The trip is something that defies explanations and my ability to put it into words, but I will say that I confronted several of my own fears, prejudices, and assumptions. I confronted obstacles, realized just how much I rely on others for help, and how selfish I can sometimes be. I found that some things can stand the test of time, and that love can be a powerful motivation--as well as ginger martinis. I learned a great deal about what amazing people both Aunt Mary and John are, and I often wished I were a better person.
But most of all, I saw and experienced something that will be with me for the rest of my life. And that experience has changed me--hopefully, I think, for the better.
Never having traveled that far, my thoughts about the world, while often sparked with interest by world affairs, remained fairly America-centric. The rest of the world, however, has a broader view, I think. They are so closely interconnected by the euro that, perhaps, it forces them to be a bit more worldly. And yet, everywhere we went, people were proud of their heritage and their culture. It was important to them, and I thought that sense of interconnectedness and pride was very inspiring.
But are people really all that different from country to country? Yes. And yet, in many ways, they are exactly like you and I--working hard for something better in their lives. The amusing part about writing that is that coming home made me realize just how much I take for granted. For example, most places in Europe don't use sheets on their beds. It's just an undersheet and a blanket. They seem to have so much less than we do here in America--though I expect it's probably the same in any big, major metropolitan area--the showers not always having hot water for ages, or the heat in buildings being centralized rather than individual. And yet, they can walk almost everywhere--their central transportation systems--subways and buses--working in concert to maintain the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and the tourists that come to visit every day. I imagine their suburbs are probably a lot like our own, of course. But the markets there! They're just amazing. Fresh fruit, bread, fish, cheese--just about anything you could ever want you can find there. And in spite of what most people will tell you, as long as you are polite, do your best to speak the language, and don't mind having to be a bit more patient, Europeans will treat you wonderfully.
We met some of the most friendly people in Barcelona--people out walking their dogs, happy to help a lost traveler in need. Of course, there were the beggars on the streets, and I confess that I felt a twinge of guilt each time I passed one with nothing to give. I wondered if the people around me had grown numb to the sight of them; I wonder if anyone really does.
Of course, there are villains in every part of the world, and while I expected to find the world more magical and special--it has its dark and seedier sides, too. We didn't see much of that, but every now and then we got a taste of it. Just a reminder to always be on your guard and try to find people you trust for information when you're traveling. Books are amazing resources, too. Without Aunt Mary's, I think we might well have fared far worse.
Traveling reminds me that there is beauty everywhere--even here back home. You just have to be willing to look for it. It also makes me feel a little more open to the rest of the world; America isn't the center of it anymore for me. But it is where I call home.
And while I miss the beauty, bustle, excitement, fear, and challenges of our amazing European tour, I am definitely glad to be home.
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