After our discussion in class today about how the media is
influenced by the government and untrustworthy, wouldn't it be great to try and make sense of the
big, wide world for yourself firsthand? For whatever reason you go, traveling would be a great opportunity to learn more about the world and other cultures. When you
travel, you get to see the world in a
different perspective. There are many benefits to traveling, such as increasing
our knowledge about the world and learning about different cultures along the way.
Traveling
is a great way to learn more about other cultures and try new things. You get
to try different types of food, and experience a different set of cultural
values. For example, over the summer, I was able to take a one month trip to visit France (Unfortunately,
I don't speak French). France and the United States have vastly different
cultural values. The United States idolizes a consumer-focused economy and making money,
while France ideals slow everything down and allows you to enjoy life. In the U.S., stores are often open very late , around 9-10 p.m. to maximize profit, while the many
shops in France often close at 7 p.m. Compared to the French,
Americans always seem to be in a rush. It is not uncommon for lunch in France
to last an hour or more. We have reason to be jealous of the French; they receive 5
- 6 weeks of vacation versus our 2 - 3 weeks of vacation! Visiting different countries also opens you up
to unique food customs. I was able to try French specialties, such as different
types of cheese, baguettes, éclairs, and so on. They also have this weird
custom of using mayonnaise instead of ketchup on their French fries! Traveling is a great way to
broaden your views and learn about the world around us.
If
everyone traveled, everyone would be less stereotypical of other cultures and
people. The media mainly reports terrible news about things that happen around
the world. If we only listened to this, we would be convinced the world is a
terrible and cruel place filled with rapists, thieves, and murderers. Traveling lets you develop your own views and ideas
of others, which would benefit our country by providing well-educated individuals. As a result, traveling can be one
of the best forms of education. After my little
trip to France, I realized the importance of learning a foreign
language, which before seemed unnecessary. I recommend that everyone travels to a different country at least once in their lives.Traveling lets you learn
more about the world around us, meet amazing people, try crazy foods, reduce
stress and create memorable experiences. What's not to love?
This post it very interesting. It makes me want to go out and travel the world. Good post.
ReplyDeleteKevin, your share a super important thing for all people to learn. Traveling is very important. I would argue that traveling within the U.S. is just as important - for the same reasons - as traveling abroad. I have often said that I felt more uncomfortable during the year I lived in Kentucky than I did during the year I lived in S. Korea. You are very lucky that you not only had the opportunity to travel, but that you were able to spend an entire month in France. Sometimes when we take quick vacations, we miss the cultural mores of the places we visit. Spending one month somewhere allows us the time to really digest how differently other people live. I also like how you present the differences between the U.S. and France as rooted in economic differences.
ReplyDeleteMy only complaint in this post is the inconsistent pronouns you use. Sometimes you emphasize a second person narrative perspective, and then you switch to a first person perspective, and then there are times when you write in the third person. This strikes me as a bit disjointed. Be sure that when you write, you maintain some consistency. This is important. This is the kind of thing that experienced writers think about and experienced readers expect.