It was nearly 9 years ago that I found myself living as an exchange student in Japan. I didn’t know it then, but it was during that summer that my life changed for forever. Although I was barely 16, practically a baby; I learned a lot about love, life, culture, food, and most importantly faith. It was also during that summer that I discovered my love for travel. My eyes were opened to completely foreign sights, people, sounds, foods, religions, and customs.
A very close friend of mine often tells me that the one thing she despises in life is change. How she wishes things could just stay put for a little while. I, on the other hand, thrive on change. I love witnessing and experiencing new cultures with their intriguing customs, bazaar rituals, and fascinating food…ok you can obviously tell that I love food. Just the other day, a friend asked me what type of traveler Ben and I are. Are we the type of people that like to spend our vacations on white sandy beaches with nothing more on our itinerary than lying back in a lawn chair, flipping to and fro to get an even tan like a rotisserie chicken on a spit; or are we the type of people that like to pack our vacation with recommendations from guidebooks on the best sightseeing, guided tours, and museums? Although we have been known to do both; Ben quickly answered my question by saying, “You are like no traveler I have met. You like to go to new places and jump into a routine like the locals. You like to eat the foods they do, listen to local music, use their same mode of transportation, shop as they shop….. I don’t know anybody else that likes to go to the grocery store as much as you do on their vacation.” Ben on the other hand doesn’t love doing the touristy stuff, sure he doesn’t mind hitting a few tourist traps, but he has the most fun discovering the most dangerous, off the wall adventure he can. Whether it is 4-wheeling in the Malaysian jungle, swimming with sea turtles in Mexico, or white water rafting in Thailand; Ben can always find something out of the ordinary to do. So, my friend, to answer your question as we travel we like to live like the locals and escapade with the extremists.
We hope you enjoy sharing some of our crazy adventure with us.
