To Travel

I recently purchased a book entitled Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and so far I have read about 50 pages of it. I am aware of how popular it has become but never really got curious enough to buy it. That was until I saw her on Oprah. For some reason, it just caught my attention and it finally convinced me to go ahead and buy that darn book.

Although I haven’t gotten very far in my reading, I have to admit that there is a certain charm to it that piques my curiosity. I admire her for her courage to go after what she wanted… learn a new language, visit the countries she wanted to see and make new friends in places she’s never been to. I sometimes wish I were that adventurous… I think my sense of adventure goes as far as trying a fig (and I didn’t even like it). I wanted to learn French and I actually went as far as buying a self-teaching French kit… you know, those things you buy at your local bookstore that includes a French dictionary and a CD… that kit is still pretty much intact, never been opened and is gathering dust somewhere in my bedroom. I think my youngest brother, Miguel, actually knows more French than I do. At least he knows enough to be able translate some signs on the road.

I think I am reserved to a degree… or just being cautious as I’d like to put it. I’m a worrier by nature so I waste time by thinking of things that may or may not happen. I can talk to strangers but I am quite uncomfortable with it especially if the person I am speaking to is male. I get anxious every time I have to travel for work. I don’t feel comfortable staying at a hotel alone and eating meals in places I’ve never been to. I like staying in my comfort zone where everything is familiar and predictable. For some reason I just feel safer that way.

But yes, I would love to travel. I would love to meet new people and make friends in different places. I would love to learn about other cultures and taste Chinese food in China, Pasta in Italy, sushi in Japan, Gyros and Souvlaki in Greece, Waffles in Belgium and all that. I’d love to be able to go to Europe and experience all its wonderful architecture and history and art. I’d love to be able to visit all those beautiful places I see in books and movies. I would love to be able to speak another language so fluently. I once met a Japanese woman who spoke fluent Greek and I wish I could speak and understand Greek just as well as her instead of staring blankly at people with a confused expression every time they spoke in a language that was so alien to me.

Some people are so lucky to have the money and the means to travel. I sometimes wish I had the money to do that too… where I can just take huge amounts of time off work and go to different places and be able to afford all sorts of things that go with it. I would like to live La Dolce Vita as some would say.

Wouldn’t it be nice?