Travel

I think the importance of travel is to learn about different cultures and places and how to communicate with different kinds of people. It can make you a well rounded person as well. By learning a different language you can communicate with the people of other countries and knowing a different language may help you with a job that you get later in life. Learning about another culture can make you realize how good or bad your own culture is and you can also understand the opinions of others more clearly if you know something about their culture. Learning about different places can teach you about the history of the world and the things that made it.

I think the best way to travel is in small groups with preferably no more than three people. Traveling with small numbers can more easily allow discussion among everyone about the place you are visiting. To me traveling on foot is more fun and educational than traveling on a train or plane because you can learn things and see things as you walk that you wouldn't get to see or know if you were on a plane or train.

The best places to travel are anywhere. I like traveling most to places that most tourists don't go because it is less crowded, even though I do like traveling to well known main tourist attractions because those places are often the most important in history. I love nature so one of my favorite places that I have traveled to was riding the mules down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was very peaceful and relaxing to be able to enjoy nature and to be around animals.

In order to achieve the goal of travel I think one should educate themselves about the place they are traveling to before they get there, as we have been doing in class. This way instead of looking constantly at the guide book you can fully enjoy the surroundings.

http://www.thereareplaces.com/Guidebook/pdest/itropts.htm

This is a good website for good places to visit in Rome. It has very useful information on the Colosseum, churches, the Forum, the Pantheon, and many other interesting places.

Travel :)

In my personal opinion, traveling enables a person to become a well-rounded, insightful individual. Delving into a different city, country, or even the small town down the road can facilitate a deeper understanding of worlds outside of your own personal space. In addition, traveling can bring about a sense of self-awareness. The opportunity to go to a place other than your origin forces you to interact with people who are from a completely different background, and who may not speak your language. Confronting this challenge takes you away from your comfort zone, and can make you realize many qualities you didn’t know that you possessed. In addition to self-realization, traveling can bring about serenity and relaxation, which seems to be unknown to our culture in the US. Understanding other cultures through travel can break stereotypical barriers, build knowledge, and gain insight.

Traveling with a prepared suitcase, an open mind and an relaxed attitude is ideal. Although I am always up for an adventure, preparedness will decrease stress and anxiety while in an unfamiliar place. An open mind is essential in order to absorb all the beauty of the destination, even if it’s hidden in unusual places. A calm demeanor will allow you to think clearly and more effectively in uncomfortable or alarming situations. Self-awareness can be further realized when considering the two latter ideals.

Traveling in a smaller group of 2-4 people is best. A smaller group makes it easier to agree on an itinerary, and leaves more time to reach everyone’s desired destinations. Once you have experience traveling in new places, it becomes more feasible to travel places on your own. You have developed skills necessary to navigate an unfamiliar area safely and effectively.

HYPERLINK "http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice-140867/TravelGuide-Venice.html"http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice-140867/TravelGuide-Venice.html

The above link is a travel guide for Venice. Since we will be visiting there, the information will be helpful! It includes facts about the city, restaurants, things to do, nightlife and even warnings about what to watch out for. Check it out!

This picture is from the top of the Rockefellar Center in NYC. Andrea, Olivia and I went there for spring break this past year, and it was our first vacation on our own. :)

Travel

I think that traveling to different places is important in our individual growth. I know for myself personally that when I traveled to Germany, Spain and Italy I became more outgoing each trip. I find that the best way to travel is to go in a smaller size group. If you travel with a group of like 20-25 people, it is going to be difficult for people to see everything they want to see. Groups of about 10-15 are better because then there is less of a chance for somebody to miss something. If it is possible, traveling in a group of like 2-5 people would be ideal because that way you can all see what you want to see. I feel that traveling alone anywhere, even if it is just going somewhere close to home, is unsafe because being in a place where you don't know anybody can be bad if something happens to you.
The best places to travel is to places that interest you individually. I find most European countries fascinating, so whenever the opportunity presents itself, I do everything possible to be able to travel there. That is just my opinion, there could be other people who want to travel to like Africa or Asia, and I say if it is what you want to do, go for it. Now, once you decide where you want to go, you have to decide what to do while there to have what you would consider a "successful" trip. The best way to go about doing this is similar to what led you to traveling there in the first place. If you are interested in something (i.e. art, wilderness, etc.) you should try to go see examples of that in the place you have gone to. For example, I enjoy looking at the architecture in the different countries that I have been to. Whether it be something built in ancient times or be something more modern, I find the way things are constructed is fascinating.

A.) http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/architecture/Ancient-Architecture.html
This link leads to a site that discuss different Ancient Architecture and has examples from different Ancient Civilizations. It is relevant because if I were to travel to places around these sites, I would do my best to get to go see these sites.

