Improvements in technology mean that people from different countries and cultures can interact more than they ever did before. Distances that would take days or even weeks in the previous decades are now covered within hours. As a result, people can mingle more frequently and exchange ideas that will eventually define their perspectives of the world they live in and their views of different cultures. Traveling to a different city or country certainly contributes to the identity that an individual develops over time. While the influences on self-identity due to travel and interactions may take time to develop, they have a lifelong effect on the worldview of the individual. Suggestions that the effects of traveling on self-identity are temporary also abound hence creating the divide on whether traveling affects the overall worldview of the individual (Wang et al., 2018). From professional and personal vantage points, traveling affects the thinking and perspectives of the individual. My traveling experience impacted on my self-identity as well as the effect of cultural interaction on my worldview.
Background
Certainly, traveling exposes an individual to different experiences that have the potential to spark interest that would otherwise remain without adventure. Reported cases people discovering their talents and hobbies from traveling to new locations abound. There are, however, various cases of the traveler reverting back to old habits and practices once they return home from their trips. Undoubtedly, different people react differently to new encounters in their travels. Furthermore, the effect of new encounters varies between individuals hence the lack of a standard measure of how traveling impacts self-identity. For instance, traveling to a new location that lacks the practices that interest the traveler leads to faint memories that are likely to fade with time. Comparatively, memorable experiences created by meeting new people and interesting cultures are unlikely to be forgotten. In that context, this essay develops a broader perspective on the impact of traveling on self-identity. This paper explores experiences that have a lifelong effect on the traveler as opposed to exploring the effect of traveling to a specific location.
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Research on the role of traveling in shaping the identity of the individual has produced various conclusions. Li and McKercher (2016) argued that travelers develop a sense of attachment to the culture and mode of life of the people in their destination. As a result, the traveler feels a yearning to go back to the location to experience the euphoria that came with the first visit. While the attachment does not adequately explain the identity theory, it creates the foundation for relating how traveling shapes self-identity. As the individual becomes attached to the location and culture of their destination, they eventually become used to the practices of the new place. They will then begin practicing and thinking in the same way the people in the new location do hence broaden their view of the world. Cordeiro et al. (2018) utilize the self-determination theory in explaining the role of traveling in shaping individual perspectives. Individuals have a tendency to grow and move towards a greater and more integrated functioning. An individual who lacks adequate exposure to propel him/her towards the higher functions will likely stagnate in the social functioning. Traveling, however, provides the opportunity for the person to move to higher functioning by exposing them to new cultures and ways of doing things. The learning process thus works by guiding the person to improve their thinking and interaction in new environments.
Impact on Personal and Cultural Experiences
Personal and cultural experiences have a role in the worldview of a person. While people are born into a specific culture and only get the chance to experience different cultures through traveling, they are not ultimately constrained to the norms of their cultures. As such, a familiar culture acts as a comfort zone, which is impossible to abandon without experiencing other cultures. Traveling thus represents a step out of the comfort zone through new people and experiences that broaden one's thinking and ways of doing things. The self-determination theory explains that social environments have a role in enforcing or undermining the development of an integrated identity (Cordeiro et al., 2018). A positive social environment allows the individual to develop skills such as communication and interaction. A negative social environment, on the other hand, limits the thinking of the individual within their physical settings. The self-determination theory thus supports the understanding that a familiar culture acts as comfort zones within which an individual is unlikely to develop new ideas and worldviews.
The ability to meaningfully engage with people from different backgrounds develops through social interaction. Traveling allows me to adequately interact and develop the skills that allow me to assess the environment and make decisions that fit into the new norms. As a result, I develop a stronger sense of self and can confidently blend into different environments. Social contact has the capability to influence a sense of self that transcends physical boundaries (Stoeckel, 2016). Undoubtedly, the interaction between individuals from diverse social, ethnic, and national backgrounds lessens prejudice and positively impacts on the level of trust between people. As a person travels and meets people from diverse backgrounds, they learn to appreciate the differences between individual and their way of thinking. Prejudices that existed before the contact eventually weaken as the person appreciates the positives of the new culture. As such, I have experienced a new sense of self develop gradually as I began to subscribe to the new way of thinking.
Furthermore, traveling accounts for changes in personal experiences and the worldview of the individual. The dominant personality traits in individuals include openness, agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and extroversion (Andresen, M., & Bergdolt, 2019). These traits are affected by the people that an individual interacts with throughout their lifetime. A person with an openness personality trait enjoys new experiences and is often willing to try new things. Through traveling, I have experienced new cultures and ways of doing things. Consequently, I am more willing to immerse myself in these new cultures as I gradually learn about the new ways. Certainly, the openness trait allows me to adjust to new environments and people quickly. People then become more willing to engage and share as I adapt to the new lifestyle. Openness prevents rigidity from changing in individuals as they enter new environments and cultures. The understanding that new countries and environments guarantee different methods of doing things means that openness is a desirable trait when trying to fit in into new cultures. Travelling thus allows me to strengthen my openness trait further as I develop my integrated functioning. Furthermore, a new environment creates exposure to difficulties that require an improved amount of problem-solving abilities. As I strengthen my problem-solving skills, I develop a stronger sense of self that eventually shapes my identity.
Additionally, the extroversion personality trait develops through interaction. The ability to learn and blend into new cultures relies on the individual willingness to interact with people and learn about their norms. Extroverted people usually have an easier time in new countries since they can quickly make friends and observe how people interact in their new environments. Travelling thus offers a chance to improve my interaction skills as I meet new people and make friends. Initially, I noted that my introverted personality prevented me from learning a new language and talking to people in new countries. I, however, learned to overcome the fear of new places hence enjoyed the new company and talking to people in the new environments. As such, the cultural experiences opened my mind to the diversity between countries and how it impacts the worldview of the citizens.
