From early ages all of us are bombarded with information of what is right and what is wrong. And, as democracy isn’t perfect instead is the best type of organization yet discovered, this type of learning brings big advantages: we are raised within a common culture and common beliefs in our community, we are able to bond much more easily and the risks of generating outcasts are significantly lower. On the other hand, this type of “dogmatism” creates boundaries that, unfortunately, are so hard to surpass…
For a Western civilization, the animal sacrifice is barbaric while, for an Eastern culture, this is the only way they bond with their Gods. And who doesn’t want to initiate dialogues with the Higher Powers? Tattoos, drugs, nudity, even the number of wives are all taboos for some and cultural heritage for others. And preconceptions only add to the gaps created by taboos. (by example, probably most Italians see the Romanians as a nation of thieves and beggars).
So, considering on one hand the great diversity the World has to offer and, on the other, the specific cultural and personal boundaries everyone has, what are the qualities you need to posses in order to develop yourself, to enrich your life and your experiences, to be better, to understand more?
(From here I’m turning to first person) With the above goal set, first of all I must always remain open minded. Just because I learned something sometime, this doesn’t mean I’m holding the absolute truth. I must understand that a different person, a different opinion, a different culture, will enrich me, will open windows that I couldn’t have opened myself because I didn’t even know they’d exist. I need to always think in terms of bridges and not walls.
After this first step, the second is also hard: admitting some of my previous beliefs can be wrong. From every travel, from every journey I make I must learn something. I am not going somewhere just because the grass is greener, the mountains are higher or the waters are bluer. I am going in order to “steal” a very small fragment of the heart and soul of a country, of a culture. I need to know how are the people like, what makes them the way they are, why are they different than me. I must understand them in order to better understand myself, in order to help me become a better person.
The third step is the easiest: start travelling!
In the end, if you are a worthy human capable of judgment you must question at least some of your taboos and preconceptions on people and/or on cultures (it works both when travelling and at home). The “outside shell” on which we base our first judgment can hide real gems and it is a shame not to discover them.
Travelling in Romania 