Embracing the Unknown

"It seems like everywhere I go, the more I see the less I know."

- Michael Franti

I haven’t seen a lot of the world. Just a small corner. I’ve travelled to a few states and one country outside of the U.S. But within these few places, I have seen and learned so much. Each time I learn something new, I realize how much bigger the world is than just my narrow view of it. When I travel, I marvel at the new things I discover and understand how much more there is to learn, how much more the world has to teach me. 

When you travel outside of your comfort zone, you cannot avoid being exposed to new ideas, customs, and culture. I’ve never had a great ability to see things in black and white, only shades of gray. Learning more about the world only makes those shades of gray more varied. Whatever you know as normal, acceptable, or even expected, may not even exist in another part of the world. This isn’t something that should make you uncomfortable, but should be celebrated. The diversity in the world is what makes life so incredible.

The greatest advantage to getting out there in the world  is gaining a new or fresh perspective. Like a picture analyzed too closely, you may not get all of the details if you never take a step back and allow yourself to take in all there is to see.  You have to put yourself outside of what you know. Like when you're working on a riddle you can’t figure out, and suddenly, in the middle of something completely unrelated, the answer comes to you. 

For example, in the Amazon Region of Ecuador, you can encounter many exotic plants and animals. There also tribes of people who live their lives, day to day, tucked away in their corner of the world. They have their own customs and traditions. Some that you may find very strange. When they are welcoming you to their village, they may offer you “chicha masticada,” which is a drink usually made of yuca. Women in the village chew the yuca root and spit the juice into a container. This juice is then offered to guests and it is considered extremely offensive if a guest refuses the drink. 

Another custom that was very different for me when I first arrived in Ecuador was seating at almuerzo, or lunch, restaurants. There are numerous restaurants that offer a basic, fixed menu each day at a very affordable price of $2-4.00. This price typically includes fresh juice, soup, rice, some type of vegetable, a meat, and occasionally a dessert as well. 

As you can imagine, these spots are very popular. If you arrive during a busy time, you may find there are no empty tables. However, instead of waiting for a table to clear, the custom is to join another customer at a table with the appropriate number of empty seats. For example, if you and a friend go out to lunch and there is a couple eating with two empty seats at their table, it is perfectly acceptable to plop down at the table with the simple greeting of buen provecho, which is a similar expression to bon appetite. 

All of these things just teach you the intricacies of human societies and how diverse the world truly is. I love getting out into different areas and being exposed to the world in ways that I haven’t been before.

Another small example: I was recently blessed with the opportunity to visit The Galapagos Islands. It was an expensive trip, but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Seeing the unique wildlife, pristine beaches and the similarities and differences between the islands and the mainland of Ecuador taught me more than one valuable lesson. Because the islands have fewer inhabitants, there is a distinct small-town feel. In contrast to Quito, people were very friendly… not that Quiteños aren’t friendly, they just aren’t the same type of say-hello-as-you-pass-by friendly. 

There was less traffic, less catcalling, and less crime. As the islands are full of gringos and travelers from across the globe, the culture is much different. People carry their expensive cameras around their necks (in public!) with no fear that they will be robbed. Children play on tablets in the middle of the streets... These are things you would not see in many places in Ecuador, especially in a city like Quito.

Apart from the local culture of the islands, there are also incredible sights to see. I got to swim with sharks, hike on a active volcano, play with sea lions, and take in all of the native animals on the islands. I remember watching a video in my 11th grade FF biology class about Charles Darwin and these Incredible Islands where he discovered so many cool things. Actually stepping foot onto some of those islands felt a little surreal. 

As many amazing things as I experienced, I know there are so many more adventures out there waiting for someone else to grab ahold of them. I’ve allowed this country and it’s people to teach me so much more about the world and myself. I know that as I get older and venture further out into the unknown, I will continue to be awed by the simplicity and complexity of it all.