Lately I have had this question stuck in my head. Why do people travel? What is the purpose of travel? Why is travel the world on the top of everyone's to do list?
There are many ways people can travel nowadays. It's become a more affordable commodity for the mass. Having travelled to a few places myself, when I hear others say "I want to travel the world, and meet lots of different people, and just get away", I want to tell them that traveling won't solve the problems you already have. Running away isn't a solution, just a temporary escape. You will discover new problems.
What makes traveling appealing is that you are surrounding yourself in a different environment, you can start over again in this new scene with no supposed burden to be someone you are not. You can learn a new language, culture, accept people for who they are, accept there is not always a right or wrong, just differences.
In 2012 I was blessed to have the opportunity to work abroad and visited 12 new countries that year. It was a fantastic experience, but by the end, I was exhausted. Traveling for the sake of crossing off an item off your to do list is not fulfilling. Traveling for the sake of saying I have been there and seen that didn't have any meaning. The parts that I remember were not of the monuments and attractions but the journey to the destinations. The mistakes I made, the people I crossed path with, and at the end having a place to come home to. Travel to me is a treat, it is a reward that you give to yourself. I notice I am more patient, more open minded, more curious when I am in a different surrounding. So why can't Toronto invoke the same feelings. There are so many events that I can take advantage of in the multicultural city. For example, the Pan American games, the Toronto International Film Festival.
Most people in Toronto have not heard of the Pan American games before. I would describe it like a mini olympics for the north and south american continents. There would always be a significant percentage of the local population that detest these type of events. Swearing they would never attend any events. I have seen it in London when I was there in 2012 as well.
However it's an excellent opportunity to participate especially when you live in the host city. There are so many people flying here, taking time off, paying for flight and hotel, and ticket to enjoy these events. Toronto has had some improvements since the games. Our underground subway station were improved, a direct service from Pearson airport to DT has been built. Preparing for the pan am games has brought improvement to the city. There are 3 motivating factors to anything in life. Interest, Reward, Fear. Perhaps these improvement were because of the fear of not completing these projects on time and seeming incompetent to a bigger audience. This shows that putting yourself outside your comfort zone is the only way you can grow. The gymnastic event was the only event I attended, and the experience was eye opening. All the events (uneven bars, vault, beam, floor) were happening simultaneously, it was hard to know which event to watch. I was just amazed that the athletes had that level of concentration with the endless amounts of distractions happening during their routines.
I have always felt like I've been in a rush. Maybe it's because from moving so much as a child, I didn't feel belonging anywhere. Rushing to fit in, rushing to make friends, rushing to complete school. I really wanted to learn how to slow down. Learn about a city thoroughly, learn the stories of my friends slowly, learn to appreciate the simplicity of something, take in the beauty of more moments and remember those moments. Learn to not change the topic so quickly.
The film Mountains May Depart premiered in North America last monday. This was the same director who filmed "A touch of Sin". The line up to view the film was two blocks long and the actors and director were present before the film started. It was something I really wanted to watch, but in the end I was not completely satisfied. Sometimes you go after your goals because those are the things you want at the time, but the results may not be what you hoped for. But along the way you have gained more experience and knowledge. You have met a group of different people interested in the same things. You might have reconnected with an old friend. It's good to go after what you want. And if it becomes something you no longer want. That does not make you a hypocrite.
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