thoughts about travel...

The more of this incredible planet we see, the less we are shocked by things that we may have once considered bizarre, the lower our standards become for cleanliness (it's crazy how spending some time in a developing nation will do this to you), the less space we need to get a good night's sleep, and the more open we find ourselves to understanding other cultures.  We are often reminded of the luxury and wealth that the United States has to offer, and what we once considered shabby now seems like pure gold compared to how most people live.  

Rather than making a judgement about the differences between our cultures, we find that we have so much to learn from them.  Being in the Philippines last weekend with some friends, we were hit with how some of the most beautiful places are the poorest.  Maybe that is a gift for them because life is hard on so many levels.... that at least they have a gorgeous place to live.  

Often we go to a place hoping to give to the people there because they don't have as much "stuff," yet we leave far more blessed than anything we could have expected.   In both Cambodia and the Philippines, we were overwhelmed with the generosity and kindness shown to us by the local people.  They are both such laid back, relaxing cultures which encourages you to be more patient and friendly.  Since living in Korea, which is not a flexible or open culture, we probably appreciate these attitudes in other societies all the more.

If nothing else, maybe we are learning to smile more, be more generous, give people the benefit of the doubt, and ask in each situation, what can we learn from this?  People are people, and no matter where they live, we all have the same basic needs and problems...