 Why do you travel? |
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I am doing an independent study project about why people feel the desire to travel and see the world - anyone have any feedback? - x[posted anonymously]x| 55 Replies: « back 1 2 3 next » | anonymous Msg: #1 1865 days ago, October 14th 2004 | I am a design student at Syracuse University, currently studying in London. I am studying why people travel for an independent study. I would like to know: | Why did you decide to travel? Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled? How was this place different from where you are from? Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why? thanks for your feedback! Jenn  iamback Marjolein Katsma Post Count: 31 Msg: #2 1865 days ago, October 14th 2004 |  Why did you decide to travel? My first "big" trip was to see the nature of East Africa; I soon discovered culture was at least as interesting - but not part of the trip's focus. Since then, getting into touch with other cultures, and re-learning that everything we take for granted - isn't, has been my main reason for traveling; but a healthy dose of nature will make it more interesting. Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?Hard to pick a single one, but southern Ethiopia was definitely "exotic". How was this place different from where you are from?Culturally so different that after the first culture shock of northern Ethiopia this was another one even within the country - even a simple smile didn't seem to have the same effect as seems normal across widely different cultures. Why? I don't know - maybe these people were too much exploited by tourism already that genuinely interested visitors were ignored as much as everyone else. Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?Mongolia - as neighbor of my already beloved Central Asia, and origin of Genghis Khan. Once another destination suddenly seemed more attractive; another time a famine made it a bad idea to go and eat some of their food; some times other opportunities arose, or I was in a hurry to visit a country before it was completely changed. Next year? Probably Tibet (again)... but Mongolia stays high on the "list".  Ali Ali Watters Post Count: 3865 Msg: #3 1865 days ago, October 14th 2004 | Why did you decide to travel?My wanderlust was probably inspired by watching Michael Palin's 80 Day's Round the World and Rough Guide to the World as a kid. Then one day everything was just right, no debts, end of a relationship where the other hadn't wanted to backpack, and a really stressful/dull job that I wouldn't miss. So I left on my first big trip - haven't gone back... this is still part of it I guess. Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?I guess Fiji was the most exotic - (or would that be tropical?) How was this place different from where you are from?So relaxed and different to where I'd spent most of my adult life - London. Lying under palm trees, hungry - grab a cocconut. Though people spoke English and we had tea and scones at 3pm! Always little things that remind you of home no matter where in the world. Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?Africa - I want to see the Gorilla's and rainforests, the savana and Lion's, the music! the people. Why have never gone: time and a friend once said to me - "If you go to Africa, it's in someways a shame - because you'll never want to go anywhere else, you'll always be trying to go back." --- Hope this helps - and thanks for the interesting questions; Anyone else answering - Copy and paste this for quick quoted questions. [quote]Why did you decide to travel?[/quote] [quote]Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?[/quote] [quote]How was this place different from where you are from?[/quote] [quote]Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?[/quote] Lost_Traveler Lynne Post Count: 2 Msg: #4 1864 days ago, October 14th 2004 | Why did you decide to travel?Life's too short and too many places to see. Mostly due to my interest in seeing how other live and experience their culture. Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?Thailand How was this place different from where you are from?Everthing..food, culture, politices, language. Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?Too many places to list. I try to go to one region of a continent a year. Due to time and money I am restricted to going making only one big trip a way. Corporate america is too cruel you only get a couple of weeks of vacation a year. Work..work..work... [Edited: 02:51 - Ali - fixed coding]  jaime Jaime Kalnicky Post Count: 4 Msg: #5 1835 days ago, November 12th 2004 | I travel because unlike anything else I have tried, traveling truly expands my mind. Every time I go somewhere I feel like I come back with a new outlook on life and a better appreciation of all that this world has to offer. Traveling makes me smile. |  Jenni Jen La Vagabonda Post Count: 9 Msg: #6 1811 days ago, December 6th 2004 | Why did you decide to travel?For me, travel was almost not a choice, but an internal programming. Since age 4, I would scour encyclopedias and ogle the pictures of ancient Greece and Rome and read anything I could get my hands on about other countries. Cross-country road trips from California to visit the grandmas in Wisconsin helped reinforce the idea that life existed outside your own little self-absorbed world