by Jessica Wick

Created on: August 22, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Why travel? This is like asking, why breathe? Why exist? Why think? Why travel, indeed.

We are blessed to live in a big, beautiful world rich in different customs, beliefs and ways of living. To deny oneself exposure to other places and cultures is to deny oneself an essential part of life. So much can be learned from simply seeing how someone else lives.

Life is about experiences. To remain in the same place means the same experiences day after day. This results in boredom, monotony, and closed-mindedness. If something works for you, you start to believe it should work for everyone else. I have never met a closed-minded traveler, but I have seen plenty of closed-minded people who have never left their own backyards.

I live in the Pacific Northwest. Therefore, I know what four real seasons feel like. I know how snowflakes feel against my skin and how draining the dry heat of summer is. I have smelled clean mountain air, swam in fresh water lakes, and endured mosquito bites and bee stings. I have tasted fresh- caught salmon and freshly picked huckleberries. The Northwest is a beautiful and amazing place to live, and I am certainly grateful for these experiences.

But because I am a traveler, I have also seen the breathtaking sunsets of both coasts of Mexico. I have been to the top of the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower. I have seen the glowing lights of the Las Vegas strip at night, climbed the Mayan Ruins of Chichen Itza, and eaten lunch at the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I have seen the real Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, Big Ben in London, and the beautiful castles of Munich, Germany. I have enjoyed the beautiful fireworks at Disneyworld and ridden Splash Mountain. I have seen a real Broadway play in New York City and been moved to tears by the simple beauty of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I have felt hot, white sand beneath my feet and soft ocean breezes against my cheeks. I have met happy people, sad people, rich people, and poor people from all over the world who have touched my life and made me aspire to better myself as well as grateful for the things I have.

Would I still have a great life had I not had those experiences? Of course. Would I be the same person I am today? Absolutely not. I travel because it fulfills me, completes me and amazes me at the same time. It is more than a hobby- it's an essential part of life.

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