BoifromIpanema: Ramblings of a Boi: Lessons from a traveler

In front of the Moulin Rouge. Paris

So yesterday, I was going through old pictures and decided to post pics from my various trips, to facebook.

I came across pics from a trip I took to Europe to visit and bond with some family that I really hadn't seen much my whole life.

Reminiscing on the experiences really got me thinking...

I remember, years ago, reading a quote by Maya Angelou that said

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."

This quote resonated and continues to resonate with me whenever I travel.

Sometimes we take for granted our freedoms, our rights...and sometimes we forget that we don't know everything and we don't always know best.

I was lucky enough to spend a little over a month traveling through Europe with the family. They were so gracious and took me in and made me feel so comfortable (they even bought me Christmas presents...yaaaaasssssss).

Seeing that in so many ways we were different, but also so similar was really interesting to me. I think that the travel experience, really helped to open my eyes and teach me to be patient and gracious with everyone I encounter.

Which if you know anything about me, is a really difficult thing for me to do!

I'm thankful for my experiences... all of them. The painful ones that left me feeling like I was about to break. The ones that left me permanently scarred. Those experiences make you grow. They make you rise above. When you travel you realize that, no matter where we are from, and no matter the background or skin color, beliefs, educational history.....we all struggle, we all strive, we all dream....and we all love.

It also helps me to realize that there are problems far beyond anything I am experiencing currently in my life.

I know what some people may be thinking...You went to Europe, not freaking war torn Uganda...sit down!

Listen, I get you. But just like there is Beverly Hills, here in LA, there is also Skid Row.

Two extremes can exist in the same element.

it's science y'all

Anyways. The trip to Europe was an amazing and rewarding experience that I think everyone, if able, should experience. I just wanted to share some thoughts and ramblings of a boi.

-ttyl
Jeshua

Now enjoy some pics from three of the 6 places I visited. ...or don't....do what you want 'cause you're a grown up...unless you're not...idk

España

La Sagrada familia..Barcelona, Spain

Caracol con Salsa (Snails cooked in a tomato-garlic broth) with my little cousin. These were her favorite she told me. She was really eager for me to try them :D They were actually delicious hah

We had to go to the market pretty much everyday to buy food because they told me that in Europe you only buy food for the day, not for the week like in the States.