sky.
I want to wake up and drive to a diner and have pancakes in a town I don't know the name of.
I want to travel the world
I want to see caves with homes carved into the walls
I want to see a viking funeral pyre launched into a lake in the middle of the night.
I want to experience everything I can,
and I want to look back on those events.

I don't even know where I'm going with this, or why I chose to post it here.

Whatever.

I feel the same way. I have been itching to just get up and leave and travel everywhere, since I'm growing tired of the pressure of school, and other stressing factors. I think that would be wonderful to be able to travel all around the world and experience everything.

Since I am unable to travel currently, and I am working towards finishing my degree and afterwards getting a job, I have been contemplating what I might be able to do in my free time once I start working a job in the area where I live. I'd love to get into hang gliding, or kiting on snow or water with a board. I think that's what I will first start off doing while I'm still stuck here. I'm thinking of other ideas to do while I'm unable to travel far as well.

Once I have enough money, then I might try travelling around the world, or at least to specific sites in the world that I have always wanted to visit. Would be great. Maybe you could create a bucket list of all the places you would like to visit around the world someday while you are still unable to travel, and then you will have that for reference once you are ready.

 

[TBerg]

I lived in China for a year and a half, and I can say that traveling and living in the foreign country brings both negative and positive experiences as well as insights that bring you closer to others or pushes you away from them. I got to live with a family for a couple weeks and discovered both their fundamental hospitality and the decrepitude of their intimacy with each other. I found that people extend wonderful invitations to you but then ridicule your misunderstanding during their tours. I learned that there can be deep layers of social disfunction coexisting with deep levels of common decency. This taught me that I should be less hostile to my fellow Americans who display the same shortcomings and that I should not take a reflexed response against American culture without putting it into the perspective of a world with sometimes worse despicability. I was taught that there is a common absurdity to human existence and that the absurd hopes people have actually matter. I also learned that so many little significances are less comprehensible than big significances. I also learned that there is a common decency that applies to so many people.

 

[onesteptwostep]

primary/secondary education should involve living in at least 3 different countries

I did that. Isn't all that great :x

K-1 Japan, 2-7 U.S., 8-10 S. Korea, 11-12 Japan, College U.S.

There's the whole issue of "identity" and having friends everywhere but no one really knows the full you. There's also the thing of not knowing your extended family for a long, long time. There's a term for kids who go through this, which is TCK (simply third culture kid).