See the World: It’s Bigger than You

I was fortunate growing up in that my family travelled throughout North America. I was also lucky in my career that I had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. I am still amazed at how different cultures can be. You would think that with a global economy and the lightning speed of the internet that those cultures would merge together. This is the farthest from the truth. People value their heritage and strive to maintain their cultures, and I’m glad that they do.
We grow up in small towns, we live in our comfort zone, and we think we can see everything we need to see in our own back yard. Open your mind to the reality that there is great big world out there for you to explore. You need to see the world or a portion of it. It’s much bigger than you. It’s larger than you could ever imagine.
Growing up, I was fortunate in that my family vacationed extensively throughout North America. Unlike the hustle and bustle of air travel, we camped, and we took our time to stop and see the sights along the way. If you think about just the U.S., one would believe that everyone in the country would be the same. So wrong!!! The U.S. is like 10 or 20 countries all rolled into one. People are entirely different from the north to the south, the east and west, the mountains, the coast. Not only is the scenery different but so is the cuisine, the culture, and the habitants.
Take the cuisine for instance; I was raised in Canada, which isn’t too far removed from England with fish and chips as a weekly menu item. Like the English, I enjoyed my chips with a little vinegar sprinkled on top. The first time I ordered fries in the U.S. (they don’t call them chips), I asked the waitress for some vinegar, and she returned with a soup bowl full of vinegar and said, “I brought you a bowl because I didn’t know what you were planning to do with it.”
My wife had a similar experience. Back to the English tradition, she enjoys her cup of hot tea in the morning. Our first day in the south while travelling, we decided to stop at a drive-through for a tea and a coffee. When they handed me my wife’s tea, it was a tall cup of iced tea. When I said, “no, she wants a hot tea,” the clerk said, “do you want me to dump the ice out?” I said again, “no, she wants a hot tea.” The clerk responded, “so you want me to put it in the microwave.” My wife joined in, “I’ll just take a coke.” Who would think bordering countries could be so far apart?
Conversely, 2 of my employees had the opposite experience. I sent 2 young tradesmen on a field project in Wisconsin, well up north. The 2 gentlemen had never left the comfort of the south their entire lives. The first day on the job, they called me and asked if they could come home. When I inquired why, they said, “they don’t have sweet tea up here! The tea is hot, and they don’t even serve grits with breakfast.” Culture shock!!!
In my career, I have been lucky enough to see parts of Europe including France, Italy, Germany, Luxemburg, and England. I am fascinated not only by how different these countries are as compared to North America but also how they vary from one another. It will be incredible for you and your family to experience a different culture.
Our family is dreaming of a trip to Paris. Money earned from my freelance writing goes directly into the Paris fund. My girls are even working on their French.
The life lesson learned is that life is much greater than the little world you live in. Think outside the box, or in this case think outside the backyard and explore the world, or at the very least the neighboring village.