picture this
You were born in a small town in New Jersey and moved three times in PA in the first few years of your life. The only thing you remember about Pennsylvania is reading a book in your doctor’s office. About a popcorn machine that popped out of control. Fast forward to when you were seven years old and your parents put you on a plane to Germany to visit your “best friend”. Little did they know that seven year olds find best friends more often than McDonald’s finds saturated fat in their hamburgers.
Germany was beautiful and everyone loved you and wanted to talk to you. You’re a wildflower among thorns who want to water you with every possession they have. They want to relish in your glory in all of their secret places to hang out and take pictures with you and hug you. “Come!! Come!” said all of the little German girls as they beckon you to their lunch table. Besides “hello”, “goodbye”, “yes” and “wow”, “come” is the only word they know. And they just love that you understand them.
THERE SHE IS, COME ON!!
A similar example is with exchange students. Students will come from another country for 2 weeks to 2 months or even a year and people automatically are drawn to them. This person has different clothing, different hair, and a different accent. What is their story? What’s their country like? This is especially exciting, depending on where you are in the world, when someone comes from the other side of the world. You are a ripple in the water, a lens flare on a picture, a rainbow in a rain storm, a gold coin in the sand, a twix bar in the bottom of a backpack when all “good” snacks was thought to be gone (#backpackingjoy).
Everybody loves you. What impression will you make? What values will you represent?
A traveller is…
1) Fun and spontaneous!
2) Eager to try new foods
3) Anxious to meet new people and share stories
4) In awe of ancient relics
5) In love with foreign accents ;~)
6) Ready to take on the world
7) Probably wearing a wrist watch
8) Soon to surprise their family with their next destination
9) Downsizing their pack more and more each trip
10) Addicted to reading travel blogs
11) Nose deep in their journal
12) A great listener
13) Confident
14) Independent
15) The first one up a mountain or off a bridge (recreationally)
16) Pleasant to be around
17) Interested in languages
18) A history geek
19) Looking for purpose
20) …And finding it!
21) Optimistic
22) Great at organizing
23) Friendly & outgoing
24) An old soul
25) Daring to be different
26) Prepared for anything
27) Flexible
28) Patient
29) Able to laugh at herself
30) A friend for life
31) Great at sharing
32) One of a kind!
33) Always up for an adventure
34) Always day dreaming
35) Getting stir crazy after being home for two days
36) Making a list
37) In lust of where to go next ;~)
Where will you go next?!
~*~