I do a fairly good job at keeping some things private although I try and be open with my various blog mediums because sometimes some of the things I'm thinking or feeling are worth sharing. Not to mention if others are having similar thoughts from experience it's nice to have validation that I'm not alone in my emotional outpouring whatever it may be. Well, a little more background that may be a surprise for those of you that have even known me for years or more. Although I was a political science major at Davis, a part of me always felt I should have been an International Relations major instead. I often reflect to that point when I had general curiosity for what was happening in the rest of the world. I recalled my dad's stories of the various wars he served in and travels so that seed was probably planted earlier than I can remember. Maps and Encyclopedias were adornments to our shelves and walls at home. Then between the eruption of the Gulf War in the 90s and general curiosity by the time I was in Ms. Echeveria's World History class in 10th grade I was aware of the rest of the World and my place in it. Reflecting on that now, I laugh because the World really is so much smaller than we give it credit for. I've bumped into a friend I hadn't seen in years at a nightclub in Accra, Ghana. The week our new Apple Store opened here in Singapore, the 2nd day, I saw a familiar looking man and it turned out I had helped him fix his Mac at my last store in Berkeley. Coincidence? I'm not sure but I constantly keep reminding myself that everything happens for a reason and I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
Now, while being in the right place now has taken a lot of hard work and effort, I've always deeply desired to travel more internationally. My current country listing is abysmal in my opinion. Between my older passport not including my recent trip to Vietnam, I have the following countries on my list that I have been to: Nassau, Bahamas (cruise); Accra, Ghana (study abroad); Milan, Italy (layover on my way to Ghana), Jamaica and Mexico (cruise). Five. If we add Singapore and Vietnam that number only climbs to seven. Pathetic considering that there are officially 196 countries in the world. That also depends on who you ask since Taiwan isn't always officially recognized but it counts in my book. I haven't even been to Canada yet! Although after the election if I wasn't selected for Singapore, I was considering how I can relocate to Vancouver. But back to my point…,the World is a pretty vast place but smaller than we give it credit for. If we just take a small step out of our comfort zones and explore it, it makes for some wildly enriching experiences. Those are the things I am looking forward to. Just two nights ago, my Grab driver and I had a great discussion about politics and she asked me about my experiences as a Black American and if it was like what she's seen on Facebook and YouTube. Those conversations only encourage enlightenment and bring about a better understanding and respect for what others go through. It's the fabric of our humanity that sometimes gets overlooked.
When I was younger I used to love watching the Olympics. I can recall the Summer games in 1988 that I spent at my grandma's in Virginia. Those games being aired from Seoul, South Korea were boycotted by North Korea (no surprise there) and I think was my first time processing the duality of conflict during times of perceived peace. I remember that Carl Lewis defended his 100m title and there was a scandal with that race. Later, Canadian Ben Johnson was disqualified for steroid use but other than that like most of my memories the rest is hazy. Being an American, I feel it is so easy to insulate ourselves from the rest of the world and be oblivious to the things happening around us.
I may have mentioned it in one of my two posts regarding Hanoi, but my Political Science degree leads me to be curious of visiting locations and reflecting on their history. My next trip to Vietnam will definitely focus more on the culture and taking a look back on the past and how it has shaped their future. Vietnam is such a unique place and there are so many places in the world that have a great history and so much to share with the world.
It seems in recent years the collection of passport stamps has almost become akin to drawing an additional line of separation to divide the Black community. I've even known people that have said they won't date anyone that doesn't at least have a Passport. Trust me, I get it. There is so much power in owning a Passport and being able to be able to leave the country on a whim. Of course so much of that is contingent on a person's financial outlook. Although I have had the privilege of owning a passport until moving to Singapore, I hardly used it. I always let time and/or money get in the way. Instead I became intent on finishing my Quest To 50. Basically, seeing all 50 States, from sea to shining sea. In my length holding pattern for Singapore I cancelled a trip that would have taken that number from 17 states remaining to see to 11. One day, I hope to see them all and be able to speak to the diverseness and richness within the U.S.. For now, the rest of the World is on my radar and rightfully so. Instead of making excuses for not being able to travel, I feel that a greater disservice is done when we don't open up our minds and push ourselves out of our comfort zones and experience new cultures and make new connections.
