Cultural Lenses

The world is such a large, beautiful but scary place.  If you think about how big this Earth is compared to the tiny state of Arkansas, its just mind blowing on how big it is, how many people there are, and especially how many cultures there are out there that are so much more different than our culture.  I was fortunate to grow up in a house hold that promoted traveling across the United States, as well as venturing outside our homelands borders.  Ever since I was born, I've traveled so much in my life do to my father's time in the military and my parent's passion for traveling.  With all the traveling I've done, I've discussed my adventures with peers and the question I always get when I say I've traveled outside the US is "why would you want to go anywhere else to vacation? America is the best!"  I obviously agree with this statement, but I find some ignorance behind it like the article "Why Americans Don't Travel Overseas" had mention.  Although America is a beautiful and a wonderful country, there are many other beautiful countries, cultures and people in this world.  I've taken off my cultural blindfold and made it see through to other cultures.  I love to travel and an opportunity I get to take to travel, I'm on it.  Traveling brings so much more to a person than little souvenirs and pretty pictures.  It gives you a sense that its ok to travel and to experience new things instead of being sheltered in the Natural State.  Personally, when a person travels outside of their country and experiences new cultures and places, your putting yourself above the rest and making it easier for you to relate with more people than just the few that live here in America.  So take those cultural lenses off and soak up the opportunity to learn new things about different cultures!

I thought the last picture was kind of comical, but shows how not only American's are subjected to cultural lenses!