“The world is a book and he who doesn’t travel only reads one page. ”
Stonehenge, 2012
I've never been much of a literal reader, but I am fond of reading the world. Growing up in Orlando, I was close to all the attractions that people save their whole lives to attend... Disney World, Universal and only a 45 minute drive from the beaches. Some might say I was spoiled with all these great things in such close proximity, but these things were not what interested me. All I wanted to do was get out and see what the rest of this beautiful world has to offer.
I am fortunate to have parents who thought traveling was crucial to becoming a well-rounded, intelligent and cultured individual. My father was in the military before I was born and he had been all over the United States, as well as Germany, Panama and North Korea. Therefore, it was only fitting to take my brother and I around for us to see similar things as he had.
Every summer growing up we went somewhere... the tops of the Rockies in Colorado, where laws are made in Washington D.C., cold weather in Canada, the windy A1A on the coast of New England, crystal blue waters in the Caribbean, new languages in Europe, a place where mountains and beach align in California, bright lights in New York, and volcanos and snorkeling in Hawaii. I visited Dallas, TX and Seattle, WA for yearbook conventions in high school and went to Sea Camp in the Keys to learn about marine life in seventh grade. It wasn't the thrill of seeing something new that I remember now. It's the experience I had and the things I learned that have stuck with me as I near my 25th birthday.
The Black Forest, Germany 2006
Central Park, New York 2007
Maine, 2008
Seattle 2008
Malibu, 2010
During my undergraduate degree at Florida State, I took a leap across the pond and studied abroad in London, England. The class I took was titled "Urban Art" and I learned everything there is to know about street art and graffiti. We went on street tours of British art, visited galleries, and analyzed the works of Banksy and other famous street artists that colored the city's walls with their creativity and mischief.
Not only did I take a class towards by degree, but I learned things that just can't be taught in a classroom. I learned how to read a map. How to ride the tube. How to order drinks in another country. How to plan a weekend trip to Scotland and Paris. I learned how to live with four complete strangers who later became friends. I learned how to travel light and convert money from dollars to Pounds to Euros back to Pounds and back to dollars. I learned technology in other countries is advancing faster than the U.S. I learned that live theatre is better with an accent.
Globe Theatre, 2012
When traveling with my family growing up, I saw American history front and center. I saw where battles were fought and speeches were made. I learned that taxes are different everywhere you go. I realized the closer you get to the sky, the shorter your breath will be. I saw bright lights and high fashion. I saw nature and magnificence.
Whether it's international or domestic travel, getting out and seeing something new is part of living.
The world is full of so many things that we only tap the surface of what we're given. In order to do more, you have to go out and explore. Go out and find a map (or just wander). Visit a new restaurant or store. Talk to a stranger and brush up on that language your took in high school. Learn the roadways and ride along on the subway or bus. Get on a plane.
The day we are born, we are given this book to live out. It's up to you to choose how far you get into it and maybe if you're lucky, you'll finish it.