Life is not a spartan existence, nor is happiness the greatest value we can achieve. Instead, life is a series of purposeful choices that can produce great rewards from great efforts. Choose to craft your life around creative work that goes up like a tower and out to the world. The tower we choose to build can be constructed in many forms, which is why it’s your own, unique tower. Like Michelangelo, you are the master architect. Nothing less than the fate of the world is in your hands – therefore you must give it your all, today and forever. To do this, you must fill your life with challenges, adventures and the love of good friends. And you must get to work, building your tower every single day. – Chris Guilleabeau, The Tower
Locusts invades in swarms a field, destroying whatever they find in their way. It is not really their fault, just their nature. A tourist often has a similar effect on the place he venture, being him on a organized group trip or a solo backpacker. Unlike locusts, he has some responsibilities on that.
While feeling proud to steal that souvenir from a local vendor for a couple of bucks, when back home it would cost him five times more, he is oblivious that he is paying much more than local price. While feeling generous and helpful to donate his pocket change to that cute beggar child, he does not care he is giving him what probably his father will make in hours of hard work. And so destabilizing the economy of not just of that family.
Sometimes a traveller is trying too hard to change the world, not respecting local traditions, for how much they look old and plain wrong to him. Sometimes he is just thinking of his personal pleasure or growth, not regarding at the consequences of his acts.
Do you think at the legacy you are leaving in the place you travel? Vagabonding is also finding a way to put together your personal quests with the impact your choices has on the surroundings. Supporting Chris Guilleabeau analogy, think about every place you go as a brick on the personal tower your are building. Remember that no matter how long you are there and your best efforts to live like a local, you are a guest in another culture. Take into account that even if you are passing by only for few hours, you can make a significant impact to improve the world around you.
To leave your legacy in the site you are calling home for any period of time, and at the same time make this site help to build your own, first you need to research your destination: guidebooks, websites, newspapers, they all serve to lay the foundation of your tower.
Once on the spot, leave what you have learned in the background, detach from your prejudices but not from your personality, and open yourself to interactions with local people and fellow travellers. Expand your senses: confront with new smells, flavours, noises. Respect the soul of the place, even if you can’t perceive it at all.
The reality, especially when you are in a new environment, can be overwhelming. Journals, photos, videos, if you just keep them for youself o decide to share with the world it is secundary, are all useful tools that help you simplify his complexity.
It is a challenge and an adventure. It is your unique experience and your personal tower, that will serve as a model for a new, hopefully better, one.
mariella
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