Third time’s the charm?

Shifting for the third time. I accidentally typed “shitting” and contemplated leaving it. Anyway. Instead of focusing on “Stepping Off The Conveyor Belt” I have decided to focus on “Culture Shock.” The problem that came with focusing on a gap year or a gap term before/during college is that to be advocating so strongly for something that I haven’t personally done seemed very shallow. Or not completely truthful. How to articulate this… other than a lack of passion and experience.

Travel has always been very important to me. Not “vacationing” but going to remote places and getting off the beaten track. With social media, namely Instagram, the idea of travel has become idealistic and non representational. I think it’s important to introduce the importance of cultural assimilation and an empathetic view of people around the world.

Instead of focusing on the “wanderlust,” I want to focus on something a little less aspirational: culture shock. The importance and impact of different customs, values, beliefs, foods, etc. The discomfort in being somewhere so unfamiliar that it forces one to reflect upon their life, upbringing, and everything that they thought was “normal.” I believe everyone needs to experience culture shock to some degree, to free themselves of the bubble that they may have been brought up in.

Coming from a family that values travel and the discovery of the unknown; this topic feels much more relevant.