humanity
If nothing else, travel opens your eyes to the colorful quilt that is humankind.
Yamagata
What I remember about Yamagata Prefecture the first time I drove into it was its striking resemblance to the appearance of its sister city of Boulder, Colorado in the USA. I knew Boulder well as it was where I went to college. It was while visiting Boulder three months previous to when I first peered into the valley of Yamagata that I first learned about Yamagata's relationship with Boulder. It was the late summer of 2011 when I drove my Daihatsu Move into the valley of Yamagata City. It had been a whirlwind of a summer. Just five months previous to that moment I had realized that my teaching time in Fukushima Prefecture was over. A nearby melted nuclear plant had sealed that fate. It had been triggered by a wave. It was a wave that took out one-third of the town where I had been teaching in the small coastal, countryside town of Naraha. Luckily, Naraha was a small little town and the third of the town that was removed that day was mostly farming fields. Some houses were lost and some lives were lost, but they were small in comparison to further north. I already wrote about this day. It's in one of those previous writings. So you can find it there. Life is so short and fragile, I learned that day.
By Sound And The Messenger7 years ago in Wander
My Blue Windbreaker
Have you ever done something that was so insanely out of your comfort zone but simultaneously felt so comfortable? September 15, 2017, directly after graduating high school, I decided I was going to set mark on what would be the beginning of a electrifying journey through London and South Africa, each place representing something very different for me, but all encompassing one big lesson of life. I learned that there are unusually magical feelings and emotions that can be bursted out of one’s inner self, through being in different environments and experience "newness." All of it made me more able to express something so true inside of me; something I had never felt comfortable nor confident enough to share with the world. London represented new weather, ideas, new people, and independence. South Africa was a longer period of blooming and pure love, where I learned what it was like to put my energy out into the world instead of focusing on myself; simultaneously having it feel so effortless to understand and accept who I was, as a unique form of human existence.
By Sophie Rose7 years ago in Wander
Journal Entries for Self Discovery - Day 3
Hello, and welcome to day three. If you're new, I might suggest going back to read my first two posts... or not. I am keeping a (public) journal to try the 30 days of self-discovery and giving my opinions on these entries just to give other people an idea of if they are actually helpful or not. Thank you again for following along! My quote for the day is; "To write means more than putting pretty words on a page; the act of writing is to share a part of your soul with the world."
By Michelle Schultz7 years ago in Wander
Signs You Grew Up in a Small Town
If you grew up in a small town, this one’s for you. Everybody knows everybody. Truth is, you’ve probably known most people in your town since kindergarten. Also, your parents are all friends, so there’s really no getting away with anything. Whenever you go to your local gas station or grocery store, you’re bound to see someone you know shopping there or working there. That’s just how it goes.
By Skyler Bennett7 years ago in Wander
Home Is Where the Heart Is...
You know the saying, “Home is where the heart is”? I’ve heard this saying a thousand times, but I never thought much of it until recently. After spending the last month backpacking around Europe and meeting up with travel mates from Australia along the way, I have gotten such a better and intimate understanding of this saying.
By Michaela Marcille7 years ago in Wander
6 Reasons You Should Travel
Many of us have grown up with dreams of seeing the world, experiencing different cultures, and meeting lots of people! Somehow, however, we get sidetracked by life and can often end up sacrificing our dreams in the pursuit of the mundane.
By Jordan Catto7 years ago in Wander
Planning for Florida
Here's the thing about deciding to travel. The need can hit you at any moment; and all of a sudden you've got this itch, and whenever you're driving to work this thought lingers in your mind. "I could leave right now," you think, "I could leave now and when I come back I'll be someone new..." Please don't follow this urge. As incredibly tempting as it is, please set a plan and wait until you have the money.
By Will Jackson7 years ago in Wander
Traveling: The New Materialism?
This is a bit of a controversial topic that I wanted to write about for a while but never got around to it. I have had countless debates with my friends about it and never came to an agreement. Yes, buying tangible things and buying travel experiences are fundamentally different. However, I don't think they're so far apart. As I've grown up and started earning an income, luxuries started to become viable. New cars, houses, and vacations started to become attainable to me. I've had my fair share of material purchases and vacation experiences. For me, I would have to say that I don't think I gained more satisfaction from one over the other. I believe it all comes down to perception and personal preferences.
By Brian Anonymous7 years ago in Wander
The Three Van-Dwellers
Having broken down again, we were feeling pretty worse for wear. We were pulled up at the side of a small country road, somewhere in the south of France. However that day, our bad luck seemed to be balanced with an equal amount of good luck. A small red car began to pull up, all faded and battered. It almost looked as if it had stories to tell. We dreaded it. We couldn’t speak a word of French, how are we going to explain our problem? The man stepped out and began to walk towards us. He had a rather daunting look about him, like a man who had seen a lot. The tattoos on his arms were faded and scared, the lines on his face told a story of his life but his eyes were bright. He had a certain kindness in his face. As he approached us he spoke, in a deep Scottish accent.
By Kader Folles8 years ago in Wander
I Booked a One Way 12 AM Ticket Home and I Don't Know When I'm Coming Back
On Tuesday, I was tired, sad, and restless. I had been sad for the past couple of weeks. Restless. Uncertain of a lot of things. I haven't been sleeping well for like, two weeks now. Moving has been a lot of things but it's mostly been tiring—emotionally draining. But late on Tuesday night, I just decided I was done. I felt this massive urge to go home all day and I couldn't shake it. I needed to go home, see my home. Be in my house. Ride my bike to my favorite coffee shop in the morning and say hi to my barista, Nick (shout out to Nick, by the way. Thanks for always serving my iced black with a dash of almond milk :) ). I needed to see all of my friends again. I needed to laugh about stupid stuff with them again. I needed to watch movies on the beach and go SUPing on Sundays. I needed to go home. I just craved home. I didn't get enough time to say goodbye. I came home from Hawaii and I left the next day. I didn't get to say goodbye to anyone or anything and it made my soul so sad. I missed my physical home. I missed certain people. I missed my neighbors. Friends. Hanging out in my backyard with the sunlight pouring in at all hours of the day. And as simple as it sounds, it's those things that you miss about home. And as crowded and hot as home is right now, it's still my home. It will always be. I will always crawl back to the blessed Southland like the SoCal brat I am and lay on the beach all day and be content with my life.
By Lauren Day8 years ago in Wander
