旅行，是为走出去，也是为回归。一些人积攒护照上的印戳以炫耀人生经历，一些人视旅行为塑造人格、为人生履历添辉的工具，每个人对旅行的意义都有独特的认知。而在作者看来，旅行其实是“兜转一圈，于是更爱自己”的经历。从文化差异中更深刻地了解本国文化，于是更热爱自己的文化属性，这就是旅行的意义。

By Aoife Inman

 

In the UK we often equate life experience, especially amongst younger generations, with the number of stamps in your passport. That is to say travel is regarded as an enriching life experience that will make your C.V. stand out amongst the other thousand applicants. Travel is not simply a pursuit of leisure but also "character-building", "defining" and potentially "career-boosting".

I can agree that for most of us at university, we would collectively agree that we have all caught the "travel bug". Most of the people I know here at university experience that same itch to get in a plane, train, bus or car and escape the hectic stress of deadlines and seminars that usually surrounds us. But I don't think, as UK students, we can blame our addiction to international travel simply on a stressful life. Yes I have a lot of things to juggle and it's a fine balancing act managing my part-time job, my degree and my social life to a perfect level. But really I think we are the first generation in a truly open world, where we can get anywhere, see anything and experience every culture under the sun, at the click of a button, the purchase of a ticket.

Many people I met whilst working in China were surprised at the number of countries I'd travelled to, which came as a surprise. Compared to friends and family I consider myself vastly under-travelled. I've yet to even set foot across the pond in the U.S.A and Canada, let alone South America and even within Europe my checklist of destinations is far from complete. But more eye opening for me, I was also met by astonishment at how little geographical traversing I had done within my own borders. This was something I had not really considered before and as I left Beijing I felt an overwhelming appreciation not just for the rich culture of China but also for the diverse localities within the UK. How much of my own country had I really seen and experienced? To those from a place as vast and varied as China, Britain was really so small in comparison and so to have spent 20 years there and not seen every nook and cranny of it was quite surprising.

I spent a while engaged in a conversation with a Chinese colleague over the difference in building style, in architecture from the Highlands of Scotland to the Cornish coast. Now for most people this sounds dreary and dull, and I guess I am biased as a student of history that I find anything remotely historical fascinating. However it was not the geological variety of stone within British cities I found interesting, which even I can agree is hardly a riveting subject. What was curious was that it was something I had never even considered, and yet here was someone intrigued by something I had simply taken for granted. 

"Yes." I agreed with her, "It is remarkable to find so much diversity in a country of such modest borders", making a mental note to appreciate these small but wonderful characteristics of my home more often. We continued to discuss the reasoning behind our use of golden Cotswold stone and the white render of the scattered coastal cottages of the Atlantic, yet I was left embarrassed that I could not provide a concrete answer to her question. In China, as well as a wealth of new culture that fascinated me, I discovered that there were parts of the UK's culture, history, the very fabric of my identity that were so different, so unique from China that I also gained a new found interest in my own heritage.

In this respect, travelling enables you with two things. Firstly you develop an overwhelming fascination with new cultures, understanding customs, experiencing cuisines and absorbing the sights and smells of every new city. For many employers this adaptability to new locations is seen as a tremendous asset to your personal résumé. But alongside increased employability, through international, cross-cultural conversations, you develop an interest in your own history, culture, and customs. You return to your home filled with an understanding of other people's fascination with it and imbued with your own sense of intrigue at its peculiarities.

 

词汇点津：

equate: 使等同

travel bug: 旅游癖，旅游瘾。

itch: 欲望，渴望

hectic: 忙碌的

seminar: 研讨会。

juggle: 尽力对付，力图使平衡。

eye opening: 令人惊奇的

nook and cranny: 角角落落。

dreary: 沉闷的，枯燥的

riveting: 吸引人的。

intrigue: 使感兴趣，使好奇

make a mental note: 牢记，铭记。

fabric: 结构，构造

tremendous: 极好的，了不起的

imbue: 灌输，深深影响