I get the sentiments of the article, but I generally disagree with the author's perspective. I think my experience (although may not be necessarily unique) I tend to find that traveling to different places has reinforced connection to my own culture, be it through cultural links based on geography and history or through a more recent context where migrants from my cultural background have had to move to the country due to economic circumstances and I've had the privilege of encountering these individuals.
Overall, I tend to find that travel provides a lot of perspective and context. One notable figure which helped me come to this realization was Anthony Bourdain. He used food as a baseline connection and when we as humans share a meal with people, we tend to be more open. He would then progress into talking about more sensitive topics which provided a deeper insight about a place.
The takeaway that I have gotten from most of my travels has been that we are all really the same people. We need a place to sleep, something to eat, some fun and the feeling of safety. Understanding this has allowed me to make deeper connections with people that I've encountered and I'm thankful that experience.
Overall, I tend to find that travel provides a lot of perspective and context. One notable figure which helped me come to this realization was Anthony Bourdain. He used food as a baseline connection and when we as humans share a meal with people, we tend to be more open. He would then progress into talking about more sensitive topics which provided a deeper insight about a place.
The takeaway that I have gotten from most of my travels has been that we are all really the same people. We need a place to sleep, something to eat, some fun and the feeling of safety. Understanding this has allowed me to make deeper connections with people that I've encountered and I'm thankful that experience.