I'm increasingly comfortable with the fact I can only ever experience a place from my own perspective. And I'm not sure there's ever an idealised 'authentic' experience of anywhere. You mentioned about spending time in the woods, but you can never be in the woods as if you were a tree, so how authentic is your woodland experience? Likewise, I can never understand another culture as if I were rooted in it. But I think that's OK, and it doesn't make my limited experience any less real. It's more like an unfolding discovery, as I approach places and people with humility, acknowledging how little I know, and ready to observe, listen and learn.
I agree with you! Your last sentence is a gem we can all learn from-An unfolding discovery! And if you choose to return to a place, you may discover something different the next time.
This is a tough one to answer. Two different people living their entire lives in the same community can have vastly different experiences, and therefore vastly different 'realities' of their part of the world. I think that every travel experience is realistic to US and the specific way that we live it. It doesn't give us every perspective on that place, but does give one specific real view of it. Perhaps more importantly, travel gives us a more realistic view of ourselves.
I don't think there is a yes or no answer to this question, it would largely depends on the way of the travel, how long you stay, how much you opened your sensation, what's the knowledge you already have to view the world. Travel onsite may help you update with some views you held for the world previously, but can anyone really acheive a 'realistic' view of the world? I doubt about that, not only becasuse of the way we do it, but more philosophically about what is 'real'?
Solid points Lucas. I think we can only get closer to reality with our efforts, never able to fully see the whole grand picture but the journey to do so should be pursued nonetheless. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Cheers!
I've only lived in two 'other' places for an extended period (other than mainland US), Mexico and Hawaii. Mexico for many many years, specifically on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán, and on Maui, two separate times, once in my 20s, and later my 40s when we split time between Maui and MX yearly. In so doing, I understood both environments and cultures. We dove into the natural landscapes, made friends, had homes there, joined in community things, in MX founded a business. In my 20s on Maui, had a job. And in this way, by knowing locals, I believe we did 'see' the realistic world. At times being an outsider isn't always pleasant, but that too is part of the realism. In other travels I've stayed places for a month, but I don't believe that really immerses one enough into the culture. To me, the locals, no matter what continent you are on, make up the 'realism' of the locale. They're the backbone, and to know them and fit in, have meals with them, work w/ them, with them accepting you, that makes things real. Imho. Travel is more of a passing through—you're a short-timer. Locals know you'll move on, you know you'll move on; it's transient in nature. Real for a time, but with an expiration date.
Very well said and a lot of truth. Your thoughts of living in different places at different times made me think about this a lot in a longer historical sense. Even if I went back fifty or a hundred years to the places I’ve lived or in my hometown, how remarkably different it would be and also another foreign places—even the places we know most intimately are only snippets in the long arch of time. Fascinating stuff to ponder. Thanks for sharing this Jeanine!
It's a provocative and philosophical question, Justin. Makes one think--about so much. Thanks for putting in the time, amigo. I'm enjoying your travel quizzes!
I agree with most comments here that travel 'sometimes' gives us a realistic view. Coupled with the blind men touching the elephant analogy, travel helps us discover something different with each experience. If you travel to the same place, I think as @Dru says it's an unfolding discovery of touching a different part of the elephant where we might learn more than a small part of what we think we know all of. Travel on!
as a naive tourist in London for my first time, I approached a Bobbi working the Changing of the Colours event to ask directions. "I'm a tourist," I said, much to the chagrin of my travel companions. "No," he said. "No, it's true," I replied to the now hoots of laughter from my friends. But his benevolence was real and he and I made a genuine connection. Indeed, we got directions to "go round the back way" so we ended up with EXCELLENT viewing from the front row for tourists & were close enough to be waved at by the Queen. Was that Bobbi there to cater to tourists. Uh, no; guarding the event space was his job. But he did make me (& my friends) feel very special.
A lot depends on how you view what’s happening around you and who you’re with. Overall, travel does expand the way you think about the world, because even places that are curated offer some kind of education.
Very true! If a place is designed well, it’s probably designed with some deeper meaning meant to be discovered and expand our perspective. Thanks for the comment Daniel!
YES, conditionally. 1) If you read a lot about a country or region and learn about its history and culture and 2)if you take the time to hang out with local people—on the streets, in restaurants and in the shops and markets. If you’re a curious person? You’re guaranteed to come away with knowledge, and, yes, empathy.
Excellent points! I’m often amazed how just a single great conversation with someone who intimately knows a place I don’t, can mean the world of difference on how you experience and appreciate a place. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Sometimes it seems that if you truly travel, you might see more than the locals see themselves. This has happened to us frequently: where we have gotten to know numerous parts of the city and the locals themselves, ensconced in their particular neighborhood, haven’t been to that other park or bank or café. So maybe it’s not travel that grants us a realistic view of the world. Maybe it has more to do with mindset, what do we want to know, curiosity, asking questions. Being open. Even without traveling.
Oh absolutely! I think everything does boil down to mindset. I think we have the capacity to see even just our own neighborhoods or towns in fresh new eyes all the time and explore it with curiosity in the same way we might in another part of the globe. Thanks for sharing the insight Rachel!
Everything is real but there are countless individual variations of reality. A successful, young, single investment banker living in New York experiences a very different reality from an old retiree from a rural area, living on a fixed income and taking care of an invalid family member. Having said that, there are big things that affect most members of a community although in different ways - hurricanes, wars, etc. I think it is challenging for most of us to "walk a mile in another person's shoes" in our everyday lives. I think it's even harder when traveling as we are drawn to the sanitized highlights of a destination. For instance, we typically visit the beaches in Rio, not the slums.