B.) These pictures are some of my personal photos from my trip to Spain and Italy. The first one is of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. This church was awesome because construction on it began in 1882 and it is still being worked on, it is expected to not be finished until at least 2026. This building is an excellent example of how architecture has evolved over the years, because as time went on, the original design has changed.










The second pic is of the Colosseum in Rome. This is a supreme example of ancient architecture. I loved being able to walk around inside it, I can't wait to go back!

Importance of Travel

There are several important aspects of traveling. Consider traveling for the sake of traveling, that is leisure or vacation. The whole process is one we often take pleasure in. There is great excitement in planning the trip. The anticipation as a whole is almost satisfying. There is of course the pleasure we get by reaching and exploring the destination, and there is also pleasure in returning, sharing stories, and reflecting on the experience. However nice it might be to travel for leisure, there are further reasons to travel and ones that weigh on the instrumental value of travel. As we are plan to do in this class, traveling can be a means of education. Its not just an academic education either. In many travels one educates himself on culture and history. The academic value of the trip to Italy is substantial, but nonetheless many of the lessons could be taught in the classroom. With that, however, there are many experiences we cannot know without going there. To hear authentic Italian, experience the cuisine, live a european lifestyle (though only for a short while), and see some of the greatest art in history first-hand, each one of these aspects cannot be duplicated in any other way. Each pertains to the culture and history of the region, and represent important reasons for travel.

Time in reflection, thought, or solitude also makes a case for traveling. As Petrach points out, one can see traveling as an analogy for life's journey. It is a time we can reflect on the importance of the self, focus on our thoughts, and gain a greater awareness of who we are as individuals. Carrying a journal while we tour Italy will be usefully for this reason. In our time alone looking at art, sitting on the train, or just at night before bed, we can reflect on what we learned about ourself in the day, and how being in a different culture brings out new ideas and a greater appreciation of the self.

There is no right or wrong way to travel, just as long as you learn and experience something new along the way. If traveling to another country or city, the method may not always be important. Whether one travels by car or plane to New York will likely have an impact on the overall goal of the trip. There are likely goals within the city that reflect the importance of how one travels. For instance, if one travels by bike of by foot through Central Park, then there may be a difference. If you're looking to enjoy the trip, then hiking and experiencing the entirety of the park is a much better way to go. By bike you would miss the essence of the park, and when you reach the end you might feel empty or less satisfied. Think of earning a degree. If one can get passing grades by doing the bare minimum, then one might be relieved when graduating, but will soon realize he missed out on the importance of education in general. But one who struggles along the way, and takes time to learn all the material will be much more fulfilled and satisfied with the experience.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

This site is by the US Department of State. It answers about every question one might have about traveling. I've turned to it many times for information and its about the most reliable resource. The information is current and relevant and everyone should take a look if you haven't traveled much before. There's everything from how to stay safe to what you can and can't take on an airplane.

To continue with the New York theme, a picture from my trip two weeks ago, and undoubtedly my favorite place to visit in all the world, Yankee Stadium!

Travel

I believe that it is important to travel for many reasons. First of all I believe that its important to experience different cultures, from the language, to the food, to the lifestyle. Sure you can go to Olive Garden and eat "Italian" food but go to Italy and I bet the food will be a bit different. I also think that when you travel you gain educational and social benefits. It doesn't matter where you go, weather it's a location an hour drive down the road or a plane fight halfway around the world, when you go to new places you learn new things. I also think that while away, particularly far away we are forced to go outside of our comfort zone, we are around people that are foreign to us and dealing with situations we have never encountered before and experiences like that can only improve your social demeanor and make you a more well rounded person. I also believe that traveling with family and/or friends is important. When traveling with people you create a bond, if you go somewhere with your family your families bond will grow stronger due to the experiences that you had there, weather good or bad. You experienced them with those people you cared about in a that location.
It's my personal opinion that when traveling it is best to fly (Unless you are going somewhere that is too close for a flight) Traveling in a plane is much safer then in a vehicle. Once you have arrived at your destination I think it is best, if your points of interest are close enough, to walk. By walking you really get the chance to take in the surroundings, the people, the landscape. I think that the best places to travel are first and foremost the places that are close to home. If you have never been to New York City, Washington D.C., Niagara Falls...GO! There's so many places right here in the United States that beautiful and exciting and worth traveling to. Then when traveling outside of your home country I think it's everyones personal choice what locations that choose to travel to. For example this website Famous Wonders of the world, has 100 of the most famous, desired destinations across the globe. There's places like Pyramids of Giza and Sahara Desert that I personally have no desire to see. Then there are destinations such as the Eiffel Tower and Yellow Stone National Park that I would love to visit.

The Link for this Website is:
http://famouswonders.com/

On the sites homepage you will find pictures of the 100 Famous Wonders of the World. Along the top of the page there is a breakdown of the continents. For example I clicked on Europe, then i got to choose which country i wanted, so i choose Italy. It then had a description about Italy and near the bottom the top cities in Italy and the locations that are most popular to visit.