One of my new friends that was on our trip to Hanoi, truly impressed me by his passport stamp collection. His country count totals 55. Other than a guy that came to work with us who totaled a bit higher, I never met anyone with such a large amount of international experience. Even more impressive is the fact that for many of the trips he traveled alone. As a single Black female... American female, it's a little bit intimidating to think about traveling the world alone. Although I will also admit that I am the type of traveler that doesn't like for others to thwart my plans to see the things I deeply desire to. That's the whole thing about wanting to be a global traveler and opening up. Pushing through the comfort zone is step one. So in that spirit, I keep asking my new friend, Eli questions about how he started on such an amazing journey to World domination LOL. Honestly it was more of a text interrogation about his pursuit of the World and how it's changed him. In the spirit of introducing you to my new friends, here's a recap of my text chat with Mr. Eli Mirinda.
Charm: So, I have 3 questions: 1. Where did your desire to travel come from? 2. What initial obstacles have you encountered and how have you overcome them? 3. How has seeing more of the world changed you?
Eli: Ok here we go.
1. Since I was a little kid. I have an uncle who works in Saudi Arabia and every year we will pick him up at the airport for his yearly vacation. And in the airport I always get fascinated seeing airplanes, hearing them taking off. I even feel happy seeing those big screens showing planes that have departed or arrived. In school, I remember going to the library every week to look at the map or the globe and I memorized the countries and their capitals. I also enjoy reading trivia about different countries… like which country has the longest river, which is most populous, etc. So I guess that’s when my desire for traveling started.
2. Initial obstacle is money. Like, I really want to travel but I have no means to support it. That's why I only started traveling since I moved to Singapore. I know at that point that this is the start of my journey to explore the world. So when I start earning money, I started traveling. I first went to southeast Asian countries which is very close to Singapore. And because I know that traveling can be a expensive at times, i started doing backpacking. Never have I stayed in a luxury hotel during my travels. I would stay in dorm rooms which are shared by as many as 20 people. If I have to travel long distance from one place to another, I'd look for overnight trains or buses just to save one night in accommodation. I've slept in airports too. So, I would say I'm able to overcome that obstacle by being practical. I travel not for comfort but for the experience.
3. Seeing the world has changed my views immensely. Coming from a 3rd world country and a middle class family, sometimes I would feel like I'm not lucky enough to have things I desire. And then I started traveling. I would see people happily living their lives with almost nothing. People who are content and satisfied with what they have. The past two years I have also tried Couchsurfing. It's a traveling community where local people would host you to stay at their homes (yes for free). In Iran and Pakistan I've seen how they live, I stayed with a few different families. These two countries may not have the best reputation from the media and they know it. Their common question to me was, 'Do you believe in what you see in the news?' I remember vividly one student in Iran who came up to me to chat about how beautiful his country is, and then he told me, “I hope you tell your friends in Singapore that we are not terrorists, we are human.” These two countries are the friendliest of all. People on the street would stop to say hi. I felt like I'm a celebrity but they are just so genuine. So things like these you would not see or experience if you don't travel. I can tell you a million more stories but one must experience it for themselves.
Charm: Okay one more…What advice would you give to people more curious about traveling more?
Eli: Advice? Just do it. There's so much to see and so much to learn in the real world. Don't worry too much about your 'what ifs'. Have faith in humanity.
Charm: Best replies ever ELI!!! THANK YOU!!! I love that you said money was a big factor for you. I know what you mean. How have you dealt with any language challenges?
Eli: Oh language was a challenge at first. During my first travels I did get frustrated, especially when I was lost and I can't seem to ask anyone for directions. However, as times go by I realized I shouldn't be frustrated as it's not their fault they can't speak English, they speak their own language. I should always remember I am visiting their country, I should be the one adjusting. In cases like these, hand gestures and miming are of a great help. You may look silly but you'll definitely send the message across. And there's always that one person who can speak a little bit of English so I know I'll be fine. Going to the tourism center of the city you're visiting is also a good idea. For sure you'll find someone there who can speak English.
The part I loved most was Eli’s statement about having faith in humanity. It’s one of the underlying things I think that we lack most in this world, along with general decency and basic morality. The modern Olympic rings were created based on linking together the five continents. Our world, together unified. The colors represented on the flag were chosen because every single flag in the world has at least one of them. As much as we can always try and find differences there are so many more things we have in common. Until next blog, think about something or some place that interests you and maybe how you can visit!! Here’s to visiting the next countries on my list and taking full advantage of my new location.
Love & Light,
Charm
Just a few of Eli's passport stamps! Adding a few of these to my list!