Being a global citizenship involves seeing the rest of the world and interacting with the diverse range of communities and cultures present on Earth. Travelling has never been easier than today with advances in transport and technology. To make sure your journey in another country makes the most of that intercultural experience, it is necessary to for an individual to immerse themselves in that country’s culture. The example of a tourist and traveller was extremely eye opening.
Are you a tourist when you go overseas?
Or a traveler?
What is the difference between the two and how can one become a traveler instead of being a tourist?
Daniel Vera’s concept of inner travel made a lot of sense. Whenever we travel externally and experience new things, we go on an internal journey as this we create connections between our past experiences and identity to this new and current one. An example of my own inner travel journey occurred when I visited Melaka in Malaysia on a family holiday. During one of my days there, my family and I went on a river journey trip on a tiny dingy boat around the straits of Melaka. Melaka is inter connected with water streets and much travelling occurs by boat in this city.
During the tour instead of just sitting back and taking in the view, I decided to ask questions to the owner of the small boat about the history of Melaka and about the details of our environment. I remember having an amazing conversation with this local, something I had never done on any of my previous trips overseas, and learnt so much about the city and the people there. I cannot remember all my questions and answers I received but I remember asking why some buildings looked different to other ones in terms of style (it was very obvious) and he told me about the Dutch occupation in Melaka and the reforms to make the straits look more aesthetic from the government. I learnt about the food in Melaka and even about the mudskippers by the side of lake! It was the most connected I had felt to a place outside of Australia. Daniel Vera states that inner travel involves openness, self-discovery and relativism and I completely agree from his speech and my won reflection of my experience in Melaka.
I believe Daniel Vera’s concept of Oneness is extremely related to global citizenship. It is focussing on our similarities and commonalities from the fact that everyone on this planet is a member of the human race, and simply because we are all human, we are all one. Although we may have our differences, it is more important that we focus our energy onto the similarities of one another and creating stronger bonds of connectedness with our fellow human beings around the world.
To become a traveler, you must completely and totally immerse yourself in a new environment. One that is completely new and alien to you. Say goodbye to what you know and what you are comfortable with, and enter something unknown. Make that unknown, known. Make that new and alien and scary new thing, something that you are familiar and comfortable with. Connect with others while overseas and learn about them. They are just like you and me, human beings satisfying the same basic needs day to day.
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