This photo is from the famous wonders website, this is of Iguazu Falls in Brazil :)

Travel

Traveling is an element of human nature that allows one to explore other cultures, languages, beliefs, and values. When one travels to another place, whether it be a city five miles away or a large country thousands of miles from home, a person begins to understand themselves better. They are constantly placed in situations outside their comfort zone, allowing the traveler to use their skills and knowledge to evaluate and discover solutions. This is why traveling is important, because it allows humans to explore both their outside world and themselves.

To me, the best way to travel is with an open mind. By having an open mind about a new place, the traveler can take everything in and absorb the culture, traditions and activities. An open mind eliminates the snap judgments that one can make when they first encounter a situation outside their comfort zone.

I think the best places to travel to are places where one has a certain fear or is uncomfortable in the setting because it allows the traveler to explore why one has these unpleasant fears. By placing yourself in a country or city that you have fears or prejudices towards, you can discover elements about yourself you didn’t know and begin to dissolve the stereotypes you perceive.

When traveling I think one should travel by experiencing the culture as the locals do. For example one should participate in activities that are part of a foreign culture or eat foods that are not served in their homeland. This will allow the traveler to complete goals, such as discovering new things about oneself and dissolving stereotypes, because they are actually participating and viewing life as a local would.

A.) http://www.world66.com/about/company_overview
World 66 is a travel resource site written by travelers themselves from all over the world. The site is broken down by continent, country, and city. You can search for a specific city or area and find hundreds of reviews written by people who have traveled there. You can also just search by country and click around until you found a place that sounds interesting. This site is great because it allows for past travelers to tell future travelers what they loved about a place and what they didn’t like about it.

B.) This is a picture of my sorority sisters and I at Old Man’s Cave in Hocking Hills. I put this up because I believe not only is it important to explore countries outside your comfort zone but, it is also just as important to explore places near your home. By doing this you learn interesting facts about your area and get to experience all that the town can offer.

The importance of traveling is to experience different cultures, landscapes, and history. Just to be able to say you have been somewhere and obtained more knowledge makes you a more round person. I think that it can be a inspirational and in some cases a spirtiual experience. The best way travel is by plane, if that is what the question is about for a long distance, but if its traveling in Italy or France I think by bus or someway you can see the view.The best places to travel to are those that have a meaning to you. For example, I am traveling to Italy with this class because I am interested in seeing everything we have been learning about. However, when I first thought about signing up with this class I wanted to go because it has to do with my heritage and so this is meaningful to me to see where my ancestors came from. We should travel with an open mind to new experiences otherwise you will not appriciate your trip.Also, do not expect the extreme out of the trip.



This is the article that relates to traveling. This relates because the article has to do with slow travel through Italy and information about rentals in Italy. This would help someone find a place to stay and experience their trip to the fullest.



This is an image of a resort in Italy. This relates to the article because if someone is interested in staying longer in Italy after our trip they could stay at a placce like this one.

TRAVEL

Getting the chance to travel is important because it diversifies a person. No longer is that person sheltered from just living in one certain area like their home town. Traveling gives a person the opportunity to learn about other countries history and culture. We also may be able to learn more about ourselves (identity) given new situations and experiences that come along the way. It may even open a door for a new passion for traveling. For me I`ve never traveled across seas yet alone left the U.S, so it`ll be an eye opening learning experience that I’m sure will take away many new learning experiences and memories. It will make me become more aware of another country, not just the U.S. I feel another important aspect of traveling is to remain open to try new things, whether that be trying the food, or trying to speak a few phrases in Italian. With that you will be able to start to understand the country you are in.

The best places to travel I feel are not just the significant museums or cathedrals but also the smaller less recognizable places. I think it’s important to be able to see a broad range of places, which from our itinerary we will be getting a taste of each.

The best way to travel is depending on the location from my experience in the U.S, like in cities I think apart of the whole experience is getting to walk the streets. If you had instead decided to just take a short taxi ride then you`d be missing out on experiencing the culture of the city you are in and discovering the things you would have originally just passed in a car. Whatever city we are in or heading to, we should embrace how their citizens would travel as much as we can and appreciate the country we are in. By keeping an open mind and taking full advantage of the opportunities while traveling you`ll be able to be satisfied at the end of the trip.

A)

http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/top-5-historical-sites-of-italy-470109.html

The website above lists the top 5 historic sites in Italy, one being the Vatican. I thought it was interesting to the point that it mentioned the smallest independent country of only 932 never feels empty with the constant tourism coming through. I think its important especially when we go to these historic sites that we keep in mind that there are other travelers coming to the same place, so we may need to have patience. On also keeping in mind constant respect for these SIGNIFICANT sites that have been around for centuries.

