View from the Pier

Everyday life is a classroom.

That said, I find I am most open to learning when traveling. In my everyday life, I can tend to expect things to be a certain way—and often be an unhappy camper when they’re not!

When taking a trip, however, I am in an induced state of anticipation and curiosity.  I embark expecting to be in new surroundings, see things I haven’t seen before, hear different accents, taste exotic dishes, smell unusual aromas.  I am more attuned and receptive to other ways of doing things and seeing life. And, of course, one of the greatest windows into the soul of a culture is its people.

Travel gives me the freedom to be a kid again and say to the people I meet “I don’t understand—can you explain?” and then have the time and space to let a “foreign” outlook seep in and maybe marinate a little bit.

And, ironically, often the lessons imparted to me while I am on the road have absolutely nothing to do with from which continent the “teacher” presented to me hails. That, to me, is one of the greatest gifts of travel–seeing not only our differences, but, in fact, how alike we all are…

…to learn how someone from the jungle has dealt with an ill parent, how someone from an island has tried not to be so hard on himself, how someone from the desert discerned what his calling was, how someone from the fjords found acceptance, how someone from the mountains relied on his faith in a time of self-doubt.

The idea of nurturing that sense of wonder and openness, of keeping the conversation going while I am home in Nahant, and of passing on what is shared with me, is the point of the monthly interview column “Peer to Pier: Conversations with Fellow Travelers.”

Each column offers a Q & A with someone with whom I have crossed paths, and a glimpse, through their eyes, of this journey called life.  I think you’ll find inspiring their responses to what are universal questions.

I hope you enjoy this feature and I encourage you to chime in with your two cents through the blog.