Traveling is hard. People often forget the troubles that come along with being on the road. Of course exploring new places, meeting new people and learning about other cultures are wonderful experiences – experiences everyone should have. But sometimes, traveling can really beat you down.
The hawkers that won’t leave you alone. The language barriers. The scams. The relentless staring. Being ordered around and then being expected to give a tip. The loss of personal space. The lovely combination of traveler’s diarrhea and food poisoning. The different sense of hygiene. The broken camera. Your taxi driver taking you to a destination that was not your choice. The smells. Having a cold in a hot climate. The ridiculous transit visas. The constant negotiation. Dealing with security – over and over again.
You are faced with these things every single day, and after awhile, you grow weary. But you also learn to cope and adapt to the situation. You find inner strength that you never knew you had. And you grow.
I have personally experienced all of the things listed above, and many within the last few days. And I admit, I have grown weary. But then I also look at those around me, and I feel so fortunate that these are the biggest problems I am facing in my life. I do not have to crawl around on the floor of a filthy train station, begging for money to survive. I do not have to walk over piles of sewage everyday to get to school. This is why you travel – to see these things and appreciate what you have. Yes, I am tired. But I’ll get through it and I’ll be that much stronger for it.