11 things I have learned while traveling to 11 countries
The dream of traveling far and wide, exploring the world and marvelling at the differences amongst societies, cultures, and landscapes occurred to me in the year 1995 while watching a foreign movie through the cable TV for the first time. To a 5 grader like me, it was fascinating to see another world that was not India; nothing like what I had seen while traveling to my relatives during holidays. 15 years down the lane, my dream too turned into reality when I got an opportunity to travel to Austria.
Then on, I travelled to 11 countries: Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, United States, Spain and Thailand, only to find that though every patch in the world is culturally, geographically, economically, and socially different, there are certain striking similarities among them.
1. Every country had a glorious past that they are proud off.
2. Every country was conquered by foreigners that they had to fight off.
3. Every country has a superhero from their past or legends that they tell stories of.
4. Every country is proud of their cultural heritage.
5. Every country has a favorite food that can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world.
6. Every country has a favorite sport which is equivalent to any popular religion.
7. Every country is looking for a prosperous future.
8. Every country has poor and homeless people who need help.
9. Every country is annoyed with their political leaders.
10. Every country is clouded by false media, spiritual leaders, censorship and selfish bureaucrats.
11. Most importantly, every country needs love, because almost everyone I met had an met-unmet love story to share.
