Reflections on Travel in the Age of COVID-19

In the age of COVID-19 where social distancing and quarantine are a way of life, I did some deep reflections, particularly on the topic of travel.

The first few weeks of lockdown were cathartic. My body was very happy to shut down my crazy (and honestly unsustainable) routine. Couch potato life suited me.

Then I got restless.

I’m an obsessive thinker. My brain spins energy in bulk, which then needs to be spilled somewhere.

So aside from starting a blog, taking two business courses, buying a camera, and learning image processing from scratch, I documented my reflections on the one thing we’re prohibited from doing in the age of COVID-19: travel.

Reflections on Travel: Why is it Essential?

I offer travel as a solution to any problem.

Feeling down about yourself? Travel.

Seeking growth? Travel.

Don’t like your job? Quit, and travel.

And this got me thinking… why do I, and so many others, love travel so much? Why do I “need” it?

Soon as the scribbles started, I realised I could write a book about this. But I organized some high-level thoughts into this teeny post instead.

Below are my main reflections on why travel is essential, and why it’s so badly missed in the age of COVID-19.

1. Presence

There she goes, talking about presence again.

YEP.

Although routine is important for feelings of safety and groundedness, boredom is a powerful signal our bodies send.

Routine detaches us from the present moment. We fall back into our thoughts because there’s nothing worth paying attention to… it’s the same shit every day.

Ever arrived at work with no memory of your commute? Muscle memory got you there while your brain ruminated.

Too much thinking and not enough presence… that’s an unhealthy balance. It exacerbates my anxiety, which is why I included a mantra about presence in my post on how to center yourself during an anxiety attack.

Travel anchors us back to our bodies. The newness is invigorating. To me, it feels like my head isn’t so distant from my body anymore. The anxiety fades and my troubles trickle out of me.

Travel also tends to yield exercise (like hiking) and more time in nature, both of which are essential for wellbeing. Exercise has been linked to better mental health and cognitive function in countless studies. 

And being outside can bring new perspective and make our problems seem small. I’m particularly fascinated with Edward Wilson’s Biophilia Hypothesis, which describes humans’ innate and universal connection to nature.

I feel you, Ed.

Looking at pretty shit is pretty great, but it’s also a mindfulness practice. And that can be very healing.

2. Creativity

Presence segues smoothly into the next reason why travel is essential: creativity. The change of pace manifests new thoughts, and new ideas begin to flow. Not to mention inspiration.

Ever looked at some mountains and felt inspiration light up in your soul? And suddenly your passions are much louder? 

ME TOO.

Inspiration tends the flames of creativity, and can make life colorful and exciting. We become risk-takers because the potential is louder than the fear.

I keep a notepad on me at all times when I travel. Writing is one of my true passions and it flows like a perpetual river when I’m adventuring.

And my camera is glued to me. On Instagram, I’m constantly on about how photography is grounding. It keeps me centered in the now rather than the toxic loop of thinking. And it’s also a constant opportunity for creativeness.

Something about exercising that creative muscle nurtures joy. Many studies found this to be true since creativity can help us process emotions. Our creations can also feel rewarding and for me, there’s no better feeling than a new stack of bangin’ photos or some thoughtful prose.

3. Street Smarts

Like it or not, travel is messy. Many things can go wrong, and you may find yourself at the wrong train terminal with no one around who speaks English and an urgent need for a toilet because someone misunderstood when you said “no dairy”.

An oddly specific example, I know.

Travel is a string of opportunities to think on your feet, solve problems, and look after yourself. It’s an exercise in embracing uncertainty and unpredictability.

Also, navigating different cultural norms and languages can be incredibly humbling, particularly if you’ve never experienced being a “minority” before. Perspective can cause an existential shift powerful enough to change a person.

And having street smarts is a crucial life skill. When we travel, we’re constantly on alert for danger. This is particularly true if you’re a woman, where every day is a practice in risk assessment and management.

Travel also exposes us to a different caliber of people and cultural differences. And there are all sorts of delicious lessons in that. 

Before I started traveling, I was rather non-confrontational and got along with people fine because… predictability. It’s a different story on the road.

For example, being blatantly disliked by another person (long story) was a huge learning experience. And an important one. It taught me to stand up for myself and what I believe in, and to thrive in difficult situations.

And if you stay in a country long enough, you’ll be in awe at your own tenacity in creating a new life out of nothing. Having that confidence in yourself is key as life continues to throw its challenges.

4. Food

I’m Lebanese so I have to include this. 

Food is an art form and one of the best parts of travel. I have a lot of allergies and a sensitive stomach so this is a bit tricky for me, but I still engorge myself whenever I can. 

The herbs and spices cherished by each culture says a lot about the people, particularly their health and lifestyle. Some cultures even communicate by what they choose to serve you. Lamb could represent wealth and status, while certain fish can signal someone’s displeasure. Awkward but effective.

In many cultures, food is a social event and I feel Westernized cultures still don’t get this. Where I come from, a dinner can last 5 hours and there are expectations on both sides to serve and entertain and eat and be merry.

You can learn a lot about how a community operates by observing their meal time and whether they function at an individualistic or collectivistic basis. This usually lays the ground for me on how to operate and tweak my behavior to fit that culture’s norms.

And in my experience, the best memories are made around a dinner table.

5. Perspective and Humanity

As I said above, travel can bring about new ideas. And that brings us to a big reason why many countries encourage their youth to travel.

To bring ideas home, drive innovation and aid society forward.

Travel gives us new perspective. We see the world differently and understand humanity a little better.

The more I get exposed to different cultures, the more the world seems upside down.

A drastic shift in my perspective was when I started seeing Western culture as just that… a culture, rather than the norm. And a fucking weird one.

This is incredibly liberating as it can dismantle outdated cultural expectations, both at an individual and population level. For example, more people every day are starting to understand that chasing status through the corporate ladder shouldn’t take priority over pursuing what makes them happy.

Not only that but sharing your culture with others is incredibly rewarding. This is why, for the most part, locals don’t mind tourists. I’m thrilled every time someone tells me they visited Lebanon. And the first thing my mom does when guests come over is feed them Lebanese food.

When we enjoy a particular culture, we send a message to that community that they get to preserve their way of life, exercise their right to exist in this world and enrich humanity through their unique lifestyle.

Final thoughts

Beware that the following is strictly my opinion and it’s fine if you disagree. But one of travel’s biggest lessons for me is that the world isn’t as scary as we make it out to be.

Fear mongering in the media is partly to blame, and sometimes I think we forget that we’re all human. 

We’re all one people. Connecting with strangers from different walks of life has been a powerful experience. We like to think we’re so different from one another, with our different languages, skin color, culture, belief, systems, etc.

But we’re the same. We have the same worries. Ask the same questions. Chase the same joys.

The world is segregated by country lines but the earth doesn’t have borders. And neither should we.

And if I thought these reflections would make the travel ban easier in the age of COVID-19, I was wrong. I’m hungrier than ever for a plane.

But now I have eloquent thoughts on why, and that’s all a girl with a love for words can really ask for.

Today’s Tunes: Big Sky by Two Steps From Hell