I've been to 36 countries on four continents and I just wanted to reflect on some things I've learned.
The Fulfillment Wears Off - When I first started traveling it was very fulfilling. Every time I posted an amazing Instagram pic and made my friends back at home jealous of the life I was living, I felt like I was doing something special. I would go to these incredible places, meet cool people, get wasted, hook up with someone, then do it all again the next day. It felt like my life was a movie. I thought traveling would always feel like this. But as the years went on and my country list grew into the double digits, the novelty of it all began to wear off. All the partying, hooking up, and posting Insta pics kind of just left me feeling empty. Traveling just for the sake of traveling started to seem a little too self indulgent. Yeah, I had worked hard and been smart with my money to be able to afford to do these things, but I was still very privileged. Even though I had grown up in the lower middle class in America, I still had far more opportunities than most of the locals I met throughout my travels. It kind of seemed like a waste to be spending my time lounging around and seeing all the sites.
I still love to travel, but now I look for some kind of purpose other than just going just to go. By things with purpose I mean things like work-stays, charities, mission trips, climbing a mountain, humanitarian work, getting a yoga certification, or learning a new language. Basically, anything that gives me the opportunity to grow as a person. When you first start traveling, just experiencing a new culture will help you grow. The more you travel however, the more you need to look for ways to challenge yourself. The satisfaction gained from traveling to a new place will be incrementally decreased each time unless you find a greater sense of purpose.
Your Location Doesn't Really Matter - You can have the time of your life just about anywhere. If you're stuck in your town and you hate being there, going somewhere else probably isn't going to help much in the long run. If you can't have a good time wherever you're at, the problem is probably you. However, the people you surround yourself with definitely do make a difference. If you're surrounded by people that are bringing you down, you need to change that. But also realize that if you're surrounded by shitty people, it might be because you're a shitty person yourself. There are exceptions to every rule but in general, you attract what you deserve.
5% of People Are Assholes- The good thing about this is that the other 95% of people out there are good people. I feel like this distribution is pretty much the same no matter where I go. Whether it's the Middle East, Europe, South America, or right here in Ellensburg, WA I think for the most part, people are good. Another way to look at it is that everyone is trying to be a good person but on average, they are an asshole 5% of the time. Either way, I think most people who others consider bad people are actually looking for a way to redeem themselves. A lot of people get unlucky or fall into bad habits and the world ends up kicking them around quite a bit. These people most likely regret the things they've done or think they had no other choice. One thing I've learned is that if you give these "assholes" the benefit of the doubt and treat them with respect, they will most likely treat you with respect in return. If you take some responsibility of your own actions and the way you treat people, then you'll most likely be treated well wherever you go. There is no best country in the world, or one group of people that really suck, there's just that 5% out there giving the other 95% a bad reputation.
