Another trip in the books...
My latest travels took me to Italy and Amsterdam for a second time.
I have been asked a couple of times,
"How was your trip?"
to which I reply,
"It was an amazing experience"
This answer is simple and too the point but it fails dramatically to capture the true essence of my trip. Partly why I keep the answer brief is because I do not wish to gloat in front of those who are nice enough to ask how my trip was.
Lets be honest: if someone asks you how your trip was, 90 percent of the time it is to be nice. They don't actually give a shit.
Nonetheless, this trip was in fact an amazing experience for many reasons.
I was able to travel with my brother for the first time (just him and I) which was awesome in and of itself because it something we have always wanted to do. Adding to this treat was the fact that my best friend who studies in Amsterdam (I have referenced him in previous posts) joined us for our travels in Italy as well. We all got a tattoo to commemorate our trip and our close bond as friends and family.
Can you identify the building peaking through the trees?
Hint: The Pope's House
The most gratifying part of my latest adventure was the change in personal perspective that resulted. Being in the thick of a foreign country and realizing that, as an American, you are in the minority is extremely humbling.
Most simply, when in America, it is such a big country that you take for granted being American. You immediately assume everyone around you is American whether from New York or California and the second you meet someone from a foreign country it is a unique experience. Yet, when in a foreign country, almost everyone you meet is from a different country with a different story from your own. Although a seemingly simple concept, I would venture to say that you seldom think about this notion. The formation of my own personal global perspective has become an addiction.