Its odd, but seeing snow for the very first time is one the most memorable moments of my life. I was only seven years old, but I vividly remember those flecks of white gently floating down from the sky. On the steps of the O’Hare International Airport, after almost twenty hours, I was fortunate to experience something that those who have never traveled will ever experience. I experienced an appreciation for just how big and how different the world truly is.
I was born in the Kerala India and raised in a relatively simple place. I remember growing up and the only cars I saw were big jeeps and motorcycles with a cart for passengers in it, and electricity only came around every afternoon to conserve energy. But living in that place made me feel like I was always in one big family. Everyone was so close together and spent their time with one another so deeply as a community that it felt natural. When I moved to the United States when I was seven almost everything was the exact opposite. Here technology was everywhere, and everything was so advanced. But beyond what was physically different there was definitely an entire state of mind that I’ve never experienced for the first time. That experience taught me that travel isn’t just physical; it’s also challenges narrow-mindedness.
Traveling to different countries such as tourism in kerala can change many beliefs and traditions that have been taught since birth. For example, when I first got here buying groceries was a lot simpler, but the process was more mechanical and efficient. There wasn’t a store owner that told you stories about his day or how he caught all the fish for sale that day. Simple differences like that highlight different tradition or values that in a culture that you normally wouldn’t be exposed to. When a person is faced with opposing viewpoints, they have the opportunity to challenge how they feel about the world. There’s the famous saying that the grass is always greener on the other side. I feel that if you live a life where you haven’t even looked at what’s at the other side, it becomes impossible to know what’s greener. Being able to re-evaluate values you hold is perhaps one of the most important aspects of traveling. In a sense, traveling allows your mind to go on a journey to test itself. Stereotypes that are unfounded are directly confronted when you immerse yourself in that environment and opposing viewpoints help reinforce values that you think really matter. For me, it was when I realized that even if people are individualistic in the United States, it won’t stop the values I place in a close bond with our community. In fact, it makes that viewpoint much more powerful when you know of the opposing side in a place around the world.
But beyond that, I learned that traveling also encourages growth as it expands our horizons beyond what we thought could be possible. I never would have dreamed that I would be majoring in computer science back when I was young. But the fascination in technology that sparked when I first arrived was able to become a passion because I knew of a world that was in darkness for half the day. That passion drove me to pursue goals that I didn’t even know existed had I not traveled. I found that being exposed to different cultures made me able to appreciate both on a greater level. It opens up opportunities not just as a student, or in jobs, but as a human being. I feel that, just like me, being able to learn new things and opening your mind to new ideas through traveling should be what the next generation experiences. There are so many possibilities in the world and if you confine yourself to one slice of it, you may never uncover your hidden passions. The world is full of hidden wonders so big or small, and what you’ll find is that even the simplest snowflakes will become a fond memory that you will never forget.
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