I listened to This American Life this morning and it was about the road and all of its subtleties, expectations, and disappointments.
There has been so much American literature, film, and music that is based around the freedom and excitement of the road, and because of this we Americans have a preconception that taking to the road has all of the possibility of changing the way we think and live. These preconceptions only sometimes come true though.
The transitory nature of the road is a strange thing. One of the stories from this american life was by a zine writer named Dishwasher Pete and he talked of traveling on greyhound buses around the US and about the strange transitory community that develops in the in-between. He eventually comes to realize that some of his idealistic fantasies are just that, idealistic and unrealistic.
I have a drive to explore the world, and I have many of those same misconceptions-- and my drive brings up so many more things:
Why do I get to explore the world?
There has been so much American literature, film, and music that is based around the freedom and excitement of the road, and because of this we Americans have a preconception that taking to the road has all of the possibility of changing the way we think and live. These preconceptions only sometimes come true though.
The transitory nature of the road is a strange thing. One of the stories from this american life was by a zine writer named Dishwasher Pete and he talked of traveling on greyhound buses around the US and about the strange transitory community that develops in the in-between. He eventually comes to realize that some of his idealistic fantasies are just that, idealistic and unrealistic.
I have a drive to explore the world, and I have many of those same misconceptions-- and my drive brings up so many more things:
Why do I get to explore the world?
What is the real outcome of living in transit or transition?
After all of my travelling I usually come to the realization that the most important things are my friends and family and the community that I am a part of, so I guess I am trying to figure out why I continue to do it.
Curiosity?
Expectations from media?
Cultural drive?
Journeys away from suburbia only to return?
As usual, I have many more questions than I have answers, but if anyone has any thoughts or ruminations on travel please post them.
Listening to Iron and Wine and Calexico
