A lot of people think of travel as “holiday.” They want to be pampered. I like that too. However, relaxing is the small part; the big chunk is getting a new perspective.
I never understood that until I left Los Angeles for ten months to live in Vienna. I observed the Austrian locals and participated in their daily lives. Before this experience I had done touristy things, stayed within my travel group, and never went off the beaten path. I remember in Paris a baker once asked why I didn’t speak French. I thought, How can I learn the languages of all the countries I visited? However, after ten months of integration, I had a different perspective.
Upon my return to L.A., my home seemed foreign. It was as if I was observing it in a carnival mirror. I was experiencing reverse culture shock. For the first time I saw L.A. through the eyes of a European. What an opportunity!
I went to the beach and people said, “Good morning” or “Hey.” I wasn’t used to this as Viennese don’t greet strangers. I thought, Why are these people so happy?
Later that day I went to a grocery store and noticed the produce was piled so high I couldn’t see over it. I thought, Who needs all this? Grocery stores in Vienna are small but efficient.
As the day progressed the reverse culture shock faded. I mulled over it. No wonder Austrians thought California was paradise. They interpreted L.A. friendliness, perfect weather, and American bounty as happiness. As a local, I knew the traveler’s perception did not match reality. California is not paradise; it’s a place like any other. I started to think about my superficial perceptions.
After that experience I traveled differently. I would buy a guidebook and read it like a novel. I would make an effort to speak basic phrases. I researched where the locals were and hung out there. I would break away from my travel group. I remeber kayaking in Puerto Rico and a woman said, "I would never have come here alone like you did." I just smiled.
