As we begin to close out the first full week of August, the world has begun saying the end of summer is on it’s way. Stores have been advertising “back to school” sales for a few weeks now, telling us the long, warm days of summer are numbered. But here, you will find none of that!
Here, for this month we are all about the idea of travel and escape. Monday I began to share with you a story from a trip we took to Ireland, and today, I am sharing a favorite memory from my first trip to Chile. Also, I talk about a book that helped me learn how to be a better traveler, and an important travel quote from Mark Twain.
Wherever you are today, I hope you are making the most of summer and that this post encourages you to think some lovely, faraway thoughts!
Love
Over the past year, Avocado Toast has become a “thing.” And whether served in trendy cafes or made at home, it is DELICIOUS. But, the first time I had Avocado Toast was about nine years ago, on a trip to Chile. I was part of a team scouting out the possibility of bringing down the students from our church to serve alongside a ministry there. A missionary couple took me and a coworker in for a few days, and one morning they served us the most delicious breakfast.
They sent their son out to buy fresh bread (which is locally baked and sold daily in Chile—so good!). Then they cut the small loaves of bread in half, lightly toasted them, and invited us to spread mashed avocado on the bread halves, and layer fresh slices of tomato on top. A little salt and pepper, and I was in heaven.
I share this story because one of the best parts of travel is usually the food. And when a new place introduces you to something that you can make and enjoy at home, it is the best souvenir. Every time I have avocado toast, it brings me back to my first time in Chile.
What foods from your travels, do you make to take you back?
Learn
Before I went to Chile, the man leading our trip gave me a copy of the book, Foreign to Familiar, by Sarah A. Lanier. In this book, Lanier explains that not all differences between cultures begin and end at a country’s border. In fact, some cultural differences can be divided by climate. For example, Colder Climate cultures tend to be more guarded in their relationships, while Hot Climate cultures tend to be much more open.
This book prepared me for our trip to Chile, and enabled me to truly appreciate the people I met and the cultural differences I encountered. As Northern Americans, our knee-jerk reaction to cultural differences is often “our way is better”—when it’s just not true. This attitude can hurt our experiences in new places, as well as the people whose country we have come to visit. For this reason it is important to read books like Foreign to Familiar before traveling to new places.
What resources have helped you be a better traveler?
Lead
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
—Mark Twain
We learn so much when we are able to step outside of our own little worlds.
When was the last time traveling changed your views of people or the world?
Where were you?
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