Learning by living

Hello everyone!

Tonight's note is inspired by my sister, who just found out today that she will be working as a tour guide at Vimy Ridge in France over the summer. Way to go Rosalie! She has been super excited all day about leaving to go to France and working and living there over the summer, and it reminded me how much travelling means to me and how important I think it is.

Let's face it - for someone my age, I'm a pretty accomplished traveller. I've visited 24 countries (2 of which I've lived in - Canada and France), and will be moving for Peru for 8 months in September. I love travelling. I've looked for opportunities to travel, and taken every chance I could get. A lot of it comes down to priorities, in my opinion. For instance, I barely ever go to the restaurant or buy fast food items (I would rather pack a lunch from home). This allows me to save up money that I can put towards a trip instead of spending more on a daily basis. I have also managed to do quite a few trips on a tight budget, by staying in youth hostels (sometimes with up to 18 people in the same room!), buying groceries instead of eating out, and shopping for cheap travel options. Three of the trips I've taken (Arizona/Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador) have been to volunteer, and so for those ones I was able to fundraise to cover part of the costs, too. Travelling is important to me, and I will continue to do what I can so that I can continue to see the world!

I feel travelling is important for quite a few reasons. The biggest one is to learn: learning by experiencing a new language, a new culture, speaking with new people who may have different religious or educational backgrounds as you, living in a new climate, and enjoying the beauty that is around you. Even though I am currently completing my 4th year of university at a well-reputed institution, I feel I have learned much more through travelling than I ever will through formal education. I love the feeling of arriving in a new place, discovering a new currency and learning to barter with locals at a market in a foreign language, while trying to figure out your bearings in a new city. Visiting museums, finding remnants of the past, and exploring natural wonders have made each experience unique and enriching.

So as Rosalie prepares to fly off to France to work for the summer, and I continue my preparations (and plan fundraisers to help subsidize costs) for my trip to Peru next year, I am quite excited for all of the things I am going to learn. My main goal is to be fully trilingual by the time I graduate. I am already fluent in French and English, and would love to feel 100% confident in Spanish (as of right now, I can hold a conversation, but my vocabulary is lacking). I am sure I will make lasting connections and really get a feel for the way of life in Huacho, Peru. I am looking forward to live on the Pacific coast for 8 months (and I hope the weather will cooperate!). I wonder what traditional dishes will be like! And how punctual people are. Oh the things I will learn to live with and adapt to. Life is an adventure. Why not start now?

Have a great week!
Sheila