Yes,yes and yes!!!!!! :) (by Wandering Earl) Do you enjoy being challenged? Would you maintain your sanity if you had to constantly face unexpected situations, surprises, plans that always changed for one reason or another? Could you handle a lack of routine and perhaps not knowing where you’ll be in a week or two from any given moment? Are you okay with sleeping in different beds all the time, some comfortable, others barely more than a thin piece of foam set upon a hard piece of wood? What if you had to eat different foods, some familiar, others quite different to anything you’ve ever eaten before…does that sound appealing? Would you welcome a situation where everyone around you thought differently than you do, had different beliefs and customs, practiced different traditions, thought and behaved in ways you’d never seen or even knew existed? Are you okay with being out of your comfort zone, far, far, far out of your comfort zone? Are you excited about an opportunity to constantly meet new people from all around the world, people from all sorts of backgrounds, people with whom you will share amazing adventures and with whom you will create wonderful friendships? But can you accept the fact that you will often have to say goodbye to all of those new people shortly after you meet them, maybe because you have plans to travel somewhere else or they have plans to go their own way? Perhaps you’ll keep in touch and meet again someday, perhaps you won’t, is that okay? Do you want to receive an education like no other, an education that only the world itself, experienced first-hand, can teach? Are you open to an education that just may alter the way you view the world? Can you maintain an open mind at all times while always welcoming, and striving to grow from, the experiences and interactions that come your way, no matter what they may be? Do you think you will be able to use your travels to benefit others? Do you have a goal for your travels? Is there something specific you want to gain from seeing the world and meeting its people? Can you find rewards in the tiniest of things? Can a handshake or an exchange of smiles bring you great happiness? Can you use such small actions to create a cross-cultural bond between yourself and other people? Do you feel that interaction between two people of different cultures, any interaction at all, can be powerful and extremely beneficial? Are you able to cope with never being truly satisfied as your list of places you badly want to visit grows and grows and grows the more you travel? Can you come to terms with the fact that it’s impossible to see it all? Are you fine living without a closet or a set of drawers? Does living out of a backpack or a suitcase sound good to you? Do you understand that travel does not involve a never-ending stream of fun times, that there will be obstacles, tough situations and moments when you might feel confused, frustrated or even a bit lost? But at the same time, do you understand that despite all of those, there must be a reason why it’s so hard to find a traveler who regrets having traveled? Are you ready to find out that reason? Do you think you have the determination necessary to achieve your goals? Are you willing to put in the effort required? Can you picture yourself right now at some of the destinations around the world that you have always dreamed of visiting? Can you see yourself actually living the experiences you so often think about? If you answered yes to most of the questions above, I only have one last thing to ask… Are you ready to take the first step and start traveling? by Wandering Earl
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:02:28 +0000