li

Has travel made an impact on your life? My first trip abroad had such an impact on my life I am wondering if others have had similar experiences. I was 16 and went to a small Japanse town as an AFS exchange student. My host family did not speak a word of English and I didn't speak word of Japanese. I was terribly home sick but I fell in love with Japan and its culture. In college, I majored in East Asian Studies and spent my junior year in Kyoto. After college, I went to Tokyo to work for a few years and later got a Ph.D. in international relations. Please share your story.

Danna

My first trip I was 17... went with a 4H group and got to continue finding myself... oh yeah, fell in love, got to drink, encountered close shaves and close friendships. Fast forward 27 years. Got to plan a trip, have money, know where we were staying on arrival and departure, and nothing in between. Got to spend 3 weeks with my husband of 23+ years (he had never been abroad). We went on an adventure together, figure it out together, take the bus, meet new friends, and remember why we fell in love in the first place. I went with my husband, and left with my husband but we left together with a whole new relationship. He is now suggesting the next itinerary!

John H

Hi, Li, <BR> <BR>My experience sounds somewhat similar to yours. I am American, but was born and lived in England for the first 5 years of my life. I went back to England for the first time as a sophomore in college and had a "Roots-like" experience. I was totally enthralled with London, and met my best friend in England in the Laker Airways queue that summer (1978). I came back to college and started to study English hostory, society and politics and wrote my senior thesis on North Sea oil (spent 10 weeks doing research in England and Scotland). Subsequently, I made at least annual trips back there and would certainly call myself an anglophile. <BR> <BR>John H

A.M.

I am lucky enough to have parents who thought travel equated with education. My 1st trip was on a ship from Ireland when my parents immigrated to Canada. Our family was working class but my parents made sure we had the opportunity to go on school trips both in Canada and to Europe. Traveling as a young person instilled in me the realization that we are part of a global village a notion that changed my life. <BR>A.M.

Linda

I would like to think that travel has made me: more accepting of other people, for their differences as well as for the way we are alike; more adventuresome (especially in eating foods I can't even identify--or maybe don't want to); more broadminded; more cognizant of the fact that there is more to life than the grind for the almighty dollar--that there are "roses" all over the world just begging to be smelled (or seen, or tasted, or touched) and that I should make sure I make time to stop to smell them all; that I have something to learn from everyone I meet, however briefly, and that their smile can make my day just perfect; more knowledgeable that the beautiful scenery in my home state is not the only beautiful scenery in the world--and other places may just be prettier; that the grass may just be greener on the other side of the fence; and the knowing that the place I live is wonderful too, and a great place to come home to after revelling in all the rest of the world has to offer.

mary

travel has really allowed me to appreciate my parents. we went on trips nearly every summer here in the u.s. always to fun, but cultural or historical places. there were 5 kids in a small car so you can imagine what that was like..but really when i took my first trip-alone -to paris for one month <BR>it hit me all of a sudden what a wonderful thing mom and dad did by taking us on trips. now if only i can get hubby to go more often! travel made me more aware of the planet and i try to treat this old earth with more respect. it has made me look in the mirror and see how prejudiced i was -and still working on this. and how ethnocentric people can be. gotta keep on going though- maybe if enough of us do it a little more peace will come our way. <BR>

Betsy

Like others, I was lucky enough to have parents who always went somewhere for the 2 week vacation every summer. Even if it was only 100 miles away, we traveled. Though often over-protective, they allowed me to travel to Europe for the first time after high school graduation with a student group and again to study in college. Both times before either of them had been to Europe. <BR>I tend to travel alone and I love the feeling of independence and strength it gives. I am outgoing, assured and circumspect when traveling, feelings I have brought home with me. Traveling has given me a perspective not only for my country, but for myself. I appreciate home more after having been abroad, particularly after seeing the poverty of some places in Central and South America. Traveling is education.