My mud is travelling!

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Why is it so easy to save money for an international trip, but so hard to do it for ‘normal’ everyday goals like replacing your old broken fridge (that still kind of works).

 

If you had to pick between feeling comfortable or uncomfortable the obvious answer is the first. I mean who in their right mind would want to be uncomfortable! It’s common sense. And if you were asked: do you prefer feeling safe? Of-course-you-answer-yes!

Unless you are insane. In that case, you would prefer wandering in an unknown isolated town, all alone, barely able to communicate (but still attempting to) with strangers!

Humans need stability in their life. We need to have a connection with other living beings (usually intelligent ones), and we need goal(s). 

Some people wish to eat great meals daily to nourish their bodies, or to live in a nice house/flat that they own, or to keep emotionally close to their friends and/or family. Our life revolves around components like these, which are the modern essential tools for survival and fulfillment. We are constantly in search of the magic formula that will make us balance EVERYTHING out (and in extension making us into healthy human beings) that are also contributing to society by working at our/someones else’s business.

The security of these boundaries (that we set) makes us slowly forget that before adult life was introduced to us in late childhood, we use to dream of illogical goals.
Like sitting in mud half the day observing its consistency. And then working out how to transfer it onto a metal object to see if it would dry out faster than being on your hand. That curiosity if fed by exploration. The more we explore, more questions pop up in our mind and then we are even more curious about the subject. It’s a cycle.

Yet, so many people exit that cycle during their childhood never to return. Because they find it scary, stupid, or they cannot find any value in it. But that is what makes us grow! When we lack curiosity we don’t explore, and if we don’t explore we won’t discover anything new. That leaves us where we are in the now with what we already know.

Travelling does not make sense because it goes against many of our instincts mentioned earlier on. We seek security, but travelling offers the opposite! We need to have our loved ones close or to build a life (house, family, work). Travelling does not offer all this because it is an illogical goal like observing the mud.

WHY I PICK MUD! 

I pick travelling and it does not make sense!

‘…but Nicole, it’s uncomfortable sleeping on the floor/in a sleeping bag/in a really old bed. You could take fewer trips and do it comfortably like a queen.’

Why carry 15 kg on my back which is so tiring, when I could have my suitcase on wheels dragged into a four star hotel with an indoor pool and a welcome drink at the reception upon registration? Why would I actively decide to eat junk food or local street food risking food poisoning when I could dine at a restaurant or better yet, HOME? Am I really insane?

Maybe. But we all decide what our dreams are. Then we decide what our responsibilities/obligations are. And finally we hand pick the ones that can be transferred on the ‘Important goals’ list. Each person sets their boundaries and acts accordingly. Travelling is seeing that boundaries are not set by some out-of-your-control situation or person, but can be adjusted at any given moment by yourself.
Each culture does things differently and you might agree with some and disagree with others. When you travel you learn not to trespass peoples boundaries, but just by being exposed to their view, you grow.

Curiosity about a culture + Exploration of said culture + Knowledge gained

= GROWTH

And you find yourself being a different person than the one you were before going through that cycle. I know that you might say ‘but I like who I am now’. My answer to that is that you will still be the same person in your core. The change will come depending on the size of the impact. If the experience leaves you indifferent and you discover what you had already suspected/known then you will come out of it the same person, but with the satisfaction of knowing ‘the truth’. On the other hand, if you discover something unknown to you then you will become a new, improved version of yourself with insights on that particular subject. You can NEVER become worse by exploring the workings of the world.

That said, getting bored waiting in airports for your connective flight for 12 hours, sleeping somewhere uncomfortable, eating unfamiliar food, not knowing anyone etc. sound so negative. All I hear when reading those statements is 1. ‘yay in the airport waiting to hop on to the next adventure’, 2. ‘sleeping close to locals while saving money that can be spent on another train ticket’, 3. ‘exploring flavors I never thought could be combined’, 4. ‘a chance to meet new people’.

Pick your own mud! xx

GoExplore

 

 

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