This is Part 1 in the Travelling Heart Series on The Sea Is One.
Do you often read up on a country without having real and concrete plans to visit it in the near future?
Do you love to meet your (friends’) international friends?
Chances are you have a – what I call – Travelling Heart.
What do I mean with a Travelling Heart?
Having a Travelling Heart means you don’t need to really, physically travel to feel on holiday. It means that you have found a way to incorporate the big wide world into your daily life, and maybe even at home.
It is not the same as being a (world) Tourist. A Tourist is someone who puts himself in a vehicle that carries him to other countries. Tourists visit a new place and feel they are on holiday. They need to feel the new territory underneath their feet in order to be able to absorb a new culture.
Of course, we are all Tourists at a certain point. And you can definitely be a Tourist *with* a Travelling Heart!
People with a Travelling Heart know how to carry that internationally minded attitude with them, every day, wherever they go. They invite the world to their life, instead of carrying themselves to other places on this earth.
Find Out if You Have a Travelling Heart
How many of the following apply to you?
- You love reading travel guides, just out of curiosity about new countries and cultures.
- You prefer books of international authors or travelers.
- When you read the newspaper, the first section you read is the international news.
- You bought a TV just so you could watch documentaries about exotic places, animals and cultures.
- When your friends let you choose the restaurant, you always end up at your favourite Italian/Indian/Turkish/… place.
- You know how to say “Hello!” and “Thank You!” in more than ten languages.
- Whenever you visit a bookstore, you find yourself attracted to the Travel department, time and time again.
- You absolutely love trying out new cuisines at home.
- You have many friends abroad, who you met on holiday, or through other friends.
- You love hosting international people at your place, be it via CouchSurfing, AirBNB or Home Exchange.
- Sometimes, you just hop on a train and visit a new and undiscovered (by you) place in your country.
- …
Can you add more typical hobbies a Travelling Heart might have?
Stay tuned for Part 2 in the Travelling Heart Series, in which we will discuss ideas on how to take care of your Travelling Heart!
