The best schooling anyone can acquire in my opinion is economics, geography, politics and history. But not everyone wants to sit inside a classroom, study or read realms of text written by academics that have done the same thing before them. What better way to grasp the mechanics of these subjects than by travelling? As Mark Twain so wisely said Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.
I don’t mean being a tourist, going on a vacation, or booking a package. I mean getting out there to discover the real countries you are visiting. It might be very grand to stay at a five star establishments, arriving by chauffeur, being cosseted, sampling hotel delicacies and enjoying the luxurious décor. That’s another story, that’s fantastic in its own right, but it’s definitely not embracing local culture. Hence Tim Cahill once said Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travellers don’t know where they’re going.
If you are truly a seeker of knowledge examine the how, where, why and what people live in. No place is ever as bad as they tell you it’s going to be, according to Chuck Thompson. So look for the social economics of the area you are in because this dictates in what way people live. It is easy to see large, smart houses belong to people with a bigger disposable income than people in the next town in the caravan park. The financial restrictions indicate the economics of that area.
Examine the human geography, as this influences where homes have been built. For instance, colonials always built their homes on the highest ground to obtain the winds and cooler weather, whilst the general mass of the population were always left in the low lying area with poorer soil and greater risk of flooding. This is clearly seen in India due to its history. In this way, the weather also effects working hours, as in Latin America where afternoon siestas avoid the heat of the day.
Similarly, the social history of a region is clearly shown in the mix of languages, architecture and customs. As in Mozambique which has an amazing blend of Portuguese language and culture in the capital mixed with traditional Africa languages, customs and religions. The Portuguese, being one of the first white peoples to visit the east of Africa, have dictated that this history remains an enduring influence today. When you see the bigger picture in this way Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world according to Gustave Flaubert. We are the way we are today only because of our history.
The politics of a country has a huge influence of where you can visit and how unrestricted your journey will be. You would soon learn to respect the areas you can and can’t travel through in a communist country. The politics of any region must be respected if you do not wish to see the inside of a police station! Having said that it is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times, but be careful.
So it is clear to see that The use of traveling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, see them as they are, I have to agree with Samuel Johnson on this. So don’t be a couch potatoe, try some independent travel. Get out there and educate yourself by visiting the local markets and observe the local shoppers, learn what restaurants and cafes the inhabitants gravitate to, pay attention to the buildings for signs of architectural influences, check out sights off the beaten track and observe any signs indicating prohibited access!
Heed Mark Jenkins when he says Adventure is a path. Real adventure — self-determined, self-motivated, often risky — forces you to have first-hand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white. So find the road less travelled and gain unteachable knowledge.
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” Ralph Waldo Emerson