I'm increasingly comfortable with the fact I can only ever experience a place from my own perspective. And I'm not sure there's ever an idealised 'authentic' experience of anywhere. You mentioned about spending time in the woods, but you can never be in the woods as if you were a tree, so how authentic is your woodland experience? Likewise, I can never understand another culture as if I were rooted in it. But I think that's OK, and it doesn't make my limited experience any less real. It's more like an unfolding discovery, as I approach places and people with humility, acknowledging how little I know, and ready to observe, listen and learn.
I agree with you! Your last sentence is a gem we can all learn from-An unfolding discovery! And if you choose to return to a place, you may discover something different the next time.
This is a tough one to answer. Two different people living their entire lives in the same community can have vastly different experiences, and therefore vastly different 'realities' of their part of the world. I think that every travel experience is realistic to US and the specific way that we live it. It doesn't give us every perspective on that place, but does give one specific real view of it. Perhaps more importantly, travel gives us a more realistic view of ourselves.
Very well said Erik. I love that last line too and think that’s spot on. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I don't think there is a yes or no answer to this question, it would largely depends on the way of the travel, how long you stay, how much you opened your sensation, what's the knowledge you already have to view the world. Travel onsite may help you update with some views you held for the world previously, but can anyone really acheive a 'realistic' view of the world? I doubt about that, not only becasuse of the way we do it, but more philosophically about what is 'real'?
Solid points Lucas. I think we can only get closer to reality with our efforts, never able to fully see the whole grand picture but the journey to do so should be pursued nonetheless. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Cheers!
I've only lived in two 'other' places for an extended period (other than mainland US), Mexico and Hawaii. Mexico for many many years, specifically on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán, and on Maui, two separate times, once in my 20s, and later my 40s when we split time between Maui and MX yearly. In so doing, I understood both environments and cultures. We dove into the natural landscapes, made friends, had homes there, joined in community things, in MX founded a business. In my 20s on Maui, had a job. And in this way, by knowing locals, I believe we did 'see' the realistic world. At times being an outsider isn't always pleasant, but that too is part of the realism. In other travels I've stayed places for a month, but I don't believe that really immerses one enough into the culture. To me, the locals, no matter what continent you are on, make up the 'realism' of the locale. They're the backbone, and to know them and fit in, have meals with them, work w/ them, with them accepting you, that makes things real. Imho. Travel is more of a passing through—you're a short-timer. Locals know you'll move on, you know you'll move on; it's transient in nature. Real for a time, but with an expiration date.
Very well said and a lot of truth. Your thoughts of living in different places at different times made me think about this a lot in a longer historical sense. Even if I went back fifty or a hundred years to the places I’ve lived or in my hometown, how remarkably different it would be and also another foreign places—even the places we know most intimately are only snippets in the long arch of time. Fascinating stuff to ponder. Thanks for sharing this Jeanine!
It's a provocative and philosophical question, Justin. Makes one think--about so much. Thanks for putting in the time, amigo. I'm enjoying your travel quizzes!
I agree with most comments here that travel 'sometimes' gives us a realistic view. Coupled with the blind men touching the elephant analogy, travel helps us discover something different with each experience. If you travel to the same place, I think as @Dru says it's an unfolding discovery of touching a different part of the elephant where we might learn more than a small part of what we think we know all of. Travel on!
as a naive tourist in London for my first time, I approached a Bobbi working the Changing of the Colours event to ask directions. "I'm a tourist," I said, much to the chagrin of my travel companions. "No," he said. "No, it's true," I replied to the now hoots of laughter from my friends. But his benevolence was real and he and I made a genuine connection. Indeed, we got directions to "go round the back way" so we ended up with EXCELLENT viewing from the front row for tourists & were close enough to be waved at by the Queen. Was that Bobbi there to cater to tourists. Uh, no; guarding the event space was his job. But he did make me (& my friends) feel very special.
Haha that’s a great story! Thanks for sharing that. Cheers!
A lot depends on how you view what’s happening around you and who you’re with. Overall, travel does expand the way you think about the world, because even places that are curated offer some kind of education.
Very true! If a place is designed well, it’s probably designed with some deeper meaning meant to be discovered and expand our perspective. Thanks for the comment Daniel!
YES, conditionally. 1) If you read a lot about a country or region and learn about its history and culture and 2)if you take the time to hang out with local people—on the streets, in restaurants and in the shops and markets. If you’re a curious person? You’re guaranteed to come away with knowledge, and, yes, empathy.
Excellent points! I’m often amazed how just a single great conversation with someone who intimately knows a place I don’t, can mean the world of difference on how you experience and appreciate a place. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Sometimes it seems that if you truly travel, you might see more than the locals see themselves. This has happened to us frequently: where we have gotten to know numerous parts of the city and the locals themselves, ensconced in their particular neighborhood, haven’t been to that other park or bank or café. So maybe it’s not travel that grants us a realistic view of the world. Maybe it has more to do with mindset, what do we want to know, curiosity, asking questions. Being open. Even without traveling.
Oh absolutely! I think everything does boil down to mindset. I think we have the capacity to see even just our own neighborhoods or towns in fresh new eyes all the time and explore it with curiosity in the same way we might in another part of the globe. Thanks for sharing the insight Rachel!
Everything is real but there are countless individual variations of reality. A successful, young, single investment banker living in New York experiences a very different reality from an old retiree from a rural area, living on a fixed income and taking care of an invalid family member. Having said that, there are big things that affect most members of a community although in different ways - hurricanes, wars, etc. I think it is challenging for most of us to "walk a mile in another person's shoes" in our everyday lives. I think it's even harder when traveling as we are drawn to the sanitized highlights of a destination. For instance, we typically visit the beaches in Rio, not the slums.