It was 1969, I was 14 years old, and one night my dad came home and said, “Son, we’re going to Norway to see the relatives.” I thought, “Stupid idea.”
A few days after arriving, I was sitting on the carpet with my cousins in Bergen watching Neil Armstrong on TV as he took “et lite skritt for et menneske … one giant leap for mankind.” It occurred to me that this was more than an American celebration. It was a human one. Without my realizing it, travel was broadening my perspective. While reinforcing how thankful I was to be an American, it was also making me a better citizen of the planet. It was shaping the 14-year-old me to be a force for peace and an advocate for the importance of thoughtful travel — the idea that travel can be a political act.
I wrote about this idea in the September issue of the Rotarian Magazine. You can read it now here — and be sure to tune in below to hear my conversation with Rotary International.
We chatted with guidebook author and travel TV host Rick Steves to learn more about getting out of our comfort zones,…
Posted by Rotary International on Tuesday, September 18, 2018