It was a present for my 40th birthday. I am traveling with my family friend, Veronique. She invited me to come with her about a year-and-a-half-ago. As the trip came closer, I was getting more and more and more excited. What a wonderful gift! This kind of trip is not one I could have done on my own.
Of course, I miss my husband back at home, and my friends, too. I can't wait to share all about this voyage with everyone. In fact, I just video-called my sister and my mom. I went all around the ship and they were following me around. They were like, “Wow, this is insane and epic!”
And now – this trip has gone by like a snap. Just a few minutes ago, I realized that Le Commandant Charcot had exited the sea ice. We are on our way back to Iceland now. I wanted to have one more moment of sailing through the sea ice, just by myself, to really take it all in. I am starting to feel the apprehension of leaving this world on board the ship! It is hard to imagine leaving it.
When you travel, you learn to have perspective on yourself and your culture. It is easy to think, “Oh, this is the way it is, this is the way things are.” However, when you travel, you learn that things are the way they are because you were born in a specific, geographic place with specific social and cultural traditions.
In fact, what you see on TV is from the perspective of your government, of your media, of your culture. When you travel, however, you get to see personally how things work. YOU are now the “odd one.” And that's valid for every part of the world. It brings you a new, fresh perspective.
I think traveling is the best life lesson you can get, honestly. I encourage you to travel as much as you can!
