The old phrase that travel is food for the soul is cliché, but there is truth that rings behind it To travel is to wander and discover new places, new cultures and new ideas, but also to wander and discover the fabrication of your own identity. Travel brings new perspectives to life and living that could never be discovered in the confines of one’s own comfort zone.
As the semester is coming to a close, I am realizing my time in the Dominican Republic is coming to an end, and I am beginning to appreciate the full extent of how amazing this experience has been. In leaving the Dominican Republic, I will be leaving a place I have grown to love and that has expanded my mind and perspective in innumerable ways.
When I got off of the plane and entered the Dominican Republic, I left behind the people I knew and loved, the comfort of home, the safety of the English language and the security of all that was known. I went from a structured, predictable life to one of mystery and spontaneity.
All that I brought with me was a suitcase of clothes and myself, and all that will be returning is the same suitcase, with slightly more worn clothes, and a completely changed person.
After the experiences I have had in the Dominican Republic, I will not return as the same person I was when I left. I have been opened up to new cultures, new ideas, new ways of life, and I have challenged every aspect of my identity.
Everything I have ever known has been put into question, and I realized which beliefs I still firmly hold and which were formed because of the box I grew up living in. Traveling, you become free of the labels that have defined you for years in the places you grew up, and you are free to simply be you. The walls of your confined bubble of “home” come crashing down, and you realize how large the world is and how many different ideas and experiences are to be had.
Seeing new people and new places has taught me so much about who I am and who I want to become. Analyzing another culture has in turn helped me analyze my own culture and home. Through traveling, I have come to criticize, as well as appreciate my home and my culture.
Travel has provided me more than any experience I have had in a classroom or reading books. It is tangible, vibrant and challenging. I believe that everyone should travel and explore, if not to learn about something new and exciting, to at least learn about you.
Though the relationships may distance and the memories may fade, this experience has made a lasting impact on my soul, and I will forever be changed. I have caught the travel bug and now have a craving for the soul-fueling food of travel.