To be or not to be.. (1)

Posted 15 February 2008 - Taranto (IT):

Some people think that I left home to find some amazing ideas, some deep philosophical insights or simply to run away from obligations and commitment. Don`t think any of those are particularly true, but I do have plenty of time to think about myself. And about others surrounding me and about how those two entities interact or should interact. Let me start by saying that it`s not always easy to do things in a way different from everybody else. Witnesses will be too happy to tell you that you are doing things in the wrong way, have no respect for reality or for other people. I don`t know which exact words Nelson Mandela used during his inauguration speech, but I will look those up and post them during the next day. Here`s some reflection about what it`s like if you people can`t put one simple label on who you are and what you do. Today`s edition: to be or not to be… a traveler.

When I meet fellow travelers, they are either very impressed by what I do, or they don`t understand it at all. How can I not go see this and this monument and why would I waste my time behind the computer if there is so much to see outside. How can I write about a place if I hardly ever take the time to get to know local night life? How can I not join them when they go to a restaurant if I am rich enough to pay for a year of traveling? How can I not get bored if I do the same thing every day for one year? How can I say that I will be happy to be home again and live in The Netherlands when I reach the end of the trip?

Travelers are supposed to always have itchy feet, wanting to travel here and there, find jobs as they go, not know when they will be where. They are supposed to laugh about having missed a bus and ending up somewhere completely different from where they intended to go. Which are all things I don`t do. No, I won`t get stuck in one place and no, I won`t see how long the budget lasts. No, I don`t like to sleep under bridges. No, I don`t make shortlists of what I want to see. No, I don`t take open-air buses around the city and no, I don`t feel the need to buy souvenirs wherever I go. And I do care about what I eat, even if that doesn`t mean I can eat something sophisticated every day.

Non-travelers are either very impressed with my way of traveling, very jealous or they don`t see the use of it. If they are impressed, they have usually done something similar themselves, and they know the risks and rewards of being on the road. Out of those who are jealous, most have probably not done anything similar because if they had, they would know the downsides of it as well. Hopefully, some of the ones who are jealous can turn that into something useful by believing that everything is possible as long as you want it, and are willing to do what it takes to get it.

Non-travelers who do not see the use of it probably feel comfortable in their own environment, which may make them suspect that I do not. They may think of people who travel as if travelers are not able to feel at home anywhere. I prefer to turn that around and say that I would like to feel at home in as many different places as I can. I think of home as the inner part of your comfort zone, much more than a pile of bricks with a roof on top. The Hague in The Netherlands is home to me. Paris feels like a second home. I think I could feel at home in Sweden, and for most other countries I would like to take the parts I like and incorporate them in what I call home.

For the countries I have visited on this trip so far, I will try and take the following wisdom home:

* Ireland – the ability to always see sunshine through the clouds;
* Lithuania – the belief that you need to be smart and modest to get what you want;
* Latvia – compromise can give advantages to all parties involved;
* Estonia – you can make quick progress if you throw off legacy that keeps you back;
* Finland – humans are part of nature and nature is to be respected;
* Sweden – being smart and organised helps you make your life easier, and that of others as well;
* UK – unlimited choice can be a curse rather than a blessing;
* Portugal – it takes more than just technical skills to get somewhere, social skills are just as important;
* Spain – you don`t need to travel far if you are happy where you are;
* France – combining opposing extremes is an art and art shall be expressed and discussed;
* Luxemburg – learning foreign languages is a matter of motivation and exposure rather than a talent;
* Belgium – beer and wine are mutually interchangeable as long as the beer is good enough;
* The Netherlands – being and staying tolerant and open-minded requires consciousness and effort;
* Cyprus – if you organise things properly, you don`t have to do anything yourself;
* Malta – you haven`t lost until the war is over;
* Italy – a hectic life needs slow moments.

I will continue some of these reflections during the upcoming days. Stay tuned if you find it interesting.

To be or not to be.. (1)

Posted 15 February 2008 - Taranto (IT):

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To be or not to be.. (1)

Posted 15 February 2008 - Taranto (IT):

Twitter @photologix

Twitter Updates

OtherPhotoLogiX websites

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recommended links

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Browse archives

Other
PhotoLogiX websites