Avni - Week 14: Catch Flights, Not Feelings
For as long as I can remember, there has never been a year in my life where our family hasn’t been on a plane at least once. With many experiences of several different international places, I have physically been to 52 international places with my family, but I only remember a fraction of it. Although I know these experiences were for my parents who had yet to explore the world when they arrived to the US, I have a resentment towards them for letting me do something so privileged, yet not let me remember it because of my age. But the worst part about it was that my brother still remembers a lot more than me. I become the secluded one, where they talk about the fields of Switzerland—I was three—or the scenery of Singapore—I was five—and I’m left here looking at photos of supposedly me.
However, I am still very grateful for the numerous experiences I have had, where we’ve been to magical places every year, when many still cannot afford tickets. I have been able to see the beautiful waterfalls and sheep of New Zealand or the dazzling ocean of the southern point of U.S. in Miami or the warm springs in Cancun. But still, there’s a lingering effect of emptiness that I feel whenever we talk about these memories.
Now that we’ve grown up, the opportunities to go places are decreasing. With my brother in college and my stress of junior year, the days of all four of us having free days come down to barely a week, and our annual tradition is coming to a pause. But no matter how long it will be until I travel again, or how long back I sat on a plane, these unique experiences still shape who I am today. Today, with seeing the world, and being able to raise my hand when my history teach asks, “Who here has seen the Pantheon?” I seem to have developed a deep appreciation for architecture and the wonders that humans have made because I have been able to see them growing up. Because of this influence growing up, I have a new ignited passion to explore the world even more.
Although many of us talk about the ‘Bay Area Bubble,’ I have had the privilege to know beyond that, and open my thoughts and mind to shape a different opinion of many thoughts as I learn about different ways of living and norms. These feelings still stay, even if my memories might fade away over time. So even though I will continue to try to remember every little detail of every single trip, I won’t forget the lasting impact the next time I go.
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Hey Avni, I can relate to your mixed feelings about missing out on family memories. My sister is six years older than me, so my parents went on several trips when I was just a toddler. I have no memory of the elephants of Thailand or the immense presence of Niagara Falls. Though you have shared this fact in the past, I still find it amazing that you have visited 52 international places and that you have never gone a year without boarding a plane. I think that visiting these countries gave you a global perspective that not many people have the opportunity to experience, which is like you said, a privilege and responsibility. Thanks for sharing Avni!
ReplyDeleteHi Avni! Wow, it’s amazing how you have traveled to 52 different places internationally! I think it’s really sad to learn that you don’t remember many of the places you’ve visited though, and I feel it’s definitely understandable for you to feel a slight resentment towards your parents from taking away a lot of “firsts” in travelling to different countries. For me, my parents took me to Mexico when I was two years old, but since I don’t remember anything about this experience, I view myself as never having visited Mexico before. I feel like this is something that maybe you can apply to your life too, especially since I believe in the idea that we’re able to say we’ve “traveled” to a place only after fully experiencing the life and culture of the people there.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you continued your blog on a positive note, where even though you described your experiences of feeling left out in remembering these vacations, you were still able to appreciate and recognize the positive influences that these travels left on you. I especially liked the way you described how the feelings that come from traveling to other places will stick with you even after the memories of these experiences fade, and I think that this is really true given the fact that the feelings that come with our memories are oftentimes stronger than the actual experiences themselves. I think that you provided a really interesting perspective on the ways our memories last, and I really liked how you were able to connect this idea to your topic of travel. Thank you for sharing Avni!
(By the way, you look so cute standing in front of the Eiffel Tower!!).
Hi Avni! Wow, it is really impressive how you have traveled to so many different countries! As an older sibling, I cannot relate as much, but my younger sister has expressed similar feelings. Hopefully, you can explore the same places again when you’re older and really get to experience them, but if not there is so much of the world left to experience. I also feel grateful for the opportunities I have, and constantly remind myself when I find myself complaining that we are so lucky to be living in the Bay Area, receiving proper education, and able to travel. I really liked how you ended your blog by talking about the positive impacts traveling abroad has had on you and how you are able to connect your experiences traveling with your life today. Thank you for sharing and great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Avni, I understand the feeling of being left out of conversations with family members because they all share the same memories. I have not traveled to many places like you, but I still feel like I have been robbed of an experience when they talk about it. My family will say that we did this and that, but I would never be able to relate to this or that. I feel especially when my parents talk about the old house we used to live in, I only lived there for four months before we moved to our current home, but whenever my siblings talk about it, they almost always have a smile on their face, making me a little jealous. Making me wish I was really there before we had moved.
ReplyDeleteHello Avni! I think your Blog is extremely cool and I found it interesting how you talked about the various experiences you had and the trips you went on as well. I have also made so many different memories going to different places and other countries as well. I feel like it is also cool that individuals in the world have the opportunity to go around the world and I think it something that we as human beings should be grateful for. Some of my favorite experiences were going to Switzerland and also different parts of Europe. I met many new people there and also learned about various new cultures and experiences that people around the world have. Overall, the luxury of being able to go to different places is something not everyone has and I am personally really grateful for it too.
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