To me, one of my most single most enjoyable activities is traveling. When I discovered traveling it was after I purchased my passport and went on a long weekend trip to Jamaica. It wasn’t so much the island or destination but the journey getting there…and the realization, when I arrived, that I was somewhere else. Since I’ve begun traveling, I’ve realized that my adrenalin starts to pump when I get in the airport. It’s a weird sensation that I am in a building where people are from anywhere in the world and everyone is going somewhere else in the world. In airports, I’ve seen Dwayne Johnson “The Rock”, Music Soulchild, Spike Lee, Harry Lennix…it’s cool. An airport merges cultures, people, dialects all together. I’m sort of an extrovert so meeting people is something that I don’t avoid. I can be talkative but there are a LOT of people like that…you’ll see. If you’re the introvert…it’s ok…you’ll still enjoy traveling.
Traveling broadens your horizons and perspective of life…it gives you experiences that relate to life and living. The more you travel the more versatile you become…it evolves and matures you in ways that you can’t do sitting on the couch playing Playstation. You may not have the money to go to Jamaica or get on a plane but the more you travel within your means, the more motivated you will become to find destinations outside of your city or state. You don’t have to have a whole bunch of money to travel somewhere different in you neighborhood or city. Venture out…go to a museum, get on a different bus…just go! If you don’t want to go anywhere…ask yourself why not? What are you afraid of? What will happen if you go…I don’t know. What will happen if you don’t go..NOTHING. That’s my point your life will NOT change signifigantly if you don’t go…but it will if you DO go.
I’ve traveled to many places; Bermuda, Aruba, Brussels, Belize, Cozumel, Jamaica, Amsterdam, Rio, Dallas, St. Thomas, Baltimore, Philadelphia, DC, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, St. Kitts, St. Martin, WV, Vegas, San Fran, Cabo, Florida, Haiti, Dominican Republic…you get my point.
I met Booker Mitchell, he’s a skateboarding teenager and like you, and he thoroughly enjoys and appreciates traveling. Booker received an award for “Traveler of the Year” with National Geographic…that’s awesome. He was the youngest of four recepients, his motto is “Live Life Outside”. At the ceremony, Booker shared inspiring stories about traveling around the world. His vision and perspective aligns so well with growth and maturity during this “middle passage” of life. I recommend you visit www.bookertravels.com , maybe it will inspire you to live life outside. Trust me you have nothing to lose with traveling.
For you parents, please google Heather Greenwood Davis, she’s known as the “globe trotting mama”.
She and her husband Ish recently took a year off from work to travel with her children. Check out her page also… http://globetrottingmama.com/
Look at Jonas’ page http://jonasjourneys.com/ he has awesome pictures!
MPM
Middle Passage Mentor 