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What are the impacts of long term travel abroad?
I often hear talk about how travelers made a bold and courageous move to “leave behind the American dream” or “escape from the rat race” to travel abroad. Well, great, I think, but what happens when you go back?
Perhaps in contrast to many travelers and travel bloggers, I’m not sure I see the act of getting temporarily out of the 9-5 grind as inherently courageous or life-changing. Sure, in some contexts it is – but in others, it seems like a vain and pompous way of, well, to put it bluntly, slumming it, playing at poverty and adventure for a certain period of time before settling snugly back into a world of Western plumbing and three dollar lattes.
Photo: colros
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with taking a break from work to travel (nor, I should add, is there anything wrong with Western plumbing), and I think escaping daily life for awhile can lead to some perspective-altering experiences, but I just don’t buy that it’s always an act of nobility to leave a cushy job with a pile of savings and hit the road for a bit; I don’t buy the frequent argument that this automatically creates a life or society changing perspective.
But this piece about how adventure travel kills conspicuous consumption changed my mind for a bit. I cringed at the opening line about ditching the American dream, thinking isn’t it the “American dream” that’s allowed you to save up for this whole adventure and to appreciate it from the distinct perspective of someone from the land of plenty?
But the article humbled my cynicism. The author talked about coming home to an overflowing storage unit of stuff she realized she didn’t need. She discusses the changes in her lifestyle in San Fransisco after more than a year traveling around the world, and how she doesn’t feel the need to fix things that aren’t broken. More interestingly, she notes how before resistance to materialism felt contrived, whereas post-trip, it feels natural.
Photo: chopr
Thinking about this, I experienced a full-on surge of travel optimism.
I have my personal opinions about how traveler quests for “authenticity” or “simplicity” often enough end up reinforcing the same dichotomy between noble poor paradise and wicked material wealth, but this article offered an alternative: taking an awareness of the enormous gap between wealthy developed nations and poor developing ones -between the excessive haves of the former and the often desperate lack of the latter – back home and crafting a different lifestyle out of it. Yes. That’s good.
And you, reader? What do you think? Do you think travel abroad -adventure or otherwise- curbs consumption? Share your thoughts below.
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21 Comments... join the discussion!
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Thanks for the comment, Paul! I remember how it was coming home to Ohio after a year in Mexico – I’d already traveled in South America and lived on Reunion Island, but for some reason starting a relationship with a Mexican and visiting his family and getting so much further into it radically exaggerated things. It was shocking to me that everybody had washers and driers – and not just washers and driers, but new brand, new white ones. And all the little things that everyone “needs” – new coats, new shoes, new cars….amazing.
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The steady stream of new experiences while traveling is enough to render many material possessions unnecessary. Since, you’re so overwhelmed with the “newness” of everything, all you need are your senses to be perfectly content.
However, once you’re back to a stagnant existence, material possessions become more important.
One way that foreign travel has impacted me is that now I can’t help judging everyday purchases in terms of “potential travel”. For example, while paying $250 for my car registration last week I thought, “that’s 1/2 of a plane ticket overseas!” Dang!
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Travel has definitely changed my view on the need for “stuff” but what I notice more is that I’m more aware of wastefulness. I think about how much I want to eat before I make / order so that I don’t throw food away needlessly. I use less water. I recycle or reuse just about everything. My husband and I create maybe one medium-sized back of garbage a month. I know that a lot of people who haven’t traveled think that the things they “waste” are simply out of sight, out of mind, but I’ve found that, being in developing countries especially, I think a lot about where things will go when I’m done using them.
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I think it depends on whether you ditch the 9-5 job and hit the road for the sole purpose of having a life-altering experience. It’s the small, subtle shifts in thought that are more important..I wouldn’t expect to come back with radically different views on the western world, but I think I’d incorporate different habits into my lifestyle.
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It definitely helps curb the consumerism.
Problems we think as “large” don’t seem as dire anymore.
We learn to appreciate what we have a lot more.
But ultimately, it boils down to the individual and if they ‘truly’ take anything away from the experiences travel brings.
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Having never had a really well paid job where I can save and spend simultaneously it occurs to me that surely travel curbs conspicuous consumerism through the very nature of having to redirect your money/funds/savings towards travel tickets/food/hostels/etc and away from the desire to buy stuff…or at least that’s true in my case.
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What a great article you’ve written Sarah!
Absorbing knowledge from a less consumptive society isn’t something we are forced to do while traveling, instead it is a choice we make to view ourselves from a different angle, and you have obviously decided to do so. Good for you.
I only wish Molly in your linked article had learned as much. After all leaving a couple bags of clothes too bad for Salvation Army on the street for the homeless shows a lack of understanding of poverty, or maybe a reluctance to even take responsiblity for disposing of her consumptive habits. Homeless lack homes they have clothes.
