20 Things I've Learned From Traveling Around the World for Three Years

On March 13, 2007, I handed over the keys to my house, put my possessions in storage and headed out to travel around the world with nothing but a backpack, my laptop and a camera.

Three and a half years and 70 countries later, I've gotten the equivalent of a Ph.D in general knowledge about the people and places of Planet Earth.

Here are some of the things I've learned:

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1) People are generally good.

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Many people are afraid of the world beyond their door, yet the vast majority of humans are not thieves, murderers or rapists. They are people just like you and me who are trying to get by, to help their families and go about living their lives. There is no race, religion or nationality that is exempt from this rule. How they go about living their lives might be different, but their general goals are the same.

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The Grandest Of The Grand Hotels (PHOTOS)

Many people are afraid of the world beyond their door, yet the vast majority of humans are not thieves, murderers or rapists. They are people just like you and me who are trying to get by, to help their families and go about living their lives. There is no race, religion or nationality that is exempt from this rule. How they go about living their lives might be different, but their general goals are the same.

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Comments

[BadBadKitten]

11:55 PM on 09/15/2010

What is the best news web site to obtain raw news from?

[alejosalomon]

03:07 AM on 09/14/2010

All points are good, but partially disagree with point #5 "Americans Aren't as ignorant as you might think". So, felt compelled to explain my reasoning as follows: The U.S. Government is directly involved in many very important/sensitive issues and agendas throughout the world's countries affecting the lives of billions of people indirectly. Therefore, a U.S. citizen has the responsibility to know more about other countries and his/her government's involvement in those countries. In other words, a Vietnamese should not be expected to have the same level of knowledge of the world than an American. Thus, relatively speaking, Americans I believe are more ignorant than you can imagine.

[alejosalomon]

03:23 AM on 09/14/2010

so yes, I forgot to mention. yes, I support this article as it will encourage some Americans to go out and learn. Peace.

[Anastasia Sloan]

11:41 AM on 09/07/2010

LOVE this! I think people assume so much about the unknown simply because we don't know and feel like we need to answer our own questions. Unfortunately the assumptions can be so far fetched that it reflects poorly on a culture. I spent a month in Australia just recently, and I totally agree that everyone should travel. Learning more about another culture is so much more fun when you get to do it, as opposed to reading about it. Great article! :]

[kuno]

05:54 AM on 09/07/2010

Fantastic post! As a novice world-traveler, I agree with all 20 of these lessons learned!

Travel more.

[YearAroundWorld]

09:04 PM on 09/01/2010

Sounds like a lot of people are putting words into Gary's mouth. He's not claiming to know a single country better than an ex-pat, and he's not claiming Canadians are the same as Americans. So why all you people decided to chime in, I have no idea.

People travel in many different ways. One way is not necessarily better than any other. They're just different. If you think your way is the only way, travel hasn't opened your mind very much...

[Liz518]

11:12 AM on 08/30/2010

It is also more expensive for North Americans to get across the ocean than it is for Europeans..

[wmyeoh]

08:04 PM on 08/29/2010

Excellent article. I think you summarise the unity of humankind across the globe really well. When you boil things down, we're really not all that different, are we?

I would just like to comment on one of your points: "in developing countries, government is usually the problem". I take your point, that you can't trust corrupt governments, but I think it's a gross oversimplification of the problem here. Don't also ignore the institutions and states outside the developing countries who are often pulling the strings in setting up corrupt governments, and maintaining systems of corruption for their own benefit. In understanding the problem of corruption in developing countries, we also need to think about what's going on globally, who's benefitting and who is working behind the scenes. Thanks again for your thoughts.

[Linda Williams]

09:17 PM on 08/28/2010

Thanks for the slides. And, thanks for sharing your travels. It's cool of you to bother to do this.

[akappaa]

03:13 PM on 08/28/2010

good postt :)

[anonymousblogging]

11:00 PM on 08/27/2010

I love this :) (aside from the fact that of all the countries you've visited the Philippines had to be mentioned corrupt :(, though it's true.. but it's bothering that it's REALLY that obvious already)

anyway i love your post. makes me appreciate what I'm doing right now :)

[mysteryshrink]

10:49 PM on 08/27/2010

Working in Dallas, Tx, last week I heard an ad for a travel agency arranging "consevative tours." Wouldn't it be nice to travel with people you can agree with over meals?
Have we just given up?
Barbara DeShong
Mysteryshrink.com

[rachael barrett]

09:54 AM on 08/27/2010

Although there are a FEW of your assertions I DO agree with, MOST of them I do NOT. As a 25 year ex-pat I think I have the experience to disagree. For example: If you want to know what's being communicated in any area, you MUST learn the local dialect. Think outside yourself, not only what is being communicated between oneself and the local, but what is being communicated between the locals themselves. In Bali, natives do NOT speak to each other in either English OR the national tongue, Indonesian. Even a FEW words in the native tongue will endear you to the locals and open doors that you never imagined. I also disagree with other things you've said, but not a lot of characters left to write. Let it suffice to say...your comments (the accurate ones) really only pertain to people who travel to a destination for a week or less. But thanks for trying, the effort to enlighten readers is most appreciated. Rachael Barrett, Ubud, Bali. Indonesia

[Brian Forrest]

11:05 AM on 08/27/2010

Gary's written an article encouraging people (esp Americans) to get out and sample what the rest of the world is all about. By making the point about English, he's encouraging timid English-only speakers by assuring them that they won't be stranded without the ability to communicate-- a big hangup for a lot of would-be travelers. To insist that anyone who wants to get outside their own borders be an expert in a local dialect is counter-productive. If you want to live and work in such a community, your points are accurate, but you completely missed the point of Gary's article with this nit-picking.

[MisterWinterstone]

02:23 AM on 08/27/2010

Excellent, I have managed an international hostel for over 5 years now and I can attest that Gary is spot on, 10 for 10.

[SaraSH]

06:42 PM on 08/26/2010

great work. thx

[Classy Woman]

05:06 PM on 08/26/2010

As someone who has traveled to 20 countries in the past 4 years, I really appreciated this article. Such great points, I could really relate.

It's important to be open-minded and also respectful of others when visiting their countries, what works in North America isn't always well received in other countries. Here are some International Etiquette tips for traveling abroad: http://theclassywoman.blogspot.com/2009/09/international-etiquette.html

I posted this article to my twitter and facebook pages too. It's a must-read for everyone!

Warmly,
Karla M. Davis