How I started to travel from home

Travelling from home seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it? When one thinks of travel, a vision of home does not come to mind. With a tweak to your definition of travel, this is entirely possible. It was how I started travelling. I love telling stories so here goes.

I remember wanting to travel since I was 4. My dad had to go to Mauritius for work, and I remembering pestering him to take us numerous times. But needless to say, as you can assume form the title, we stayed home. Travel was only ever seen as something that the rich can do and that subject was laid to bed.

Then I left for University. Suddenly I was surrounded by people who have gone or was going overseas. Be it for lectures or teaching or outreaches or even holidays. For the first time, I thought that travel might be possible for a normal girl like me. I pestered my lecturers and whomever I could corner to see if I could also get a finger in the travel pie. I was always on the lookout for an opportunity to get my passport stamped. Unfortunately, that opportunity did not come for years.

I was in Health Sciences for many years and one day decided to change the scenery a little and set foot in the School of Languages. O my word! Best academic, and every other type of decision, I have ever made. Initially, I only wanted to stay a semester. But in the end, I was part of them for 7 semesters! 7 Semesters that I ‘traveled’ without needing a passport.

The main class was language, but it encompassed so much more. We were immersed in the culture of the country. We learned about everything imaginable from geography to politics. From traditions that they have to the food they eat. We got to see movies and read books. Learn who their most famous actors and literary writers were. I listened with great expectations as others related their experiences. And I could not get enough. I was learning a new skill and exploring a country that I previously could only point out on a map. Suddenly I knew how the country operated and where their major hubs were. I was happy as a clam. I knew stuff!

While taking a whole different class at the School, I discovered that I will probably not be as happy to go to the East as I will be going to the West. The lady that gave the class only spoke Mandarin. There is no way to describe how intimidating that class was to me. I didn’t understand the words and could not read them. You just had to memorize symbols and sounds and I remember feeling like I was drowning and did not have an idea how to swim. A visit to the country will probably freak me out then.

I found that other languages, that use the same alphabet as us, is way easier to learn. I dabbled briefly in some Italian and Spanish. This I, however, did on my own. Being a part of a group, however, gives the learning of a culture a whole new dimension. Especially when some people in your group have first-hand experience of the country being discussed.

So there I was, literally escaping my daily grind by such a simple act as walking through the correct door. I was so fired up that I started applying for bursaries to go and experience all that I have learned for myself. I was very lucky and received 2 bursaries to go and experience for myself what I have learned. That was where I turned from a couch potato traveller to an actual one. Those were 2 excellent experiences. But upon returning it was back to the couch for me. Being a potato traveller is the main way to travel at the moment. That is until my million-dollar check arrives in the post. It may take a while yet.

What I have learned from this is to just ‘explore’ what is within my reach. If that is google-ing a county and making traditional food at home, go for it. Nothing beats the actual experience of travelling, I won’t lie about that. But not being able to travel does not mean not being able to have experiences. Experience what you re able to, and just maybe opportunity will come knocking.

PS since pictures are worth a thousand words, I included a few to do the talking. I have taken none of these pictures. They all belong to friends who send them to me while they travelled. It is another way for me to experience travel without being able to travel.

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