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I totally agree with your viewpoint, Sarah. Although I do believe in the power of long term travel to open people’s eyes to the fact that they don’t really need all the stuff they think they need, it’s being in a completely privileged position that allows us to do so. Most of us (I include myself here) are so deep in the Matrix, so to speak that we have no idea of the level of consumerism we are involved in. It creeps in slowly (those clever marketers!).
Think about getting ready to travel. We try out many specialised backpacks, buy expensive hiking boots and high tech rain gear or quick dry travel clothing. There is an entire industry devoted to marketing to us, who believe we are leaving consumerism behind. And we often suck it up. Then you end up tramping up a Himalayan mountain with all your bells and whistles next to a porter who has been hired to carry three backpacks (and not by their perfectly adjusted, high-tech straps) while wearing an old woolen sweater and some flip flops. Some will notice this discrepancy and make adjustments to their lives upon returning home, and others will notice and take a “thank God I’m home so I can take an hour long shower when I want and buy, and eat all I want”, type attitude. Or they might give a, “Whew! At least I don’t have to live like that!” response and go on as before. Travel doesn’t change everyone for the better. But for some, being actually confronted with poverty can give us a shake. I have met many people who won’t travel to India because they “couldn’t deal with all the poverty”. So, you’d rather live in denial?
We don’t need to travel to learn about our level of consumerism, but travel certainly can give us a slap in the face! What’s done with it after that is up to the individual.
P.S. That article you linked to annoyed me, too. Their other annoying thing was talking about “adventure travel”. What’s the “adventure” part, again? Is that when you have to buy water in bottles?
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So much to comment on here, but I will say this — the state of denial that most middle and upper class americans live in is pretty incredible, but I don’t think you have to stray far from home to see that people turn their backs on uncomfortable truths daily. The US, as Molly says, does need to pay more attention to the common thread of humanity, but it really should start in its own country. The town I live in now is heavily segregated, by class and race, and there are people who have lived their whole lives here who just never turned down blocks they pass each day. Why, they say? Why would I ever go down there?
This, more than anything, frustrates me. Many of these same people have traveled to developing countries, coming back with tales of poverty and simplicity. They’ll fly thousands of miles to see it, but they won’t turn down that block. There is a kind of romanticization of poverty in the third world of distant lands, but never of the third world that is in our own backyard.
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I definitely agree…even if it doesn’t curb consumption a whole lot, or if your curbing is only temporary, traveling/living abroad definitely shifts your perspectives. I recently returned from a year in China and more important than the realization that “stuff” is temporary, is the realization that we pay ridiiiiiculous amounts of money for that “stuff.” My roommates’ shelves are stocked with DVD box sets of shows they barely watch, and boxes tucked under the bed of clothes they bought and never wear.
I was definitely much more materialistic before I left for China, and now it amazes everyone I still keep my clothes in my suitcase- I think it helps remind me that those few jeans and shirts are all I really need, and no more.
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Nice post, Sarah. We are getting ready for a 3-year trip starting October 1, 2010. Rather than store our stuff for the time we’re gone, we’re getting rid of it now and have been for over a year (including the house and car).
I don’t know that the trip itself is making me less materialistic, but the idea of wanting to travel for long stretches like this for the rest of my life means that my life back home has to be simple and easily packed up. And hundreds of books, dozens of shoes, and way too many clothes just doesn’t fit that kind of life.
So I think I’m less of a consumer now because of my need to be mobile. And while I don’t think I’ll always be this lean, I’m pretty sure I’ll never have as much stuff as I did 5 years ago. It just makes it too hard to live when you have all that stuff weighing you down.
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Hi all,
I’m that girl who wrote the article Sarah linked to. I appreciate your insights and comments. To address Marie, the “adventure travel” part of our experience was 14 months through 27 countries, experience local cultures, doing some wild things, and living very unlike ourselves back in the States. I’m not sure what was meant by your comment, but we certainly didn’t do it a la Abercrombie and Kent. ???
I think adventure means different things to different people. My goal in writing that article was to inspire people to consider other ways of life outside the excess of opportunities we have here in the States, and to open their minds to other cultures and identities. It’s along the lines of the comment about people not wanting to travel to India because they can’t deal with all the poverty. Well, that’s unfortunately the state of much of the world today, so we have to look at those truths to better understand how we all relate to the problem/issues. We are all connected to one another through a thread of humanity. I believe countries like the U.S. need to pay more attention to this interconnectedness of all living beings.
The American Dream was something we aspired to and saved up for our entire adult lives. But it didn’t come true for us; meaning, we wanted a house but kept getting outbid. How attainable is that if we are hard-working people who can’t even afford to put our own roof over our heads? It was an eye-opener, and thus we chose to do something different with our money.
Whether you like my article or not isn’t important; the fact that we’re all discussing this IS. Keep the ideas and insights coming. Cheers!
