Why We Travel

In Pico Lyer's essay of "Why we travel", he explains that he travels to experience new, unfamiliar parts of the world and to escape his own. As for me, I travel to see great parts of the world and to enjoy myself there. He and I have different reasons for traveling. Because Lyer travels more to experience the culture of the different worlds and leave his behind, so that he may do and see things he normally couldn't in America. While travel for me is to be taken more as a vacation. Because half the time I spend at the resort, the other we explore the rest of the area. Lyer however, likes to stay up more and experience the place of its culture and religion.

Lyer says in his essay, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new places, but in seeing with new eyes." I believe this means another reason to travel is the places he visits are sometimes unlike anything he has ever seen. They cause him to see more of the world and himself in a new perspective. New locations can help you understand and appreciate more things you may ordinarily forget. Sometimes, I myself find out about things to appreciate more, but not often over trips.

Lyer says in his essay, "what gives value to travel is fear." I believe he is saying that we take risks when we travel, because some countries can be unpredictable. Traveling can contain other fears that we hide in the back of our heads. We may use traveling to also escape some fears, and to hopefully get over them. For example, this will be my first trip outside of the country without the rest of my family and I wonder if there will be any concern to that.

Lyer talks about we being "carrier pigeons" when we travel. That when we experience our destination we have the privelage, or the duty, to spread our knowledge to people we know about the country. As well as people in other countries about America. I see it more as a privelage to tell our friends and family about our trips and what we learned. So that we may continue the goal of endless knowledge throughout the world.

Throughout Lyer's essay I found this quote to be my favorite, "Madonna in an Islamic country after all, sounds radically different from Madonna in a Confucian one, and neither begins to mean the same as Madonna on East 14th street." I like this quote because it shows that Americas famous culture is spread throughout the world and becoming apart of other cultures. So now in some places we travel, things seam very much the same. Like Lyer said, we are slowly becoming one of the travelers and little like the tourists.

My introduction

My name is Zach Clark and I am a student from Grayslake Central High School. I have been given an oportunity to travel abroad with some other students to Australia and New Zeland for the Summer. I am very exited about it, but at the same time I'm also stressed. Not really the trip itself, but the work I need to do for it. I expected that we would simply study the two countries before we left, and do a few assignments as well. I never expected to write this blog though; and it's challenging for me. However, I know we're getting the hardest work out of the way so we can focus on the upcoming preparations for the trip. So for the next few months up until June, I will be writing out discussion questions as apart of my work.

Originally, I found out about this course because my parents introduced it to me. The advisors then explained what I'd do on the trip at the presentation. Strangely enough, they convinced me. Strange because normally I would pass on big decisions like this. Traveling abroad always seemed cool, but I never thought I would fully enjoy where I would go. Although, Australia seemed more like a fun environment rather than focused mostly around arts and history. When I discovered we would be going to New Zealand as well, the thought of seeing its wildlife added to my anticipation.

I believe traveling abroad to these countries will give me a better understanding of them by seeing them firsthand. For instance, I have done a few reports on New Zealand's wildlife, so I can't wait to see the exotic animals there. Australias alsways been interesting to me, but I know very little about the country and people. I'm hoping to have a better understanding of its culture when we're done.

 I am looking forward to learning more about the sights we will be visiting over the summer. I'm also looking forward to the food. I can't wait to taste it.
While in New Zealand and Australia, I'll be interested in seeing its wildlife, such as:The Kakapo bird, Kangaroo, Koala, and Tasmanian Devil.  I've done some research of the endangered species on New Zealand, and I'm hoping to see them up close.  I have heard a lot about places like Sidney's Opera House and the Coral Reef, and now I can finally see what they're all about.

At our first meeting, we were told what we would learn about in class. I am anxious to see the sights and animals I've already learned about. I'm also interested to learn more about the things I don't really know. Visiting these coutrties is going to be exciting and I love exploring new places.  However, doing the school work part of the trip is somewhat frustrating.  I do understand that learning about places we will see should makes us appreciate the trip more when we are there, but really, who likes doing more homework...I'll get through it.