What I Have Learned From Travel; Blooming

July 10 UPDATE:
Robert has posted the full list of entries at Middle Zone Musings - a wonderful 18 entries in all! I have also listed them in the extended section of this posting. Fringe benefit alert: Visiting them is also a great way to pick up the site feeds of those who would likely proclaim that writing is their Ho‘ohana (fulfilling work) … Robert’s group writing projects are proving to have a magnetic attraction!

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Preface; This is an entry for Robert Hruzek’s group writing project at Middle Zone Musings. Robert asks what we have learned from travel.

What I Have Learned From Travel; Blooming

When I first tell you what I feel I have learned from travel, your reaction may be, “Well sure, of course you learned that. Every person who travels learns the same thing. In fact, they know it before their travel even begins!”

Still, I’ll take that risk because I don’t believe it’s all that obvious, and I wish there were some sure-fire way to give everyone this learning;

Our world is a very, very big place of unlimited possibility.

You see, that unlimited possibility means that whoever you are, and whatever seemingly silly, preposterously huge dream you have, you can’t ever give up on the desire for it, even when it feels like you are stuck someplace with it burning a hole in your gut. There is always another place where you can try to make it get it to come true.

It may be around the corner,
it may be in the next town,
it may be on another island or another continent, but it is there.

Travel helps you get brave enough to cross that street,
or that interstate,
or that ocean to reach for that place where,
you eventually can arrive.

Travel unplants you when for some reason, you cannot “bloom where you are planted” as Mary Engelbreit made a licensing fortune in proclaiming. The ground may be much more fertile someplace else, and you shouldn’t rob yourself of the chance to find out. The unlimited possibility is not an “IF” but a “WHERE.”

Your ‘unplanting’ can, and probably will happen in several different ways. Travel is sensory goodness.

I believe in the profound teaching of in-person, tactile, and of-the-land sensory learning. It speaks to the spirit within us in a way that electronic and virtual learning can never duplicate. Those things are wonderful (and as you know, I sing their praises often), but my wish is that everyone could have both the in-person experience of travel and the virtual one.

As much as we love our islands, in Hawai‘i we call it “Rock Fever” when a person has not ventured across the Pacific Ocean to see, hear, feel, smell and touch the rest of the world at least once. It’s the kind of fever that makes you feel apathetic, lethargic, and all the other junky feelings that make you feel sick. Feeling sick is feeling less than whole, and I believe that not having traveled outside that confirming circle of comfort people call home will always keep you feeling less whole.

The world was created big, and you were created mobile.

I put in a LOT of miles, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I understand what a privilege it is that I can do so.

I love my Hawai‘i, I truly and quite fervently do. But I am glad she understands that I must leave her every so often so that when I return, I can be a better person for her. The world has a lot to teach me, and I have to travel to best learn her lessons. My goodness, there are so many of them!

And another thing: You can bloom while planted in more than one place.

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Related articles;

• Places, Feelings and Learning. Learning Serenity. This was written about a place-connected experience I had in Prescott, Arizona.
• The wonder of human artistry. If I did not travel, and bring my children with me, they would never know the artistry of Cirque du Soleil.
• Get the Most Out of Travel. I wrote this from a business perspective, while a guest author for Lifehack.org.

Pictures! This is what you could see if you came to my Hawai‘i! I would love to show her to you :-)

• A photo album: Hiking in Haleakala Crater on Maui

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Another way of looking at this, found on Flickr;

Commuters (NYC, June 2007)

Four rush-hour subway commuters on the downtown "A Train."
Two are tourists and two are die-hard New Yorkers.
Can you pick out who is who? Of course you can.

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From Middle Zone Musings:

What I Learned from…
… Travel – Diversity, by Karin H. at Stop/Start
… Travel, by Benjamin Penfold-Marwick at Hello Internet
… Travel, by themolk at themolk & Michelle’s Blog
… traveling in Mexico, by Joanna Young at Confident Writing
… Traveling In Mexico Without Knowing Spanish, by expatmom at ExPatMom
… my trip to Thailand, by mark at My Opinions Are Important
… Nature’s Amusement Parks, by N.O. Tate (note: this article is actually titled something else… and it isn’t even a blog… but so what? An entry is an entry!)
… the Coyote Hunters, by Nic Darling at Marketing Neophyte
… Travel, by Laura Spencer at WritingThoughts
… Being Abandoned in Mexico City, by Mike DeWitt at Spooky Action
… This Trip was Patience, by GL Hoffman at What Would Dad Say
… Travel, by Monique Attinger at Insurance Guide 101
… Working in Chile, by Terry Starbucker at Ramblings From a Glass Half Full
… Travel Writing, by Yvonne Russell at Grow Your Writing Business
… driving in India, by Rajaram S, at Thoughts of a Rambler
… Travel; Blooming, by Rosa Say at Joyful Jubilant Learning
… the Passing Lane, by William Tully at LOGICal eMOTIONs

and of course – by Robert!
… Er, What Was That I Ate, Anyway?, by Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings

JJLers: These writing projects are made for you to participate in too! Share what you have learned!
~Rosa

Comments

[Joanna Young]

Rosa, I don't know about you but I often only recognise when I have learned when I read it (confirmation of the feeling I couldn't quite my finger on) or write it (finding the words to express the feeling). So please don't apologise for writing about what you think seems obvious to you! There is always something new to learn.

I really enjoyed your reflections on travel here - and have learned a new concept in 'Rock Fever'. It might originate from Hawaii but I recognise its symptoms!

Joanna

[Rosa Say]

Oh yes Joanna, what you describe is so true for me too: There is magic in the written word! Not only twice with the reading and writing, but many times over in the sleeping on them and then reading them again!

Thank you so much for your kindness, uplifting my words as you have, for reflections shared become best of all.

[Robert Hruzek]

Howdy, Rosa! Thanks for taking the time to mention the "obvious" things that no one remembers to remember!

You make a great point, too. It never ceases to amaze me (and it always makes me sad) when I run across a soul that doesn't want to explore outside their envelope. You're right that it helps us appreciate our "place" - and contributes to making a better person out of us.

Great entry, Rosa!

[Rosa Say]

Thank you Robert! Learning and writing, now there's a combo I cannot resist. Just had to participate this time after discovering your hosting of group projects - you are truly Mea Ho'okipa (the exceptional host!) I've been out most of the day, and am now looking forward to spending some time this evening reading the other entries you received; I'm thrilled to be part of such a stellar group.

Dear JJLers,
Just in case you missed it, our first taste of Robert's group writing projects was here:
What have you learned from the world of work?
http://www.joyfuljubilantlearning.com/joyful_jubilant_learning/2007/06/what_have_you_l.html

[Robert Hruzek]

Hey, thanks for the cool moniker! I appreciate the sentiment and I'm honored.

By the way, the very FIRST "What I Learned From..." project was here:

http://middlezonemusings.com/all-entries-mzm-writing-project-what-i-learned-from/