I’ve always been thankful for the love of travel gifted to me from my parents. I especially love to immerse myself in the local culture, wherever I am, which has expanded my understanding our world, as well as myself. Listening to a recent interview with Rick Steves, so much of what he said resonates with me. Here are a few thoughts that especially touched me: “Travel with the window open.” “Culture shock is constructive. It’s the growing pains of a broadening perspective. It just needs to be curated.” “The most frightened people are the people who have never traveled, whose worldview is shaped by commercial news media. The people who are not afraid are the people who have been out there who have met the enemy.” “When we humanize each other, we become less afraid of each other. The flipside of fear is understanding, and we gain understanding when we travel.”