I really enjoyed reading "Why We Travel" by Pico Iyer because it allowed for me to read thoughts that I was previously unable to put into words. The reason for traveling that most resonated with me is that "at the very least, we are objects of speculation (and even desire) who can seem as exotic to the people around us as they do to us" (3). I think often times people forget that when they travel they are entering into another person's world. They are in essence, an invader. I too forget that I have become the outsider. As I experience the new cultures, and the new surroundings, I am the one that sticks out like a sore thumb. While yes, the new landscape is exotic to me, I am exotic to the new landscape.
Another reason for traveling that resonated with me is that "these days a whole new realm of exotica arises our of the way one culture colors and appropriates the products of another" (4). Even though places share similarities such as having coke, or McDonald's does not mean it is exactly the same. When I traveled to Costa Rica the coke bottles looked a lot different, and didn't taste the same as in America. The McDonalds in different countries also have food that pertains to that specific country, "when you go to a McDonald's outlet in Kyoto, you will find Teriyaki McBurgers and Bacon Potato Fries" (4).
The last reason for traveling that resonated with me is the idea that "travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it's a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity, and ready to be transformed" (6). When we travel, we travel with zero expectations and an open mind, ready to take in everything and anything. It creates a feeling of euphoria, similar to falling in love. Traveling also leaves a lasting imprint, even years later after the goodbyes have been said, the memories and feelings will still be there. It changes us, and helps create the people that we become.
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