Sometimes you have to travel to some far-flung destination to find yourself.
That was my experience on my recent trip to Central Europe. I had the amazing opportunity to travel with the First Coast Wind Symphony to the Czech Republic and Hungary, performing with local bands and exploring beautiful cities such as Prague and Budapest. (And this is why I haven’t written a blog post in awhile!)
Travel is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in other cultures, make new friends, and gain deeper insight about yourself.
I spent a lot of time journaling on this particular trip about all the amazing new places I experienced, but I wrote just as much about the new friendships that developed, rich conversations that were shared, and wisdom that I gained from my fellow musical travelers.
When I remove myself from my usual routine, I often (re)discover parts of myself that get lost in the “daily grind” of normal life. And this trip was no different. I had a lot of profound realizations on this European tour (some of which are too personal to share on this blog), but here’s a sampling of some of the insights I gained:
- I don’t like to be rushed: There were occasionally times on this trip where I didn’t have enough time to savor an experience as richly as I would have liked. And feeling rushed causes me to become tense and prevents me from relishing the present moment. A good thing for me to be aware of as I plan future travel for myself – don’t cram too much into a single day!
- I am really good at making new friends: When I traveled with Stephen, he had an uncanny ability for making new friends wherever he went. He had a vibrant, charismatic personality that people were naturally drawn to, so I tended to rely on him to be the social butterfly. On this trip, I discovered that I can be a social butterfly too! I loved getting to know so many new people on this trip and seeing that people enjoy getting to know me as well.
- I enjoy adventuring solo: While I had a fabulous time exploring European cities with my friends, I also felt my social battery draining at times, so then I would wander off on my own. It’s very empowering to know that I’m able to navigate public transit in a foreign country by myself and have a pleasant time wandering solo. (More on this below!)
On my last morning in Budapest, my flight departed later than most of the travelers returning to Florida, which left me with a couple hours flying solo. After 10 days of being surrounded by people, I relished the opportunity for a final solo adventure. I had not slept well the night before, so I originally thought I’d just relax in my hotel room until I needed to check out. But after parting ways with my friend Dino, I got a burst of energy, opened up my guidebook, and my eyes fell upon the Garden of Philosophy. I was feeling a bit ungrounded and in need of some contemplative solace, so I hopped on a bus and made my way up to this serene sculpture of the major religious leaders throughout history.
It was the perfect end to an invigorating European adventure. I sat on a bench reflecting on everything I learned and experienced, shed a few tears as I spoke with Stephen, and eventually found my center again. The night before, I had been struggling to process some emotions that had been stirred up, and I felt like I needed to find Stephen and ask him for help. Of all the places I went on this trip, this was the place that had his essence, and as I walked away from this beautiful spot, I felt certain that I had found him there. For the rest of the day as I journeyed home, I continued to process and gradually find the clarity and solace that I needed.
I not only found Stephen in the Garden, but more importantly, I found myself.
Now that I’m settling back into a normal routine at home, I have a clearer sense of what I want in this next chapter of my life and what I need to do to find and maintain my center. Sometimes a disruption to routine and an immersion in another culture is all you need to gain that clarity and wisdom.