World Travels
It is my goal to walk on every continent before I leave this planet. Yes, that includes Antarctica. Of course I have had plenty of experience marching around North America. I have set foot in almost every state in the US including Alaska and Hawaii (one place I fully intend to revisit). I have also been to Central America (not technically a continent), Asia, Europe, and Africa. Still need to explore South America, Australia, and Antarctica.
I have been traveling my whole life. I started out as an army brat never living any where more than three years. I attended 12 different schools in my life, 3 in one year. As a child I envied those children who had roots. They had what I wanted a house that didn’t change and family living near by to grow up with.
But God was shaping my life in a different direction. Even after I married, the travel bug was still in me. I could not afford to travel and my husband had a single steady job so we didn’t need to travel. To satisfy this travel bug, I would rearrange the furniture in my house once or twice a year. My husband would come home and stand at the door for several minutes looking around at the rearranged furniture trying to decide if this truly was his home or not. Then he would just shake his head and close the door.
I love to explore other countries, new cultures, and learn about different people groups. No matter how different a culture, people are pretty much the same world over. Mothers still love their babies, fathers still want to provide for their family, and kids are kids: play comes first above all else.
Here’s what I recommend for anyone wanting to explore other cultures:
(1) Pack light but don’t forget your camera.
(2) Start a travel diary and record your adventure: what you do, where you go, who you meet, how you feel, what you learn.
(3) Carefully observe the people in the culture. Watch how they associate with each other.
(4) Try to avoid American slang and obnoxious, spoiled brat, behaviors. Most third world countries do not run on a time table so be patient.
(5) Most of all, shut up! You learn a lot more about people if you listen instead of talk.
(6) Never pay first price for an item, always negotiate, it is expected.
(7) Always leave a tip for your maid. Lay it right on the bed when you leave.
(8) Tip generously throughout your stay. These people work for pennies.
(9) Avoid giving money to street beggars; this does not help their situation.
(10) Explore every corner of that country in the time aloud. Ask many questions about the history and culture. Learn everything you can before leaving because you don’t know if you’ll every get the change to see this part of the world again.
Most of my world travels have involved missions work. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to share the goods news of God’s love to a hurting world. I have seen miracles and watched lives being changed at the mere mention of the name of Jesus.
Finally, when you go, especially to third world, poverty stricken countries, find out where they need help the most. Maybe it’s a need for clean water. Maybe they need assistance in growing food for their population. Maybe it’s the education for their children. What ever the greatest need, make a difference! Go home to your clean, safe country and get on the internet. Find out which organizations are working in that country to solve those problems and join them either by finances or by physical help. You can change the world!
I have been traveling my whole life. I started out as an army brat never living any where more than three years. I attended 12 different schools in my life, 3 in one year. As a child I envied those children who had roots. They had what I wanted a house that didn’t change and family living near by to grow up with.
But God was shaping my life in a different direction. Even after I married, the travel bug was still in me. I could not afford to travel and my husband had a single steady job so we didn’t need to travel. To satisfy this travel bug, I would rearrange the furniture in my house once or twice a year. My husband would come home and stand at the door for several minutes looking around at the rearranged furniture trying to decide if this truly was his home or not. Then he would just shake his head and close the door.
I love to explore other countries, new cultures, and learn about different people groups. No matter how different a culture, people are pretty much the same world over. Mothers still love their babies, fathers still want to provide for their family, and kids are kids: play comes first above all else.
Here’s what I recommend for anyone wanting to explore other cultures:
(1) Pack light but don’t forget your camera.
(2) Start a travel diary and record your adventure: what you do, where you go, who you meet, how you feel, what you learn.
(3) Carefully observe the people in the culture. Watch how they associate with each other.
(4) Try to avoid American slang and obnoxious, spoiled brat, behaviors. Most third world countries do not run on a time table so be patient.
(5) Most of all, shut up! You learn a lot more about people if you listen instead of talk.
(6) Never pay first price for an item, always negotiate, it is expected.
(7) Always leave a tip for your maid. Lay it right on the bed when you leave.
(8) Tip generously throughout your stay. These people work for pennies.
(9) Avoid giving money to street beggars; this does not help their situation.
(10) Explore every corner of that country in the time aloud. Ask many questions about the history and culture. Learn everything you can before leaving because you don’t know if you’ll every get the change to see this part of the world again.
Most of my world travels have involved missions work. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to share the goods news of God’s love to a hurting world. I have seen miracles and watched lives being changed at the mere mention of the name of Jesus.
Finally, when you go, especially to third world, poverty stricken countries, find out where they need help the most. Maybe it’s a need for clean water. Maybe they need assistance in growing food for their population. Maybe it’s the education for their children. What ever the greatest need, make a difference! Go home to your clean, safe country and get on the internet. Find out which organizations are working in that country to solve those problems and join them either by finances or by physical help. You can change the world!
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