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Hi Molly,
Thank you for contributing here. When I re-read my post I realise that I sounded quite rude. I do apologise for that. I must’ve been in a grumpy mood at the time.Just to clarify, I’ve always felt a little uneasy about hearing the term “adventure travel” used to describe travel in developing nations. For people who live in those places, life is not an adventure, and so it feels uncomfortable for us to describe visiting their environment as “adventure”. Jungle trekking, bungy jumping, etc., yes, that is adventurous. But I do think there are better words to describe what it means for us, who come from comfortable lives, when stepping into the world of others who are struggling for a short while. I just think we, as travellers and writers, should tread carefully with things like this. That is just my own opinion.
Cheers,
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Hi Marie,
Not sure if you’re still checking this thread, but if so, I appreciate your reply and apology, if a bit belatedly. I’ve been really busy at a new job recently, so sorry for my delay.I think what you said about “adventure” travel is interesting. I agree we must be mindful about how we view ourselves when tromping through poor nations, and I also feel this is an issue of semantics to some degree. I think the term “adventure” can be interpreted in many different ways. For me, an adventure is getting on the bus every day and going to work in my home city. I open my eyes, heart, and mind to the world around me, and adventure ensues.
I feel the same way about my travels overseas. To me, every moment is an adventure, and if I travel mindfully, I see nothing wrong with describing those experiences as “adventures.” Yes, there are plenty of people who don’t do this with the best intentions, and/or who don’t appreciate/value what they’re seeing before them or experiencing every day. My hope as a writer is to inspire/educate/inform my readers to be more mindful and considerate of others, while also learning something about themselves and the world along the way.
Cheers! Molly
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Travel definitely does make you realise what you really need in life and what you think you need or just want, it does get rid of the urge to purchase frivolous items. However, it’s not just travel that does that. I moved from the 9-5 rat race in London to the 9-5 rat race in Sydney, same lifestyle, same influences. However, turning up in a new country with only a couple of suitcases, I soon found myself thinking ‘What did I leave behind in my parents attic?’. All those consumer items I thought necessary to store away for my return were no longer even memorable. What I’m trying to say is that it’s not only travel that makes you consumer consciencious, but having a ‘change’ in your life where you to need to pack away your belongings and re-evaluate. Whichever way it happens for you, it is a great change.
I have been ‘on the road’ for 16 months now and it’s great to have a second experience that reconfirms my feelings.↵ -
Absolulely LONG travels make people down-size their life and consumption.
I not only know I can live with a 10kg back on my back for a year at a time so need less stuff and also want to save dollars for my next travels. Come over to my blog and read about some of those nomadic travels.
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I’ve been extremely fortunate to have lots of opportunities to travel growing up and while I’ve been in college. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it, and I like who that is– someone who is curious, flexible, and strives to have an open mind. Call me naive, but I think the world would be a much, much better place if everyone broadened their horizons by experiencing other cultures firsthand (though that can certainly happen locally, too).
And yet, being able to travel at all is such a privileged thing itself. If we were to divide up all of the world’s fossil fuel resources between all six billion of us, ONE plane ride would use up all of an individual’s allotment of fuel for a YEAR. That’s not including any of the other myriad things that we use ff for….
I probably fly at least 5 times a year if not more. I love travel and I think that it makes me a better person, but at what cost? Can I justify having these experiences when it means taking advantage of more resources than I deserve? Purchasing carbon offsets is a start, but it doesn’t make a dent in the sheer unsustainability of the way we travel.
One could argue, then, that international travel is the greatest expression of a consumerist lifestyle there is– living far beyond an equal distribution of resources.
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Molly your views are so justified..I agree that, there are people who don’t truly appreciate with best intentions,the value of traveling to a developing country and, would be afraid to go there because they can’t see people suffer in misery..But the whole idea of traveling there in the first place is, to realize that there are so many out there who don’t even get the most basic amenities like drinking water and a roof above their heads…The idea is to not get scared but become more sensitive to others needs than being a consumerist..The idea is to cut down on unnecessary consumerist traits so that the world becomes a better place to live in for ALL! Its all about developing our sensitivity along with sensibility!
And being on the road for a long time definitely brings about that change if we keep our EYES and HEART Open!Thanks for the post!
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Thanks to all who’ve joined in this discussion, and to Sarah again for prompting the dialogue through questioning the main premise in my article. I love that people are still talking about this.
I have been home-bound for a while now (meaning, not off around the world again…yet
and still trying to figure out how I fit back in to American consumerist life. It’s not easy, because I don’t think I do!I’m so grateful for the experiences my husband and I have shared overseas, and I find comfort in connecting with others who hold similar views and share the heartfelt feelings I have for those less fortunate than I am. As Vivian so nicely said it, we need to keep our eyes and hearts open! Yes yes!
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