While resting up in Istanbul over the past week I've been spending a good deal of time reading, writing and reflecting over the past three months of travel and the trip thus far to determine to some degree how I've changed; what I've gained/lost and what I've liked/disliked about the trip so far.
Gained:
One of the biggest changes I think has been social, my social skills have vastly improved, due to necessity, and meeting people is no longer a slightly feared chore but a fun game that I look forward to almost daily. Traveling on my own has also been a bit harder, at times, than expected and I've also been thrown into a lot of situations where there has been no one to turn to for help and I've had to figure things out on my own, which has strengthened my self reliance and made me realize that I am much more capable of overcoming obstacles that I had realized. This in turn has translated into a more relaxed disposition; I'm no longer nearly as worried about things not working out and so have abandoned using that as an excuse not to do something, which has made me much more apt to try things that I might have been reluctant to in the past. All of these 'improvements' have further manifest in an overall sense of greater confidence, and belief that I might be able to complete this trip after all;).
Lost:
One of the things that I seem to have lost for now, is a sense of Focus. I definately have less idea or what I should be doing than I did when I started, which is probably a good thing for now. At the same time my mind is restless and in need of something to 'work on'. This is entirely acceptable for now, but I will definately be trying to identify some 'goals' for my time in Africa.
Liked:
There have been a lot of likes on this trip so far, certainly interacting with new and different people, seeing sites, and enjoying food and culture has been at the top of the list, and seeing as that was a large reason for the trip it should be no surprise. It's also been great to read so much and back into that habit, as well as the habit of writing on a semi-daily basis, which has allowed me to collect my thoughts for better focus and reflection. And somewhat to my surprised I have really enjoyed the photography aspect, and like to think that I'm getting a bit better, and have to admit that sometimes I wish I had a dSLR.
Disliked:
There have been few dislikes thus far, but the major one has been the constant travel (every 2-3 days), which I never intended but occured due to a series of circumstances. Certainly this let me see a lot, but moved many experiences from qualitative to quantative in that I didn't have any chance to get to know a place before moving on again. Also, the incessant movement was both physically and mentally draining which further diluted the quality of experience in some places.
I'm working on determining how I can apply what I've learned over the first three months to the next three months in an attempt to maximize my experience in Africa. Having said all that one thing I plan to try and diminish somewhat is over-analysis!
As always, any feedback, comments, (dis)agreement, etc is welcome and appreciated.
Gained:
One of the biggest changes I think has been social, my social skills have vastly improved, due to necessity, and meeting people is no longer a slightly feared chore but a fun game that I look forward to almost daily. Traveling on my own has also been a bit harder, at times, than expected and I've also been thrown into a lot of situations where there has been no one to turn to for help and I've had to figure things out on my own, which has strengthened my self reliance and made me realize that I am much more capable of overcoming obstacles that I had realized. This in turn has translated into a more relaxed disposition; I'm no longer nearly as worried about things not working out and so have abandoned using that as an excuse not to do something, which has made me much more apt to try things that I might have been reluctant to in the past. All of these 'improvements' have further manifest in an overall sense of greater confidence, and belief that I might be able to complete this trip after all;).
Lost:
One of the things that I seem to have lost for now, is a sense of Focus. I definately have less idea or what I should be doing than I did when I started, which is probably a good thing for now. At the same time my mind is restless and in need of something to 'work on'. This is entirely acceptable for now, but I will definately be trying to identify some 'goals' for my time in Africa.
Liked:
There have been a lot of likes on this trip so far, certainly interacting with new and different people, seeing sites, and enjoying food and culture has been at the top of the list, and seeing as that was a large reason for the trip it should be no surprise. It's also been great to read so much and back into that habit, as well as the habit of writing on a semi-daily basis, which has allowed me to collect my thoughts for better focus and reflection. And somewhat to my surprised I have really enjoyed the photography aspect, and like to think that I'm getting a bit better, and have to admit that sometimes I wish I had a dSLR.
Disliked:
There have been few dislikes thus far, but the major one has been the constant travel (every 2-3 days), which I never intended but occured due to a series of circumstances. Certainly this let me see a lot, but moved many experiences from qualitative to quantative in that I didn't have any chance to get to know a place before moving on again. Also, the incessant movement was both physically and mentally draining which further diluted the quality of experience in some places.
I'm working on determining how I can apply what I've learned over the first three months to the next three months in an attempt to maximize my experience in Africa. Having said all that one thing I plan to try and diminish somewhat is over-analysis!
As always, any feedback, comments, (dis)agreement, etc is welcome and appreciated.
1 comment:
Are you still looking into the idealist.org website? It would be a good way to stay in a place for longer than 2/3 days and to refocus your energy...
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