I admit I have mind is always traveling 100 miles per hour. In fact, at any given moment, my mind is usually in several places.
On one hand, this is not good. People don’t appreciate it when they are talking to me and they can tell my mind is elsewhere. My usual response to people is, “Hey, I was already thinking of these things when you suddenly came in out of nowhere and disturbed my train of thought.” Of course, that line of defense often gets me deeper into trouble and I end up with fewer friends. On the other hand, I think there’s also something positive to be said about a wandering, traveling mind. A traveling mind is an actively searching mind. And a mind that is always in search usually gets answers.
Because of my always-traveling mind, one of my favorite channels on TV is Discovery Travel and Living, which has recently been re-branded as TLC. TLC stands for “The Learning Channel.” I think it’s a very appropriate name to give the former Discovery Travel and Living channel because traveling does bring about a lot of learning. In fact, I would say that I learned more in my travels than I ever learned in college. Because when traveling, the things you learn stick in your mind like glue. In my travels to the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, I learned more about our world — and people in general — than all my classes combined. For example, around three years ago, I traveled with my family to Alaska. I always thought that Alaska’s capital was Anchorage. When I traveled there, I learned that the capital was not Anchorage but Juneau. I also learned that Filipinos are respected and honored in Alaska because in the early 1900s, Filipino cannery workers, who called themselves “Alaskeros,” began to live permanently in Alaska, and they contributed a lot to the economy. I also learned that our very own hero, Jose Rizal, is honored in Juneau. In fact, he has a monument there.
When I traveled to Europe, I learned about the revered Elisabeth of Bavaria (lovingly known as “Sisi”) and the Hapsburgs, the royal family of Austria, from which came Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination caused the outbreak of World War I.
When I traveled to Italy, I visited Verona, which, I learned, was the supposed hometown of Juliet (of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet).
I had a chance to touch base with Mary Anne “Maan” Tolentino of MBM Classic Travel recently and we had an animated exchange on travel. I told her why I loved traveling and how my “traveling mind” loved learning new things. Maan said, “For a lot of people, vacations are simply a means to escape from routine — a break from the ordinary. But traveling transcends a mere vacation and escape. Traveling provides insights into finding more purpose in life. It reveals moments of clarity and valuable introspection in the journey.”
She added, “Traveling has a life-changing effect on us all. It is life’s greatest teacher. To the lucky few, it is better than books. It is something you can never imagine. You dont just read it; you live and see it. You hear those lovely stories, but you’ll never know until you’re in it. You’ll never be the same again. All these years, things you thought that were true or believed to be true may only be half true or worse, were after all untrue.”
I told her I couldn’t agree with her more and that when I was based in Singapore, I thought people there would be totally different from us. I heard they were stiff, formal, and robotic. But they weren’t. They were the same in so many ways. They also whine about their country, and they wake up every morning moping about work. Maan replied, “Exactly. People everywhere in the world do the same thing every morning when they wake up. They have the same issues at work or about the drudgery of their routine. At the same time, when you travel, you also see the interesting differences. For example, people in different parts of the world take their tea differently or flush their water closet differently. These are small, mundane everyday activities, but somehow may be unique only to a country.”
We also discussed our eye-opening experiences about religion. Maan said, “All believe in a God — well, at least, most people. However, we differ in the execution of practice. All religion believes in the Holy Land, you’d be surprised. And yet you never bothered about these because it has become part of you. The same spot could be sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews. The spot where it is believed Jesus was born is taken care of by the Greek Orthodox Church.”
Maan said that’s the reason why she got into the travel business — to give people a chance to wander — and wonder. “For example,” said Maan, “you find out that some mannerisms and beliefs may not be understood or accepted in another country.” I told Maan that I learned that from experience. When I was in Japan, I thrust my chopsticks into my rice bowl, with the two sticks standing vertically. I was told that that’s the symbol of death and I shouldn’t do that. That lesson has stuck in my mind ever since.
“Interesting, no?” Maan said. “With me, the thrill I get is that you finally see and touch what you have been reading and learning about world history in school. You learn that three temples in Greece, all far away from each other, actually form a very precise isosceles triangle. Mystic geography — fascinating! You learn the different ways people eat, relax, work, communicate.
“Also,” Maan continues, “the things that you witness during traveling become a part of you. Like seeing the Top of the World in the North Cape, the last point up north before the sea of ice in the North Pole, watching the midnight sun at the edge of the Arctic circle, staying in the northernmost fishing village in the world, and exploring the ice glaciers. Or touching what is believed to be traces of Jesus’ blood in a pit at Peter in Gallicanti where He was thrown after His scourging. Or walking from the left to the Right Bank of Paris, my favorite city, end to end and not noticing the length of time and distance. It’s mind-blowing.”
Maan also talked about her friend, Bebette, and her varied “toilet experiences”: To flush, in Italy, step on a lever on the floor; in Amsterdam, press one of the tiles in the wall; in London, pull a pulley above your head. In Germany, the toilet attendant locks your door after you get in the booth. The john on the outskirts of Italy and China is a hole in the floor. You have to learn these things. It’s tough to be in another country on a business trip and have no clue how to use the bathroom.
Maan said her company is offering a tour to Europe called “La Dolce Vita,” which means “the good life,” because really, when you experience Europe and learn so many things, you can’t help but shout at the top of your lungs, “Life is good!” The Dolce Vita Tour will bring you to some places that were inspired by the movies: Roman Holiday, Mamma Mia!, Under the Tuscan Sun, etc.
Indeed, travel provides prime opportunities to act differently. The moment you travel, you break your daily pattern in life, your routine, and in the process, you pry open a gate to other possibilities.
Are you feeling stuck in a rut in your job? Do you feel brain-dead? Is your mind always traveling everywhere but you’re bolted to your office chair? I have a suggestion: If you can afford to take a break — and you have some savings — go ahead and travel. Get out, see new things and learn new things. It will not only do you good in terms of getting a much-needed break from your routine, your traveling mind — like mine — can relearn how to focus and appreciate. After your trip, your mind will have a fresh perspective that can help you in your day-to-day grind.
Invest in traveling. The ROI is immeasurable.
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Thanks for your letters! You may e-mail me at rodhnepo@yahoo.com. By the way, if you are interested to know more about the La Dolce Vita European tour (it’s a 17-day, 16-night tour that departs on May 14, you may contact Maan Tolentino at 0917 –965- 7219 or 503- 2748 or e-mail her at maan@mbmclassictravel.com. You can also check the website at http://www.mbmclassictravel.com.