“People don’t take trips, trips take people.”

– John Steinback

Hello fellow travelers! My dear friend, TravelOnTheReg, created a fun and brilliant collaboration. She asked fellow travel bloggers to share the stories that made them travelers. I’m honored she asked me, and it was a fun experience, diving into a question that plays a dominant role in my identity.

The link to the blog post is below… I also recommend checking out more of her other blog posts. She’s fun and very witty. Enjoy!

Travel on the Reg

What Makes a Traveler?

Firstly, I want to start with the controversial question- What makes a traveler?

My answer is brief, but not so simple. The definition of what makes a traveler is up to the individual.

There are plenty of circulating opinions about what makes a traveler and how people should or should not travel. I’m certainly guilty of not having an open mind about this in the past. I’ve evolved my thoughts a lot with time, contemplation, and experience. As I write this, I’ve been to 35 countries and 32 states. Some have found that impressive, while others believe it is insufficient to call me a “real” traveler. Yea, someone actually said that to my face. I had the pleasure of meeting many fellow travelers and hearing their stories. I’ve also had the comfort of meeting and getting to know many homebodies who find immense joy in their everyday routines. And yes, you can be a mixture of both. I also know what it’s like to have the travel bug, but no finances to do it. Trust me, I’ve been there too.

I’ve Drawn This Conclusion

In either case, it’s up to you to decide if you are a traveler. The ability to travel is different for everybody. Travel is a privilege. We have so many balances, compromises, and obligations that affect how travel looks. A few of these areas are finances, physical ability, family life, careers, and social-emotional well-being.

Traveling is also very personal. What brings you joy isn’t going to be the same for everybody. I love hiking and being outside, but my husband tolerates it. My husband is passionate about airplanes and enjoys everything there is about aircrafts. Not surprisingly, he gets very excited to be on any flight. For me, it’s simply a mode of transportation. A lot of my family members love to cruise. They love the open water, ease, and entertainment. For me, there aren’t enough places to walk. My sister-in-law can spend an entire day at a café. And I mean she can spend the entire day there. She loves reading and people-watching as the day passes.

Overall, it’s not up to me to decide who is a traveler. Travel looks different, based on our preferences, abilities, and choices. It’s your choice how you want to spend your time. It’s your right how you want to spend your hard-earned money. Nobody has a right to judge you for those choices.

Why Should You Become a Traveler?

I travel so as to find a sense of adventure. There is a deep love for new things, foods, places, and people. I love making new memories everywhere I go. Understandably, we all have various and unique circumstances and needs. Take the case of my brother, who travels for relaxation. He has a tough and demanding job, and he does so much to help everybody around him. So, he deserves to unwind how he wants. My husband travels to collect. He loves buying souvenirs and retelling his stories. It brings him so much joy to share those memories and recall those happy moments with others. We all have different reasons for why we travel. I don’t think any of these answers are wrong.  

How often you’re able to travel, how you want to spend your days while you’re out, that’s all up to you. In other words, it’s not up to others if you’re “doing it right”. If you want to visit the same places and make that your home away from home- I respect that. Are you someone who craves the new and unfamiliar?- I’m right there with you. If you want a mixture of both- I admire that too.

What Makes Me a Traveler?

My definition of being a traveler is uncomplicated. I’m a traveler because I love to explore. I love visiting new places. You will often find me trying to become an expert in my neighborhood and city. Exploration isn’t exclusive to the new, there are plenty of opportunities in return trips. I relish the opportunities to revisit some of the same places. More often than not, I feel at home again when I do get to visit a familiar place. I have made exploring, local and afar, one of my priorities. I function best when I have a trip to look forward to. If it’s a weekend at home, I’m thinking about what day trips to take. Even on an ordinary weeknight at home, I’m plotting out a new walking route for my dog and me to check out a different street.

So, What’s My Story?

In this case, I became addicted to travel on my college study-abroad trip to Vietnam. We trekked through Vietnam from January through March 2009. This is the trip that made me a traveler. I got bit by the travel bug, and there was no turning back.

I’m 1st generation Asian American. My parents have similar stories, despite not meeting until they settled in America. Both sets of grandparents left China for Vietnam with hopes of better opportunities. My parents were born and raised in different parts of Vietnam. And then, they had to flee Vietnam. They are Vietnamese boat people- refugees who escaped Vietnam by boat after the Vietnam War. Following their escape, they lived in refugee camps for years, patiently waiting for their acceptance to the US. My parents met and married in sweet home Chicago.

As a result, I grew up in a typical 1st generation household- strict. My parents set impossibly high expectations for my education and conduct. My childhood was spent trying my best to gain their approval. Every complaint I ever said was followed by a story of how I didn’t realize how easy my life is. Every grain of rice I left in my bowl resulted in the retelling of how my family starved. As a child, it felt like these stories were on repeat. In truth, it was exhausting.

When The Travel Bug Got Me

And yet, a trip to my parent’s motherland changed me. The experience and maturity helped me understand and sympathize with what my parents went through. The combination of authentic food, kind strangers, getting lost, and seeing indescribably wonderful sights stirred something within me. It has been many years since I’ve been to Vietnam. I can still recall the insane traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, squeezing through the Cu Chi Tunnels, the floating market in Can Tho, and the 2.5 miles humid and uphill trek to the Perfume Pagoda. It was marvelous.

The strongest memory I have is learning to appreciate my family for who they are and what they experienced. Their experiences shaped who they are, which then became the story of who I am. I became a traveler because travel helped me understand and learn more about myself. I became a traveler because daring to explore the world made me a better person, and a better daughter.

Welcome All Travelers

I would love to hear from you. Tell me your definition of what makes you a traveler. Tell me about the trip that made you a traveler. Wanderlust is a real feeling. I’d love to hear more.