Travelers are like double-sided mirrors who reflect upon the people they meet and the people they know back home. Traveling gives you a unique perspective about the world and its varied cultures in a way that no amount of schooling, reading, or other media can teach you.
Gaining perspective on the rest of the world is important, but what’s more important for Americans is to give others perspective about the traveler, and ultimately the United States.
I’ve found that the world has as many misconceptions about Americans as Americans do about them. People who haven’t traveled are similar all across the world and exaggerate cultural traits into stereotypes.
Traveling will also help Americans bring back something else that can easily be taken for granted, as mom notes.
[Americans should travel more] to learn more about other cultures to understand Americans with different backgrounds better. This will make them appreciate the blend in this country.
Americans will find that many countries, even in western Europe, don’t have the relative harmony between cultures in the US. Nomadic Matt’s post on why Americans don’t travel overseas is a great read and I’ve expressed my take on why they should.
Americans can take a lesson from expereienced travelers and learn how to blend in abroad, research international faux pas, and reverse the US travel bust.
[photo by: S.Su]
I made a specific habit of asking all Americans I met while travelling over the past 9 months if they preferred McCain or Obama – all of them preferred Obama. Democrats certainly travel more…. take Sarah Palin for example – only been abroad twice! Same true of George W Bush before he was elected president… travelling does indeed give a unique, and healthy, perspective of the world.
@ Big Travel Web:
Interesting, I never thought about it that way. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this.
Personally, I have seen this in my travels as well.