I'm going to level with you folks, posts on sites like Thought Catalog and Elite Daily have been popping up on my social media pages a lot this past year, and I hate them. I love listicles and think they're a lot of fun. I don't like the self indulgence, the lack of any real content, or themes like "reasons I am the best type of person to date" "don't take responsibility for your life until you're at least 30" or "now that I live in Brooklyn let me tell you how interesting I am"
Scrolling through Facebook the other day, I spotted what I thought HAD to be a piece poking fun at these cliche kind of pieces, called 6 Reasons Why Not Quitting Your Job to Travel is a Waste of Your Life. It was not that. It was a young white woman explaining why most of the people on the planet are completely wasting their lives. So natch, I had to read the entire thing.
The first thing we need to talk about here is the rampant, oblivious privilege in this piece and so many like it. I understand that travel is a priority for some people, and they may not be crazy rich but they make it work by doing things like taking jobs abroad, strategic use of credit card points, and staying with friends and family and in hostels. A good friend (and avid traveler) who is currently living and working in South Korea and planning a trip to Japan pointed out the following things (besides tons of money, which she does not have) that she's lucky to have that allow her to travel so much.
No dependents! No children, of course, but also no parents, younger siblings or ailing family members who depend on you for financial support or essential care.
The means to even get a credit card to finagle all those miles/points.
Citizenship in a country that allows for all that international travel, as well as the knowledge and access needed to get all your documentation in line.
A body that is healthy enough to be away from reliable healthcare for extended periods.
Please everyone we all need to stop listening to random people on the internet who tell us we are wrong about our lives! I can't believe that this is something that needs to be said, but a lot of us have to be reminded: it is okay if you aren't travelling the world even if you're in your twenties. Your'e fine. You may even still be an interesting person with a valuable perspective.
I am not a traveler. I become an absolute monster when I'm tired, hungry, or hot. I really like my job. It is important to me to be near the people that I love. I think it's amazing to be surrounded by people who know me and care about me. Planes make me grumpy, and any uncertainly about where I will eat or sleep or go next sends my anxiety through the roof. But you may be surprised to find out that I don't actually think I'm wasting my life!
Also, this is a grown woman who literally does not understand that someone could have a fulfilling life in a different way than she has! Lets take a peek at these 6 reasons
1. You have to test your limits to know your limits.
First of all I'm not super sure that's true. I think with some self awareness we can have a good idea of where our limits are. I'm also not convinced the point of being a person is pushing everything to the limit all the time. Most of all, in what world is travelling the only way to "know how strong you are?" I learned how strong I was when my mom had cancer, when I stood up for myself and my friends to people behaving unacceptably, when I broke down in the middle of the work day and had to pull it together and do my job.
2. A full life is one that is packed with memories.
Honestly, if traveling is the only way you can think of to fill your life with memories I don't even know what to say to you. I have some great memories of travelling. I also remember how I felt when my sister was born and how the day when we were teenagers and our relationship changed for the better and for good. I've watched children I love learn to talk and walk and read and say my name. I remember the best job I've ever had and the first time I didn't care when somebody made fun of my outfit.
3. You'll never have the experience if you don't take the chance.
Ignoring the ridiculous concept that some people may want to have different experiences than others, here is a quick list of new experiences I've had recently all while living in Massachusetts and going to work every day: trying new foods, becoming friends with someone very different from me, being in love, riding a camel, pushing myself to have a conversation with every single person at a party, going to a new museum, learning I was wrong, figuring out how to make risotto, teaching Sunday School, starting a new job.
4. This is the only time in your life when you CAN travel.
Tell that to my 82 year old grandmother when she's finished talking about her latest month long international trip.
5. The greatest lessons you'll learn are from people who aren't like you.
Mind blowing fact: I've learned some of my greatest lessons from people who weren't like me at my church. Plus she says this absurd thing "If you don’t get the chance to experience the ways other people live, you’ll never truly appreciate everything you have. It’s hard to feel lucky when you don’t know anything else." First of all, we all know this means that looking at people who don't have enough to eat somehow makes you feel good. And that's weird. Second of all, you don't have to go abroad to see people who aren't like you, and frankly it's alarming that people don't realize this. You can benefit from the awareness that there are people unlike you very close to you. That your neighbors may be very unlike you! Maybe you could talk to them instead of hustling past with your head down on your way to the airport.
6. Your comfort zone will be the death of you.
Okay, but first of all, being comfortable isn't necessarily bad. Many, many people spend their whole lives working to just be comfortable. She also has this insight "If you stay cooped upside inside a cage of your own making, you’ll never know the beauty this world has to offer." A job where you sit at a desk is not a cage, that's actually ridiculous. Maybe needing constant excitement and stunning vistas is actually holding you back. Maybe there's a case to be made for seeing the beauty and excitement in the sunset over your neighborhood, a new challenge at work, the chance to help someone, a fresh cup of coffee. Maybe being alone with your thoughts and yourself and not being surrounded by excitement also offers us a chance for reflection and growth.
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