| Lisa and Joel's Excellent Adventure: Issue 23 ------------------------------------- -Transition- by Lisa A. Listro and Joel A. Sward Today, Sunday, July 29th, day 391 of Lisa and Joel's Excellent Adventure is our first full day back in the States. It sure feels strange to be back in the good ole' US of A after last leaving our home country back on August 1st, 2000, heading to The Cook Islands. When we look at the whole adventure, the entire 13 months and counting, and where we are right now, we can feel a definite transition taking place. Any great undertaking is filled with euphoria at the start. Even getting ripped off twice within 24 hours, within two days of starting our trip, couldn’t dampen the excitement we had for that which lay ahead. Traveling during the early days -- the drive across the U.S. (east to west), visiting New Zealand, Australia and even to an extent The Cook Islands -- provided a gradual departure from our own customs and ways to those more foreign. Parts of Southeast Asia, Nepal and India were absolute culture shock. We could feel the definite transition from the Western to the Eastern World, from the First World to the Third World, from North to South. Although we became more accustomed to being in foreign places and situations, the feeling of being somewhere “a long way from home” continued through Africa, The Middle East and into Russia. Now things are changing again. We have gradually returned to a world we are more accustomed to. It is as if we have ridden a large wave with the crest being the Eastern world and the trough the West. We started low, rode high into the unknown, and now we are returning to the placid underbelly of the wave. As we return to a world which is more comfortable, we think it is important to remember the cultural, natural and differential elements we have experienced. We are taking away from this adventure a greater sense of our global position and ourselves. The impact we can all have on each other and the world -- the entire world, “theirs” and “ours” -- is amazing. But unless we are careful this impact will not always be positive. We need to take into account everything when we make choices that could affect the world in which we live, and the world that will remain for future generations. Fear not the apocalyptic, end of the world fanatics. Yes, there are forces at work, cells of terror that threaten basic human freedoms. Yes, the world can seem huge and at times the potential of our impact may seem small. But, if there is anything this adventure has taught us, it is that the world is actually a very small place. We are all on this crazy ride together and anything we can do -- any action, any gesture, any attempt to listen and understand what those who are different than us are trying to say -- will create a positive ripple effect and we will make a difference. Even though we are back in the States, our adventure is not yet complete. In order to circumnavigate the globe, you must return to the point from which you started. Since our adventure started in Boston, way back on July 3rd of last year, that is where we must head to complete our journey. Today we woke up and starting looking for a cheap car to take us across the States, so stay tuned for more of Lisa and Joel's Excellent Adventure. Lisa and Joel ------------------------- Attached photo: In front of Big Ben, London, The United Kingdom ------------------------- (c) Lisa and Joel's Excellent Adventure 2001. All rights reserved. ------------------------- Lisa Listro and Joel Sward are currently unemployed, homeless world travelers. For more information on their adventure see http://www.JoelSward.com ---------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to this newsletter send email with subject containing "subscribe". To cancel subscription send email with subject containing "cancel". To change email address newsletter is sent to send email with subject containing "change" and list old and new email addresses in message. SEND EMAILS TO: joel@joelsward.com ----------------------------------------------------- |
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| Email/Newsletter Update #23 July 29th, 2001 |