” A man sees in th
e world what he carries in his heart” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I still remember the butterflies in the stomach, as I was being driven to the airport by my father in 1981. I was leaving my comfort zone of “home”. My first solo trip overseas. Going to a place where the language was different, the food was different and way of life was different. Looking back on that day, I know it has changed me forever.
On my return, I had this strange feeling that everyone around was different. But, the one who was really different was me. My travel experiences and my stay in overseas had given me a different perspective to life. And for many days, I was in a post travel depression. Instead of feeling that everything at home was the same, I felt people were different. Really? Then it struck me, that it was me,
I had changed
. People at home were still the same. My world had expanded. My way of looking at life had altered. An annoying inner voice telling me I should be traveling and seeing the world. My life was destined to be on the move. And so it did, the travel bug had bitten me.
On my return, I knew I was going to travel again soon. This time a different adventure! Getting married and moving to Singapore. There was excitement and apprehension. Fear, yet happiness. Two days after our wedding I moved to Singapore, where my husband had a job. Now I was an
Expat
, in a country that I had never lived in before. The excitement of exploring and learning a new culture was uppermost in the mind. Singapore is a city that never sleeps. Singapore gave me seven years of tropical south-east Asian experiences. Initially, battling the heat, and the foreign smells of food from the open air food courts. With limited resources that we had, we traveled to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia whenever there was an opportunity. I was blessed, my hubby loved travel too! It was the excitement of traveling, which would take me places I had never been before. Now I had someone I could share it with. A companion who encouraged me to explore the South East Asian region.
After moving 4 countries and many jobs, we had plans to travel and explore the world. Living like a local but thinking of the world as our home. Every place we go to and every friend we make is a cherished experience. Discussions with friends and family, always lead to “ how can you do this?” “ I like to come home after 2-3 weeks”. I guess I am different and so is my husband.
Home is where the heart is.
No attachment to brick and mortar, like apartments or houses. I carry my home within me. Having said this, I wonder how I will feel when I will have to stay in one place. What will happen once the feet stop moving and once again become an armchair traveler. But till then the mind says, “keep moving”!