What changes you?
Charlie “Tremendous” Jones was right when he said, “You are the same today as you will be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.” I do wonder if given the wisdom of time Charlie would have stuck to his original two ideas or would he have wanted to expand on the number of things that can now motivate a person to change.
The people you meet are clearly powerful, inspirational and motivating forces in your life however one could also argue that your relationship with God should be at the top of any list. For some their faith defines and sustains them.
Perhaps as travel has now become more accessible and affordable Charles would like to include world adventures as another way to expand your mind. My recent journeys in the country of Kuwait have forever changed who I am as person. The Arab culture places a strong emphasis on the importance of building deep personal relationships. A complex society built around meetings, conversation, coffee and how to gracefully save face in order to maintain a relationship. A cultural emphasis is placed on conversation and social interactions. Building such bonds takes time but the stronger the bond the quicker your business problems are solved. It is interesting to develop personal relationships to get things accomplished, in areas where in the west, you would have a strictly professional interactions. No need to ask about someone’s family or have tea before you start to get your house painted or buy a car. The added depth to your interactions can be quite beautiful.
The experience of driving in the Middle East is also made me a different person. Experiencing pure fear on a daily basis makes you a stronger person. When I first got here the high speed of traffic on the road, the flashing lights and road rage scared me. Now it has to be a huge “bucket of crazy” to even make me raise an eyebrow. Although knowing that there are so many wild drivers out there you always are a little on edge wondering when the next time the crazy driver is going to appear.
When you travel you try new things, push your limits and see contrasts to the culture you have always known. When you return from a momentous vacation the way you lived on the road, the experiences you had changes who you are. The lessons learned when traveling often leads to permanent adjustments in your lifestyle.
It might be true that Alexander Graham Bell, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs are all mere mortals. However the products they created have changed the way we listen to music, communicate across vast oceans and share information. With a click of a button a computer wizard can improve your life. Hearing music where there was none and seeing images in ways you never thought possible. Today’s technology has allowed blind people to read with computer speaking devices and given mute people a voice with speech software. In many ways modern technology has stepped in to scaffold and support those in need.
From new foods, to new people, to new technology to a new understanding of faith, what changes you today might not be what changes you tomorrow.
Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.
-Robert C. Gallagher-“The key to change…is to let go of fear.”
-Roseanne Cash-
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Christine Oastler is a freelance travel writer, teacher and artist, currently living in Mahboula, Kuwait. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Christine obtained her Bachelor of Arts at Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Currently traveling around the Middle East she finds herself riding the odd camel and embracing a new culture!