At a time before planes, trains and automobiles even existed, Saint Augustine once said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
A cliché no doubt, but hundreds of years later, the popular phrase still tickles the curiosity of its readers by asking them to evaluate their perspective.
How much of the world have you seen?
Perhaps you went to Cancun for spring break three years ago. Or maybe a roadtrip to L.A. last summer was enough to satisfy your wanderlust.
There exists a vast array of countries that vary in everything from geography to architecture to communication or even nationally-hailed rock bands. Visiting an unfamiliar place allows us to gain an understanding of not only the world in which we reside, but how we as individuals fit into the greater puzzle.
From a very young age I was exposed to change, new people, and foreign languages. I have lived in four countries and visited many others. Through each of these journeys, I was fortunate enough to live the vibrancy of travel, of seeking and finding, and to experience a process that I believe has profound effects on our ability to mold our perception and invoke critical thinking.
In a 2011 interview with The New Yorker, neuroscientist David Eagleman breaks down the brain’s perception of time. Through his research, Eagleman attempts to understand why, depending on the experience, the perceived speed of time varies. He concludes that as a result of expectations derived from previous experiences, the “more familiar the world becomes, the less information your brain writes down.”
The brain pays more attention to the unfamiliar aspects of one’s surroundings. When we travel, our mind actively works to absorb all the components of where we are. Our senses are raw and vulnerable to our environment, because our brain has not had the opportunity to classify and filter this abundance of sensory inputs. It has not yet deemed even the most seemingly commonplace information, like the color of the road or the size of the street signs, as insignificant. We begin to notice the details, parts of the world that our brain might skip over at home.
I experienced this increased alertness during my trip to Colombia. It was here that I first I encountered street lanes completely filled with motorcycles. Such a simple observation led to the realization that Canada, where I lived at the time, did not rely on this mode of transportation nearly as much. I linked my present awareness with my past perception; my mind had never stopped to consider the modes of transportation that surrounded me at home and how they might differ elsewhere. This moment made me realize the importance of new observations. Now, when I go home, I take note of the motorcycles; they remind me of the many forms of transportation used around the world, and more importantly how much there is to consider even in our the daily lives.
But depth of travelling extends beyond simple sensations. In seeing new sights, we begin to see with new eyes. The changes and long-lasting effects elicited by travel ultimately make venturing outside the comfort of home worthwhile. While every trip ends eventually, you return from each one with a new outlook that has the ability to make even your home seem a little unusual.
A study by Lile Jia at Indiana University looked at the effects of perceived distance on creativity. In the experiment, subjects were divided into two groups and asked to list different modes of transportation. One group was told that the study had been developed in Indiana, while the other group was told it was developed in Greece. The findings revealed that a global mindset produced more variable results. By detaching from common sights and routine, the study suggested that the mind becomes more open to possibilities that are not present or conventional in the current environment.
When I visited Rio de Janeiro, I learned that exploration increases appreciation for life’s simplicities. Detailed stone mosaics that made up the floors of the city fascinated me with each step I took. The intricately arranged pieces, varied in shape, size and pattern, each stood out with vibrant colors. I was consumed by details I never could have anticipated, parts that they don’t tell you about in the guide books. The commonplace aspects of Rio drove me to appreciate the artistry present not only in architecture and monuments, but also in the minute features of the city.
Since coming to Berkeley, I have met both people who love to travel and those who have never left home. While some may choose to stay local, it is true that the luxury of travel is not attainable for all. It is estimated that only 30 percent of US residents have a passport, and less than half of the population has travelled outside the borders of their country. But reasons behind the lack of travel by many Americans are not simple.
The most common barrier to travelling is the financial expense that make it necessary to do so. Travel has become increasingly costly, and with tuition and other living expenses also at hand, $1800 round-trip tickets to Europe will leave more than a hole in your wallet. However, this isn’t to say that deals can’t be found, and that adventure is a lost cause. With planning and a persistent attitude, inexpensive travel can be made possible. Cheaper tickets can be purchased if found early enough, and dorm-style hostels and couch surfing have become popular, low-cost housing options for young people abroad. A tight budget forced me to make certain commitments and deadlines while away from home. It instilled in me more appreciation for and mindfulness of the available time I had.
Since becoming a college student, I have faced inevitable changes in my own ability to travel as a result of rising costs of living. Flying across the world to a place that has mysterious aromas and fascinating traditions often seems more or less out of the picture these days. However, if moving to the US has taught me anything, it is that spending even an extra hour in the car to make it to the next town or state over can yield many of the same benefits of travel that I experienced abroad. A small distance travelled can expose different scenery and introduce people whose unique perspectives make their approach to life different from our own.
There’s another quote that never ceases to inspire the wanderlust within me. It’s by author Benny Lewis. He says, “There are seven days in the week and ‘someday’ is not one of them.” The world is rich in languages and cultures, but keeping them as abstractions is not enough. Best we experience new perspectives both near and far, and answer adventure’s call.
Image: Paula Gomez Villalba
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