Happy Birthday to me!
When I arrived in Ireland this afternoon, I learned that British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has professed a deep apology for the Bloody Sunday Massacre in 1972. Many thousands of people in Northern Ireland have waited too long for this day. It comes thirty-eight years after the murders, but such an event does go to show that truth cannot be silenced forever. When I was in Northern Ireland a few months ago, I met a man who was there at Bloody Sunday. The horrible stories he told me were both traumatic and unresolved. There are stories of families still seeking justice for loved ones lost decades ago. There were stories of corruption in the police force, and people being framed. I would guess that, from his point of view, this is still just a tiny step toward what needs to happen before many people of Northern Ireland can move on with their lives, but it is an important step none the less.
This is my sixth time traveling out of the United States. It will be my third time in Ireland and my second time in Wales. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to travel abroad. Every time I go on a trip I try to new discover things about myself. I usually come back with more questions than when I started, and that's a good thing. This time I want to improve my relationship with myself and the planet in a way that doesn't shut out other people and their ideas. I intend to learn about permaculture, communal living, friendship and I want to learn as much as I can about the Irish and Welsh languages and cultures. This blog will be my thought collector as ponder and work my way to these goals. I hope to come back educated, refreshed, inspired, motivated and ready to make a new mark on the world I live.
Traveling is a positive and enriching experience to me. That is because it is challenging. At times it can be downright scary. Given the generally less than positive reputation of independent travelers and the lack of understanding between settled and nomadic lifestyles, I often receive less than cordial greeting at the immigration offices and scornful looks from people who seem to view traveling as an anti-social, or rebellious activity. I believe I have an important responsibility to make a good impression when I travel. In the back of my mind wherever I go is the burning question: what kind of legacy am I leaving behind? Traveling alone can be tiring. It can create a feeling of alienation inside me, but the rewards are absolutely worth it.
The rewards of traveling are profound and personal. A positive relationship with myself develops when I travel, and this is a great asset to anything life throws my way. I have found that having a good sense of where I am going and what I will be doing before I go helps me consciously and intentionally control my own development. I can set travel-goals and match these with my life-goals and destinations. This makes my journey an engaging and transformative experience. Keeping lots of goals, while on the road, can of course difficult, but it really pays off. Traveling puts me in the here and now. It makes me keenly aware of my surroundings, which makes everything I do much more meaningful to me.
Despite the increases and trappings of globalization, you still don't have to be rich to travel in Europe. There are some great tools to help a person plan a meaningful adventure for a reasonable cost. Things such as: hostels, Willing Workers on Organic Farms and Couch Surfers, give travelers opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. I find it best to mix and match to get the most out of all of these opportunities. I put allot of thought and intention into my trip planning and the results are life experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. I can't travel for ever, so each trip is the chance of a life time, and the things are invaluable experiences which I take home with me and keep using the rest of my life.
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