On becoming a child of the world

By Shirley-Ann Behravesh

I’ve always wanted to see the world. As a child, I read about all those wonderful far-off places and their histories, cultures and customs. I remember thinking that it was all some part of a fairy tale. “Surely the world ends beyond the shores of my country?” I remember thinking. Little did I understand of the vastness and richness that lay beyond my 238 square miles of land.

I have seen a lot of the world since then, and each time I visit somewhere new, my comfort zone expands. My thoughts and views evolve into a philosophy about our wonderful planet and (sometimes wonderful, sometimes not-so-wonderful) people. I love seeing new places because it gives me a chance to be part of a culture that I may have never otherwise known. It gives me a chance to be a child of the world and not just of the piece of land I grew up on.

I chose the southern Spain and Morocco trip because the two countries present such an interesting relationship. They are so similar, yet so starkly different. They share history, climate and traditions, yet they speak an uncommon language, belong to vastly different sections of the world, and are developed on different scales. Both countries are blooming examples in the field of sustainable development, utilizing their abundant natural resources to fuel the movement.

There is a lot that I plan to see and do when I get there. But more than anything, I want to experience the culture and traditions of such amazing countries. I can’t wait to smell the air in the marketplace, the desert and the mountains. I can’t wait to gaze into the past through their architecture, to savor the tastes of their cuisines. I can’t wait to feel what it is like to be from such a great piece of our world.