Pico Iyer



1. I do think that Iyer's reasons are very accurate because I believe why all people travel is to gain knowledge. To step outside their boundaries and find new experiences outside of their comfort zones. You have to be an adventurous person in the first place to even TRY to put yourself out their because it's all about vulnerability and how you react to it. I like to travel just because I like to see and be in new places just because I generally like change, and traveling around the world is defiantly a change.



Pico Iyer



2. It means that just going to a country and seeing all of its sights isn't enough, you have to put yourself in the shoes of someone who lives there and see what they see. To truly learn about the country you have to put forth the effort of reaching out to natives and experiencing their daily lives. Only then can you really have an opinion on the country that you visited and what you did there. You have to be open to new things and new ideas just to allow yourself to form a different opinion.

3. The fear of stepping onto that plane and knowing that you could turn back and cancel all your plans but that you want to go out and see the world, is very great. It's hard for everyone to drop all insecurities and just go with the flow of your travels in new places. I think our main fear (for the students on this trip) is that our parents won't be there to shield us. They're like a safety blanket and we're having a whole chunk of a life changing experience without them and that is very scary!

4. I feel more like bringing back ideas is more important than spreading ideas somewhere else. It isn't really your duty to try and force your ideas on other cultures unless you really believe that your idea could in some way help them. But I do think that bringing things back from your trip to share with others who didn't get to experience it is very important. You want them to know what you did, what you saw, and mostly what beliefs you picked up along the way.

 "We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves."

5. I like this quote because it ties in all that I have been trying to say. It is the beginning sentence of the article and kicks off to the rest of what he's saying but I think it's still one of the most interesting sentences. We travel because when we are in another country we can be whoever we want and really let our souls come alive. And still in that whole process we are absorbing and taking in the culture of another place. That knowledge just adds to who we really are inside and becomes apart of us forever.


    

In the Beginning..

Hey. I'm Zoe. This is my first blog.

I have a dog named Cinnamon, I'm an only child, first day of class and I've already embarrassed myself by giving 3 truths in our little "get-to-know-each other" exercise, and I've been excited for this trip since day one. I go to Central and so are couple of my friends that are also on this trip and I'm a sophomore. Australia is my dream place since, like, forever and getting the little postcard in the mail for this trip was a dream come true. Anyways, if you can't tell I'm supa excited and it's only a six month countdown starting now!

1. Why did you sign up for this course?

I signed up for this course because my mom and me planned on going to Australia for a combined sweet sixteen/graduation present but then I heard about this course. I jumped at the idea and after a little convincing my mom did too. Even though she didn't get to come with (not that she didn't try to get herself in as a chaperon) she and I are both so happy that I even get to have this opportunity. I also think that this will be a life changing experience and something that I will forever keep with me.

2. What do you hope to learn from traveling abroad?

I hope that I have a chance to learn about the world and everything traveling has to offer. Getting out of your comfort zone and being dropped into a new surroundings is something everyone should experience just to say that they have done it and conquered it. But not only sight-seeing will bring you new knowledge but the fact that we will be out there without parents is defiantly a test of independence. Knowing that we have to keep our cool thousands of miles away from home sounds a little iffy but that is something else I hope I will learn to deal with. Independence is something I will need to deal with for the rest of my life so learning it now isn't so bad.

3. What specifically interests you about Australia or New Zealand?

I like everything about these countries. From the fact it isn't a volatile part of the world and I'll be safe there, to them speaking our language. Not to mention that they have beautiful sights are are an all around breathtaking country. Since looking through our itinerary and searching the places on google it's made me want this June to come so much faster. The more specific things I would like to see are the Great Barrier reef and the jungles plus overall beautiful landscapes.

4. Why do you think learning about where you are going before actually going can improve your traveling experience?
Personally I can't really say how it will help since my mom has always planned our trips, but I know that it helps build up the suspense before you go! Researching it just makes me 10x more excited and I know it helps me feel more like I know what's going on. It would probably help you get an idea of where you are going/what you are doing and make you feel less in the dark. And even though you can see pictures of it online, it can't take away the feeling of seeing it in person.