and made me wonder what someone my age in, say, India was doing at that same moment in time. I spent a year in high school as an exchange student to Germany and was profoundly changed as I viewed my own country and everything I had ever learned differently. I honestly believe that travel is something one either loves or hates. It either gets under your skin and into your blood or leaves you itching for the comforts of your lounge chair and DirectTV remote. At the risk of oversimplifying, I would say there are 3 main classifications of people: 1) Those who spend their lives in pursuit of material possessions, stability, and living "comfortably" 2) Those who feel uncomfortable with stability, who thrive on change and having their notions and ideas stretched, who believe that life is more than material possessions, and spend their lives in pursuit of what they think does matter in life 3) Those who would like to be in either group, but lack the courage to pursue the path. On the road, I "fit", in mainstream USA, I do not. Ignorance is bliss, but I choose to be educated, and with that comes certain responsibility. I cannot sit back and know that I work for an international bohemoth of a company that presses suppliers to get the best prices for goods without considering what impact they have on labor conditions in the countries where they buy them. I cannot rest at night with the idiosyncracies of taking care of my employees' best needs while ignoring the plight of the people who supply the things they sell. I cannot chew and swallow ethnocentric reactions to US terrorist casualties when those same people have no reaction whatsoever to deaths that US government, military, or policy causes in less fortunate countries. Perhaps if everyone traveled and met people from other countries, more understanding and less fighting would exist. Because of these and countless other things, I believe that it is my duty to be the face of "the other America" in the world. The best compliments I have ever received were that I was "the most non-American American they had ever met." Breaking stereotypes happens one relationship at a time, and every relationship forged makes one perhaps more a citizen of the world and less a citizen of one country in it. Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?Turkey (I don't know that this would really qualify as exotic, but perhaps because it was one of my first travel experiences and to somewhere I had never even thought or desired to go to, it sticks in my mind that way.) How was this place different from where you are from?Well, aside from the obvious differences of language, cuisine, and geography (which, by the way were fantastic!), at home no one had ever tried to buy me for 19 camels before!!! Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?Malaysia: I read up a lot on Malaysia and tried to study abroad there in college (they nixed me; said three times was too many) and I am fascinated by the seemingly peaceful coexistence of otherwise conflicting races and religions. Not to mention all the beautiful natural jungles and islands and amazing diving to be had there! I have never gone because I would like to really devote a lot of time to it and to all of SE Asia, but until now haven't had that time. I planned on going this month, but alas! I didn't consult with the flight gods prior to planning out my entire trip and came to find out it was an extremely popular a.k.a. EXPENSIVE time to try to fly there, so I will have to postpone it til next year!  Stuart Stuart Morgan Hurlbut Post Count: 116 Msg: #7 1752 days ago, February 4th 2005 | Why do I travel? | For ME. Because it's fun, I enjoy it, it makes me happy. What ELSE matters?  ConMel Irish Traveller Post Count: 96 Msg: #8 1740 days ago, February 16th 2005 | Why Did You Decide To Travel?Well, I was a lucky kid - my parents would take me travelling every second summer around Western Europe. France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Holland, Italy , Austria, I saw them all before the age of 15. When I got too old for that, I had caught the bug already, and it didn't seem like a choice, more of an obligation to continue exploring the world every summer, and now, every CHANCE I get. Where Has Been The Most 'Exotic' place you have ever travelled?Morocco How Was This Place Different From Where You Are From?In every way you can think of! The smells, the chaos, the food, the buildings, the lack of any pubs! Stepping off the ferry in Tangier was like stepping into a different world. The biggest difference, of course, was the economic distance between Ireland and Morcocco - it was my first experience of proper poverty, by that I mean kids in bare feet running around in dirty puddles, beggars with missing limbs, crumbling buildings, etc. Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?Give me a chance, I'm only 20! I don't really have any specific countries in mind. There are many places, like Varanasi, Patagonia, Petra, and the African heartland, that are 'must-sees' in my mind - hopefully, I'll knock a few off during my trip in July, but I'd rather not chase these places like the Holy Grail, travelling anywhere is enough for me. [Edited: 11:53 - Conor - Swapping headings for quotes - please forgive me, I'm not the best with computers linguo!]  