INC finally cleared... GPA back to normal. Yehey!!!

Travel and learning

A fairly recent conversation I had with my younger sister forced me to think about what I have gained from my seemingly incessant travels. 

***

Sis: do you think your travels have made you more globally and politically aware and brought about an unprecedented level of maturity?

Me: globally aware in general yes, but not politically, perhaps culturally would be more appropriate for me. I have no interest in politics.

Sis: follow-up question: had you stayed exclusively within the Philippines, do you think you would have achieved the same level of learning?

Me: I would not credit my "unprecedented" level of maturity solely on my travels. But I highly think that it has contributed immensely. Traveling and living abroad, away from most of who and what you know, most of the time require self reliance and adaptibility. 

Sis: its adaptability

Me: that's what i said

Sis: adaptibility is not a word

Sis: and your answer to my follow up question?

Me: My travels, along with all my life experiences, have made me who and what I am today. Had I stayed in the Philippines, perhaps I would have matured differently, but not necessarily learned less. The choices we make in life take us through different paths. They shape our interests and ultimately what we learn. If I stayed in the Philippines perhaps I would not have learned that Dali's melting clock was inspired by a melting Camembert cheese left for too long on the table on a warm sunny day, that Netsukes actually have practical function (i didn't even know what these were until I saw them at the Boston MFA!) or that scones (which I have read about in those Judith McNaught novels I was so fond of in college) don't really taste extraordinarily different than our local breads in the Phils.

Sis: uh...ok

Me: Maybe I would have learned about something else that captured my interests. Or perhaps I would also have learned about the same things but in a different way.

Me: why do you ask these questions anyway?

Dali's "La persistencia de la memoria" at the MoMa.

Let's vote for Pinoy nominated as CNN Hero

Efren Peñaflorida, founder of the Dynamic Teen company, is making a difference through his "Kariton Klasrum" project.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive09/efran.penaflorida.html

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