Just Passing Through

I've always been a firm believer of getting to know places instead of just visiting. I used to dislike just passing through a place because there is so much you miss out on. You don't get to experience late night talks on the front porch, the back roads, the secret treasures, the best hikes, sunsets and sunrises, and you miss out on so many amazing people. Those things are really the best part of any place. I don't want to settle for just seeing the awesome beaches or taking a well worn hiking path, but sometimes those things are really exciting too. When I was hitchhiking in the fall of 2009 I didn't get to really see very much of any place, but I had some of the ultimate experiences in random weirdness I could ever hope for. I would still prefer to get to know every place I go, but I've come to realize that I could spend my whole life trying to get to know people and places and never even leave the Midwest. So sometimes I have to take what I can get and get to know parts of places and make the most of my time spent in each one.

My purpose for learning a new language was simply that it radically increased the number of people I can effectively communicate with in this lifetime. I chose Spanish because is super useful in the United States and Mexico/Central/South America are likely my next travel destinations after Europe. Plus it's easier for me than learning Mandarin, for example. But I want to go everywhere eventually, and there is just not enough time in a lifetime to fully experience every place. Maybe one day after I have experienced much more this thought will change, but I don't think I have ever regretted a day that I have traveled. I've never wished I would have just stayed at home. And no matter how tired I get, how frustrating it can sometimes be, and how much I get rained on, I'm always happy I walked out of my door (or tent) in the morning and experienced something new in my day.

The Mediterranean.