My personal thoughts about travelling.

   


     I remember one night in Taiwan when I was squirming in my bed and couldn't fall asleep. I realized that my Turkish roommate had the same problem. It was 2 am and we decided to go for a ride in the neighbourhood. Not even changing our pyjamas, we took bikes and hit the road. We drifted along the oldest Taiwanese city admiring its rich cultural heritage (there are more than 1600 temples in Tainan). There were no people in the streets, what's more, humidity and the heat didn't disturb us so much as it was during the day. We enjoyed that silent and magical atmosphere without even saying a word. Then we entered one of the numerous 7Eleven shops and bought an Asian snack with rice and seaweed. After filling our stomachs and having a long philosophical conversation, sharing our ideas for life and drinking green tea, we came back to our dormitory and immediately fell asleep with smiles on our faces and with curiosity what the next day will bring. That is one of the unforgettable moments from my trips that I will always remember.
     For ages people have been into travelling and discovering foreign lands. Nowadays trips are associated with holidays and time devoted to rest, but are these the only advantages of travelling?
Saint Augustine said: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page". This quote means that people who don't travel lose a chance for exploring the world which is so diversified and full of extraordinary things. During journey time we get to know new cultures and broaden our mind. Furthermore, we often face situations in which we need to show our cleverness and react appropriately. Sometimes we have to bear bad conditions of accommodation or a company of weirdos. Yeah I know..life is cruel :) When we find ourselves in a new place, we can experience a cultural shock, but we should keep in mind that every difficulty makes us stronger and teaches us a lesson. Before we visit a foreign country, we often have many stereotypes and prejudices, which don't correspond with reality. That's why we should open our mind for new experiences and don't forget that a language isn't the only tool to communicate.. From my own experience I know it's worth getting some information about the culture we're going to visit in advance and during our stay we should keep smiling and have a positive attitude.