I’ve spent the last several months starting and stopping. Seems like the thing to do while traveling with no real agenda or itinerary. Not knowing or planning too far ahead…all in the hopes of just being available for what lies around the bend. For the most part it has been quite satisfying but it carries with it a menagerie of thought, contemplation and self analysis. Undoubtedly, trying to focus on one simple task has been difficult and has proven near impossible to laser in on any significant issue. This has led me to finally post on this blog spot after being absent for the past couple of months.
I have found that as I enter into each of the different cultures on this journey there is a definite mind swing that takes place and it tends to alter my normal thought process. The flavors, smells and sights force their way into my mind and it seems they are instantly compared to what I’ve left behind in my own familiar surroundings of home. Through the months of experiencing this constant cultural shift my mind takes quite a bit of massaging to get back to a “normal” rhythm. Now, it may sound as if this should be an easy process but I legitimize my difficulty by sharing this simple point. Our sincere desires are to become part of the community of those that we share this portion of life with. We love to reside at ground level with the locals and not at the tourist level of grand hotels or full service resorts. I’m not totally against that experience, it’s just that we’ve recognized the pleasure of experiencing the roots of diversity face to face.
It may sound as if I’m sharing that this cultural exposure is only found through international travel. That can be very far from the actual truth. Our travel over the first several months of 2017 indeed had been overseas but since July our time has been entirely within the borders of the North American continent. We all know that between the shores of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans there exists a small example or slice of almost every culture in the world. A simple venture across the heartland of the US exposes one to an extraordinary display of diversity found the world over. If you actually want to spend time overseas in another culture you can easily find a representative community nearby that can serve as a convenient location for preliminary introduction.
As I write this in January 2018 we are almost four weeks into travel through parts of Thailand and India, and soon through the cities of Singapore and Hong Kong. Through no extraordinary effort on my part I have had the opportunity to play a round of golf in each of the two countries but have no real expectation of continuing that trend until back in the USA. It happens that a couple of our American friends that live overseas had set up those golf dates prior to our arrival and surprised us. Colleene actually joined the India outing and accomplished her first 18 hole walking with a caddy experience. Cudos to her ability to avoid blistering her hands after 100+ strokes and laughing most of the way through it. With that said though, it was quite daunting to deal with the foreign customs of required caddies that speak no English, determining whether their calculations are meters or yards and how to convert US dollars to their currency for tips etc. All fun though!!
So as I try to land a thought for this short blog I’ll just say that experiencing diversity throughout the world can be overwhelming over a long haul. It plays mind games on you unless you’re able to be malleable and sensitive to unique exposures. I try to leave the tendency of “my way or the highway” behind and be patient with those I come across and welcoming of their patience with me.
I’ll save the “highway” tendency till I get home 29 Jan 2018!!
Bob I.
Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.” —Albert Schweitzer
Good to hear from you! We’ve been hopeful that all was well and that you hadn’t incurred any big setbacks. Keep keeping on!
Good to here from you Bob.