The Value of Travel

         John and I have been having a hard time figuring out what to write. There are so many little details and cultural differences that we find amusing. We are constantly meeting people and every day we pass scenery and buildings that fascinate and amaze. We also spend plenty of time perplexed by things we can neither comprehend nor imagine happening in the west. There are also those "you had to be there" moments that we could try to write about but would likely be boring or make us sound like five year olds. Its daunting trying to convey all the amazing and also all the absurd and challenging things that happen each place we go. On the plus side, we've been forced to look at what the value of travel is for us. It often doesn't involve any epic achievments or adventures. The most interesting things are the daily occurences that are hilarious, tragic, that make us feel connected to others, or that make us feel a million miles from home. We form strong bonds with friendly locals and with fellow wide-eyed travelers. Quickly, we move on to see what's around the next bend or in the next city. It makes me feel accepted, free, and in solidarity with others. It also makes me feel foreign, uncomfortable, and alone. This is the value of travel to me. We learn equally from the good and bad and while pollution, poverty, and suffering remain as troubling memories, most negative experiences are very comical or petty in retrospect.