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.