A couple of weeks ago, Travis, Heath, and I took a long weekend vacation about a three-hour bus ride from where we live, to a place considered to be the cultural capital of the island where we’re living and serving. We had fun playing tourist and went to several famous places, including some temples, a water castle, and a palace.
Aside from checking off a few more landmarks from my list of places to visit, I also was able to learn a thing or two from my vacation time. Or at least come away with new perspectives.
First and foremost, I now know that I am capable of packing lightly. (Dear friends and family, please sit down if you are not already. The following information may be a bit shocking.) I, Ashlynn Hamm, packed for our 5-day vacation in one backpack. One. And a purse. But most of it was in one backpack. Considering I usually would have brought at least a medium-sized suitcase and three extra bags filled with useful items that "I might need," this was a huge improvement for me.
Second, I and the other members of our Radical Journey team learned that we can, in fact, survive on our own in Southeast Asia. We were able to navigate through transportation and the city by ourselves. Relatively speaking. There were also many kind souls both from our host families at home and along the way who took it upon themselves to help the three clueless foreigners. For the most part, though, between our combined knowledge of the language and our few months of living here, we could manage. Even if it’s not as much as what I’m used to in the United States, it is liberating to be able to gain back some independence.
And, third, this being the most important realization, I came away even more positive that this is where I should be and even more grateful that I’m participating in Radical Journey. Heath, Travis, and I took the cheaper route and stayed in a hostel during our stay. We were the odd ones out, only vacationing for five days. Most of the others we met there were backpacking all around Southeast Asia and planned on being gone for months at a time.
At first, as we talked with the backpackers and heard their stories and plans, I was a little bit disappointed in myself. Yeah, living in one country in Southeast Asia for 11 months is cool and all, but was that really the best option? I’m only seeing one area of the world. If I was going to postpone college for a year anyway, maybe I should have just backpacked across Asia or Europe or Africa or wherever I wanted, really. I would have been able to see more places, do more things, observe more cultures, and gain a whole array of different experiences than I can by staying in one country.
However, the longer we were there and the more I interacted with the backpackers, the more I realized that Radical Journey was, in fact, the better option for me. I noticed the way they interacted with the people and the culture … or maybe more how they couldn’t interact. They couldn’t speak the language. They didn’t know most of the cultural do’s and don’ts. They weren’t able to fully respect the place in which they were visiting. And, quite frankly, I found myself offended by some of their actions. Little things they would say or do that after having lived here in Southeast Asia for a few months, rubbed me the wrong way. Granted, I’m sure I did a lot of the same things when I first arrived. I’m sure there still are things I do that I don’t even realize. The difference, though, is that I’ve learned and continue to learn about the culture in which I’m immersed and so I can better respect the area of the world I’m living in. I am still a foreigner here. I don’t think I would ever be able to fully blend in no matter how long I lived here. But until I spent time with people more foreign than me, I hadn’t realized how much of the culture I’ve adopted into my daily habits.
Although the backpackers had been to more countries than I, all they had been able to experience was a superficial view. They could only observe the cultures and the people. However, by staying in one country for an extended amount of time, you can experience the culture and people of the area. You might come away from your year having seen less of the world, but you will have seen more layers to one piece of the world and gained a deeper understanding.
Backpacking sounds like a great experience and is one that I still might like to try sometime in the future. I don’t mean to make backpackers sound completely rude and disrespectful, and you can create a lot of amazing memories through the adventure. Coming home from our vacation, though, I knew that this is where God wants me to be. Only in this one country. Just the fact that I could "come home" and "go on vacation" in a foreign country spoke to how big of a space my service location has in my heart. In these last few months of my stay, I pray that I continue to learn both big and little things about myself and this wonderful country.
P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day! I made my cut off … barely. :)