Overcoming Fear
Travelling exposes an individual to experiences that they would never encounter at home. These experiences can, however, expose the person to situations that may be challenging or difficult to overcome. For instance, a person in a new country may find the food or dressing difficult to adjust to during the initial weeks or months. The culture shock is likely to turn the experience unbearable if the individual is unable to overcome the challenges that come with the new environment (Yen et al., 2018). The fear that accompanies the adjustment into the new environment can sometimes hinder the learning experience. Undoubtedly, fear slows the adjustment process and can turn the travel experience into an undesirable trip. Overcoming the fear thus becomes critical to creating a memorable experience that positively impacts on my identity. Traveling thus exposed me to different environments; hence overcoming the fear became key to the development of a resilient personality. Fear of the unknown, especially in the days preceding the travel and settling in the new country, negatively affected my adjustment process. As I learned how to overcome fear, the travel experience became more fulfilling and memorable. The personality developed from the lack of fear is applicable to other life experiences. As such, traveling assisted in developing an identity characterized by the willingness to face new challenges.
Traveling and Spirituality
The spiritual aspect of an individual significantly defines their identity, and the way they view the world around them. Eftekhari et al. (2018) posited that spiritual intelligence is defined by a person’s developed views about the meaning of life and its interrelationship with higher beings. As such, finding satisfaction in life does not rely on rational thinking alone but rather learning from the perspectives of different people about life. Traveling exposes an individual to different spiritual experiences that eventually define the person’s views and ideas on spirituality. For instance, people view God differently. Some people see God in various phenomena like rainfall, high mountains, vast seas, among others, while others find comfort in simple things like holding conversations or taking nature walks. Despite the differences in perspectives, every individual strives for the meaning of life and finding comfort in their activities. Travelling thus exposes an individual to these different perspectives and how they are interwoven with religion. As a result of traveling, I was able to develop my own spiritual perspective. Furthermore, various encounters and experiences while traveling worked to inform my spiritual identity.
Besides, spiritual growth is can also be sparked by traveling through meeting and interacting with people who share the same spiritual perspective. Learning about other people's cultures, religions, struggles, and ways of life broadens one’s understanding of the world and how people interact. Spirituality emanates from one view of the world and the purpose of life and can easily change depending on the level of exposure of a person (Eftekhari et al., 2018). A person who believes that the world is inherently evil is likely to change their perspective once they encounter a person who performs deeds of kindness without expecting the same in return. Additionally, a person who does not find satisfaction in their religion may encounter a person from a different religion that can provide fulfillment for their spiritual needs. Despite the differences in religious beliefs, a traveler will understand that human beings inherently crave for love, peace, and happiness. Through my travels, I understood that differences in religion are only apparent on the outside, but people are defined by their inner traits. Conversations with people from different backgrounds revealed that people always have something that they believe in despite their religion. Life-changing conversations eventually contributed to my spiritual growth and my perspectives about life.
Cultural Identity
While technology allows people in different parts of the world to learn about the lifestyles and cultures of others, individual experiences define the way a person views others. Different languages, races, and cultures define the diversity that is apparent in different parts of the world. Travelling produces a firsthand experiences of these cultures and the way of thinking of the different ethnicities. While a person’s culture does not entirely define ways of thinking and ideas, the way of life of the people that an individual interacts with has a significant role in their perspective. In light of that, a person is likely to develop a broader perspective about issues if they interact with people from different backgrounds. Traveling thus exposed me to different ways of thinking hence assisted in keeping my mind open to different ideas and opinions.
Furthermore, travel assisted in developing an identity that fostered my sense of belonging. Identifying with a specific culture or lifestyle is necessary for the overall growth of an individual (McCann, 2017). Constant movement and interaction with people from different cultures can result in an inability to subscribe to a specific culture. The lack of cultural identity can have an adverse effect on self-doubt and confidence in one’s beliefs. Traveling exposed me to different cultures and a chance to learn about the good and the bad of the cultures. With time, I learned that cultural identity is key to developing a strong sense of self-worth and belonging. More importantly, I learned that cultural identity is not defined by race, color, or place of birth but rather an understanding of the norms of the specific culture. Cultural identity thus assisted in shaping my perspectives about other cultures and how cultural interaction fosters a stronger understanding between individuals.
In essence, self-identity does not emanate from inner traits but is produced through continuous interactions and experiences. Identity is shaped through a gradual but continuous process of individual experiences and learning. Cultural differences between people in a different location does not translate to differences in traits. The traits that define individuals eventually become apparent as they become exposed to different ways of life. However, there is a possibility that appositive change can occur if the person identifies that a certain trait is favorable in a given environment. For instance, I identified that my introverted nature hindered my adjustment to new cultures and further prevented my enjoyment of new environments. I gradually adjusted to the extroverted trait that allowed me to interact better with people and learn faster. Furthermore, traveling assists in overcoming the fear that accompanies facing new challenges. Overcoming the fear through traveling helped in shaping my identity into an explorative and risk-taking individual. Notably, some experiences from traveling are eventually forgotten with time. The learning experiences, however, create memories that remain for years. Traveling thus impacts on my worldview by making me more accommodating to differences between people. It also informed my understanding of the importance of cultural differences and their role in the development of different ideologies.
References
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Eftekhari, A. R., Jahanian, M., Javdan, M., Khooshebast, F., & Vahedi, E. (2018). Analyzing the Relationship between Tourism and Spirituality: Toward a Framework. International Journal of Tourism and Spirituality, summer . doi: 10.22133/IJTS.2018.69311
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