Travel is such an interesting experience. As we traverse this earth in hopes of seeing incredible sites that pop off the pages of books or off our smartphone screens, we often neglect to realize what makes the biggest impact on our lives from that moment on… the people we meet when we are far from home.
The sites and wonders I witness are beautiful and memorable indeed, but it’s the little interactions with fellow travelers and locals that are burned into my brain. It doesn’t matter if it’s a brief encounter where we don’t even exchange names or a budding new friendship that is bound to last a lifetime.
It can be something as small as a deep and philosophical 4am conversation at a hostel over noodles as you try to sober up after a night out or chatting over a cappuccino in a café across from your university in Rome while you wait for it to open in the morning. These interactions and the people behind them are what truly leave marks on your soul. A karaoke song with a friend you made abroad or a stranger helping you cross the insane streets of Ho Chi Minh city on a weekday morning… all of these little moments paint a bigger picture in your life, slowly changing you and your relationship with the universe.
Humans need humans. The daily human interactions at home grow to be expected and monotonous and rarely do they stick to our memory. It’s when we step out of our comfort zones and venture deep into the world where every moment is fresh and new that everything becomes more lucid. We listen more carefully, we feel more deeply, we see more clearly and every experience is embraced more fully.
When we meet people whether they be locals in an exotic country or fellow travelers with a love of exploration, we have the opportunity to expand ourselves. I am never the same person after a trip. With each trip, I evolve and grow and adapt to the new experiences and encounters and it’s all thanks to the people I meet along the way.
So I urge you on your next trip, talk to as many people as you can for however long you want. Stay curious, ask questions, exchange stories, and just be open to everything—both the good and the bad. Humans are surprising, so let them surprise you.
