How to Step out of Comfort Zones when Traveling
- 28109 Views
- May 4, 2012
- 6
Shaping Cultural Experiences
Travel has been an integral part of my life since I was a young child. I grew up in a multicultural, bilingual home in the Netherlands with a Polish mother and a Dutch father. My
- 19076 Views
- May 10, 2012
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Update & BBC News Link
A brief update: One interview video will be uploaded tomorrow evening. I believe the BBC News One-Minute World News provides well-balanced reporting of news, hence why I wanted to share it. Top stories on May
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- May 11, 2012
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From Nigeria to Boston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNkCazT_T4&feature=youtu.be
When you first meet Oluwagbeminiyi Osidipe, you encounter a very vibrant, friendly, and unique personality. Oluwagbeminiyi or Niyi – as she shortened her name for simplicity – was named by her mother, who had a “very personal experience” when she had her, Niyi explained. Niyi is a Yoruba Nigerian transplant who arrived in the U.S. in 2006. As one of the most densely populated (West) African countries, Nigeria derives its name from the river that spans its land. To the South, it borders the Gulf of Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally colonized by the British, Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Its main ethnic groups are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, who speak English and their own respective languages, while major religions include Islam, Christianity and indigenous beliefs. Niyi shares her story, her views on politics, cultural differences she’s embraced with humor, and what we can learn from each other by expressing curiosity. Her message is simple: travel enriches us through its exposure to new cultures, and enables us to grow.
- 13854 Views
- May 16, 2012
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Mark Twain on Travel
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” (American author Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad).
Have you had the opportunity to travel (extensively, within your country, or even once abroad)? Can you relate to Twain’s sentiments? How does travel enrich us?
- 13943 Views
- May 19, 2012
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Pleasing The Taste Palate
Food has the wonderful quality of uniting us no matter where we are. There is nothing partisan or narrow-minded about food. It simply invites us to indulge, create recipes, and share with others. Two of my favorite Polish dishes (included in collage) are pierogies and barszcz czerwony – a beetroot soup – served on Christmas Eve in Poland. How does food bring us together? What are some of your favorite dishes and why? Can food trigger memories?
- 13976 Views
- May 23, 2012
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Stereotypes: Truth or Fiction?
DEFINING STEREOTYPES: “An idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation.” (Merriam-Webster). Stereotypes enable bias and preconceived notions to perpetuate, but can also reveal valid
- 12828 Views
- May 29, 2012
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Annual Human Rights Report
“The world changed immeasurably over the course of 2011. Across the Middle East, North Africa, and far beyond, citizens stood up to demand respect for human dignity, more promising economic opportunities, greater political liberties, and
- 11152 Views
- May 31, 2012
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Euro Crisis & Emerging Stereotypes
Brief Crisis Breakdown Since the onset of the global financial crisis, or Great Recession, in 2007, the Eurozone has feared impending growing global debt levels, as well as sovereign debt within European countries themselves. In
- 11674 Views
- June 4, 2012
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Remembering Tiananmen
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in Beijing, China. Inflation, a lack of career prospects, the fall of Eastern European communism, and political corruption, are all said to have fueled anger
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- June 7, 2012
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Coffee's Uniting Power
A cup of coffee can bridge cultural gaps. At least, that’s what Gizem Salgicil White, founder of Turkayfe.org, believes. Her organization aims to create awareness of Turkish culture, particularly within America. Gizem is a Turkish native,
- 4403 Views
- Nicolette
- August 21, 2014
- 3
- Local Culture
com·fort zone
noun
a place or situation where one feels safe or at ease and without stress.
There’s something very freeing about exploring new territory. I love the feeling of stepping out of a plane or taking a road trip and the endless possibilities stretching ahead.
Whether you’re traveling near (around the same city) or far, it’s fun to ‘escape’ your daily routine every now and then. While routines give us stability, the unknown can be exciting, and offers us a chance to grow. The unknown gives us an opportunity to experience different things – to talk to locals, to taste new foods, to see a new culture.
When you think about it more, decisions you make during travel are about your comfort zone. You decide where you’ll stay, which sites you’ll see, who you’re traveling with, and who you might talk to. These are clear choices you have control over.
How to step out of your comfort zone:
- Consider approaching things differently. If you find yourself following a close schedule when traveling, break away from it. Test new cuisine, try a new route, go to an event or a market, and walk around aimlessly instead of planning everything to the last detail. Of course, use your judgment when you feel uncomfortable or when something doesn’t feel quite right. Our senses can warn us and you can intuitively know if you’re pushing the boundaries.
- Take the time to reflect. If you step out of your comfort zone and what you experience is positive, then maybe you can explore doing so again. If you step out of your comfort zone and feel stressed, don’t give up and maybe next time you can consider taking smaller, gradual steps.
- Learn a new skill. Don’t be afraid of failure. Learn a new language and practice it with locals when you’re traveling. They’ll appreciate your efforts to communicate, and it’ll give you the chance to test new waters.
- Just do it. Been wanting to take a trip or go skydiving? Too often it’s easy to make excuses to postpone things, or stay away from them altogether. But, without trying, you won’t ever know what might happen, and you could miss out on a great experience (or maybe even on a not-so-great one that will in turn teach you new perspectives). Safely pushing your boundaries ensures you are breaking down the mental blocks that prevent you from experiencing life.
Comfort Zones
How do you break out of your free comfort zone? Do you see it as being physical (such as going skydiving?), emotional or mental? Have you ever felt uncomfortable at a certain point while traveling? How did you handle it? Share a story in the comments.
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Comments (3)
#CultureTravChat Update & Thank you! | Cultural Reflections
21 Nov 2014[…] in-depth look at cultural experiences during travel. I’ve explored body language and culture, how to step out of comfort zones while traveling, how humor gets lost in translation, and […]
Hamilton
21 Aug 2014My friend and I were just having this discussion last night. We were mostly talking about how to make friends while traveling when it means that one really has to step out of one’s comfort zone. Great tips! Thanks for sharing.
Nicolette
21 Aug 2014Thanks for sharing! That’s especially true when trying to make friends while traveling
It’s not always easy to connect with people (especially if there is a language barrier), but I admire people who at least try!