Lauralee Laura Post Count: 138 Msg: #9 1725 days ago, March 2nd 2005 | I travel to see new sights and immerse myself in different cultures. I've been fortunate enough to stay in one place for a few months enabling me to interact with locals (not just asking to buy things from shopkeepers) and see past what the country presents to package tourists. Although Canada is multicultural, there are people here who only speak one language and don't understand why everyone doesn't speak english; some other people refuse to eat food other than their regular meat and potatoes believing that ethnic food is suspect (curry would definitely be out of the question). I know that the few places I've experienced will only be pictures these people see on their tv while sitting in their armchairs. | Hm.. the most exotic place would have to be India. The smell and the sheer amount of people can often be overwhelming. Although India is partnered with western nations for industry and development, the way Indian people think is far different from western mentality. Must see... would have to be Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Brazil. Maybe tourism will be realistic in Pakistan and Iraq one day as I'd love to see the ruins of the Harappan and Mesopotamian civilizations. ConMel Irish Traveller Post Count: 96 Msg: #10 1725 days ago, March 3rd 2005 | Tourism IS realistic in Pakistan - see the 'Pakistan Travel Forum'. I'm going there in a few months, I'll let you know what it's like. | underground traveller christina Post Count: 3 Msg: #11 1713 days ago, March 15th 2005 | I travel because I want to know how people live in different parts of the world, to see beautiful places, and meet new people. I always find something or someone I can relate to and that is pretty good considering I might be thousands of miles from home. |  moon Jamie Lynn Hatcher Post Count: 1 Msg: #12 1706 days ago, March 22nd 2005 | Why did you decide to travel? | I wanted to experience a different culture. I wanted to give back in a way that I didn't feel I could at home. (I volunteered in an orphanage in Nepal) Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled? Nepal (Kathmandu, Chitwan, Godavari, Pokhara) How was this place different from where you are from? Huge amount of cultural diversity (I live in a small, middle-class, white community--35,000 residents). A great deal of religion and spirituality too. Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why? India, because I'm a bit afraid of traveling it alone and as a woman. MissJ J L Post Count: 7 Msg: #13 1705 days ago, March 23rd 2005 | Why did you decide to travel? | To explore the world and escape from the boredom of daily life Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled? Cambodia How was this place different from where you are from? It's amazing to see how people have adapted after a long period of civil war. Yet it's sad to see the loss suffered by these people. I live in Australia so I am unfamiliar with what life is actually like in a third world country Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why? Czech republic. I don't speak the language so I am too nervous to go alone  WildChild Wild Child Post Count: 26 Msg: #14 1689 days ago, April 8th 2005 | Why are you posting this anonymously? | WildChild Wild Child Post Count: 26 Msg: #15 1689 days ago, April 8th 2005 | I am very close to Jenny Jen in what she stated, and she made me shiver in reading what she wrote. | Ali Ali Watters Post Count: 3865 Msg: #16 1689 days ago, April 8th 2005 | > Why are you posting this anonymously? | It was posted a while back - when the forum allowed anonymous posts. Changed to members only to stop spammers :( WildChild Wild Child Post Count: 26 Msg: #17 1689 days ago, April 8th 2005 | I'm sorry. Some do take advantage. :D | thebazz Brad Dorizzi Post Count: 1 Msg: #18 1686 days ago, April 11th 2005 | Why did you decide to travel?A couple of reasons:
Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?Japan. How was this place different from where you are from?Exotic basically means 'alien', and for me Japan was a completely 'alien' world to me. I did an exchange there, and there was so much to explore and learn. I'm from Australia, and the differences in every aspect of life were incredible. Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?Scandinavia and Russia. Never gone because:
 expandview huanglu Post Count: 4 Msg: #19 1616 days ago, June 20th 2005 | Why did you decide to travel?*To my way of thinking,this is the best way to broaden myself and develop a healthy ,an active and a larger perspective on life... Where has been the most "exotic" place you have ever travelled?*Never travelled abroad..I'wll be finished my education and set out in 2007 How was this place different from where you are from?* - Where have you always wanted to travel but have never gone, and why?*It's all about money and what kind of lifestyle? I want to travel all along but how to maintain it is a Big question to me... I'll work it out.  AdamG Adam Gordon Post Count: 1 Msg: #20 1609 days ago, June 26th 2005 | I travel to see different cultures and see what the world has to offer. I am an English teacher in Japan. I want to teach in the US and I thought this was a good way to get experience teaching and see a new culture at the same time. It has been great. | 55 Replies: « back 1 2 3 next » | Number of Users: 48 | Number of Posts: 55 55 Replies: « back 1 2 3 next » | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
