How Traveling Can Change Your Mindset Forever
Written by Orsolya Bartalis
It is so great to see the world returning to long-distance travel. Families are able to reunite again all around the world, friends are reconnecting and some people are also ready to start travelling for fun.
In a great way, the pandemic transformed the culture of travel across the world. We are now seeing people being more eco-conscious, with the majority of people now being more eager to seek out travel experiences that offer a sustainable experience, deeper human connection and slower pace.
Which is great to see!
Pre-pandemic many were ready to hop on a plane to take a vacation to a popular destination without the consideration how it may affect the destination. Sure, a vacation provides a chance to relax, and take happy shots for social media seeing you sitting at a beach resort, but it doesn’t provide you with an opportunity to really see and experience a place and may in fact be the cause of stress of the area you visit.
Really, it’s a quick getaway from the daily grind.
Whereas now people are ready to really travel. Ready to throw themselves outside their known comforts, immersing themselves truly into the location they visit and creating unique experiences, and with that creating unique lifetime memories. They had two years to dream about places they want to visit, and bucket list items that were once on the bottom have suddenly made it to the top. Ready to engage their mind, stretch their horizon and challenge their preconceived notions of what the world is like. Ready to let go of certainty, and see the world with newfound curiosity.
Such curiosity is the reason why many people have Cuba as their place to visit. There is some mystery and wonder about this place. For a photographer, architecture lover, ‘50 car enthusiast or a history buff, this place is magical. But there is so much more to Cuba to experience. Merely visiting this place to take a vacation in a resort and seeing the tourist sites won’t do it justice.
You can't help but feel like you've been transported to a different time and place as soon as your feet touch Cuban soil. The sights, sounds and smells of this unique destination will keep your mind perplexed and your senses whisked away. You’ll soon find that this country is a balance of beauty, history, ruins, happiness, humility, frustrations and gratitude yet mesmerizing and nostalgic all rolled into one.
If you are expecting the standard western luxury, fine dining, or even international fast-food fare, shopping malls and easy access to things, forget it. It just isn’t there. Instead, you will find the most friendly and hospitable people, who despite their struggles, are still welcoming and open. If you are willing to come with an open mind and engage with them you may just take away some unique insights on this country from a local or find yourself introduced to something you never expected and most definitely get to see a snapshot of their life. A chance encounter could mean that you make new friends, or find the best-tasting food in a family-run, hidden gem. When you are travelling with an open mind, opportunities for learning, expanding and wondering are just waiting to be seized. In the end, you’ll walk away with a broader understanding of this magical place and its people.
Travelling with an open mind allows you to immerse yourself fully in new cultures, ideas, and even lifestyles. You begin to understand how history influenced the current social structure and values, you begin to see the big picture and over-arching themes. If you are willing to immerse and open yourself up to new ideas about this place and experience each minute as it unfolds, you leave what you know behind and start creating your own unique perspective.
Here, I’ll promise you, you’ll find a new level of gratitude for the things you have when you see how sometimes things you take for granted can be hard to find due to the long-lasting embargo. You’ll certainly gain a better understanding of the things that are absolutely necessary to you and those that are “luxuries”.
Yet the biggest lesson most takes away from Cuba is that you don’t need more to be happy, what you need most is more time with those that mean the most to you. Never know, could just be the place that will encourage you to redefine your values or even discover new ones to live your life by. I know I certainly came back with a new perspective and outlook.
If Cuba is on your bucket list, I’d recommend that you visit soon and experience the friendliness, the music, and the sheer zest for life in this special place. Take a leap, plan your next travels, don’t look behind, and come back a changed person.
How Traveling Can Change Your Mindset Forever How Traveling Can Change Your Mindset Forever How Traveling Can Change Your Mindset Forever
