Comfort
12:11 PM |
Any travel is a reminder of where you come from. It gives the traveler a chance to define what makes him or her from their designated home in comparison with the inhabitants of the traveled land.
I remember when I went to Jamaica, I defined myself as Canadian by my politeness, in contrast to an obnoxious couple that never said please or thank you to the obviously peeved and over-worked hotel workers. I took pride in my “eh”, especially in contrast to a “huh.”
When traveling domestically, I have defined myself as a city girl. I don’t do well with the frizz my hair gets from coastal weather, but I love being in the ocean because it is a treat. I define myself as politically aware living in the capital, as compared to people in cottage country whose connection to politics is what little they may see on TV. I’m hesitant to categorize myself, because I’m aware that I’m always changing. But it really is a help to be exposed to different people from different places and decide what makes a person what they are.