B) Below is a picture of the Vatican City

Yoga and Christianity

I saw this online today:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101007/ap_on_re/us_rel_southern_baptists_yoga

It's about some religious leaders who think that yoga shouldn't be practiced by observant Christians. It reminded me of our discussion yesterday about the possible conflict between Renaissance Christianity and the promotion of classical Greek and Roman ideals. It seems the same tensions exist here. Can an observant Christian be a follower of Seneca? Can an observant Christian practice yoga? Feel free to comment here if you want.

Travel

Travel:

I think that traveling is very important for all people to experience. Traveling gives you a chance to branch out into unfamiliar places that you may have never knew existed, or knew the beauty of. During travel you are given the opportunity to learn more about the culture, and the places around you. These places that you visit, can either be two hours away from you, or all the way across the world. Where ever your travels take you, the main goal should be that you gain new experiences, memories, and possibly discover something new about yourself and of course the place you are visiting. I think that when you travel, it is best that you travel in a smaller number, so that you have more of a chance to express your own ideas and thoughts. As well as traveling in a smaller group, I think it is also important to sometimes branch off into pairs or alone at times, like we will do in Italy. Truly experiencing a culture or new environment means that you must engage in it and interact with the people of that place. In order to achieve the goal of travel, we must first make traveling a priority to ourselves. Sometimes traveling can be very expensive, so we may not always get to travel everywhere we want to, but there are still ways that we can cheaply explore and visit new places. Another thing we must do to achieve the goal of travel is to make sure that we make sure to relax and embrace our surroundings.

A) http://www.tripbase.com/blog/7-travel-goals-for-you-to-conquer-in-2010/

The link that I chose actually goes to another person's blog post. The title of this post is, "7 Travel Goals for You to Conquer in 2010." In this post the writer talks about 7 different goals that he would like to accomplish in traveling and explains each one and why...his goals are-Visit a new continent, Go on a Solo Trip, Learn a New Language, Get published, Take a Trip Within Your Borders, Photography, and Up the Ante with your favorite hobby. Some of the goals that he set may not be ones that you would like to obtain, but I think that it is important to set goals like these for yourself, and to truly try to achieve them. I really liked that one of his goals is to travel more inside your own borders. I have started to realize how little I have really even traveled around the state of Ohio--I think it is important to really experience and understand your own place first. He also talks about getting into photography. I think that it is really important to document your experience of travel. Pictures help to refresh the memories that you have made and the sites that you have experienced.

B) The picture that I chose was from one of my own personal travels. This picture was taken in New York City on top of the Rockefeller Center, over looking Central Park. This is one of my favorite pictures that I have from this trip and from all of my trips. I think it is really important to have pictures like these. I look forward to taking more photos like this one while in ITALY!! :)

Blog Assignment: Travel and the Past

This time you can feel free to choose from either of these topics, though whichever one you pick, you should, in addition to your answer to the questions, include (a) a link to some relevant website (explain why its relevant, and what we'll see there), and (b) a relevant picture in your post. This will allow us to practice making full use of the blogging program.

TRAVEL
What is important about traveling? Given your answer to that question, what is the best way to travel? What are the best places to travel to? How should we travel? That is, what should we do when we travel in order to achieve the goal(s) of travel?

THE PAST
What is the value of studying the past? Given your answer to that question, what aspects of the past should we study? Are there historical periods you are particularly attracted to? Why? Does your attraction to those time period make sense with your answer to the first questions about why we should study the past? If you're not a particular devotee of some historical era, which historical eras would you like to know more about? Why?

The Exhumation of Petrarch

Here's a story about what happened when people opened Petrarch's tomb in 2004:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/apr/06/research.italy

Billboards in Venice

Here's something about what we may encounter when we visit Venice:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101004/lf_afp/italycultureartadvertisemuseumsveniceoffbeat

What do you think about the dilemma raised by the Venetian mayor here?

Three Minute Philosophy: Thomas Aquinas

If you want learn all about Thomas Aquinas in Three Minutes (and be amused by some cartooning), you'll not want to miss the video here.

Introduction to Thomas Aquinas

Here's something much less amusing about Aquinas, but probably a whole lot more informative. This is part I, and the other parts are available on YouTube.

Home for sale

If you've got a spare 8 million dollars burning a hole in your pocket, here's one way to spend it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/greathomesanddestinations/29gh-househunting.html

I wonder what Seneca would say about spending one's money in such a fashion!

(We won't be getting down to Positano, which is on the Amalfi coast south of Naples, but it looks like a beautiful place to live. And the house featured here is not too shabby either....)

Ancient Italian Town Now Has Wind at Its Back

Article from the NY Times on 28 September. Thought some might be interested. Pretty big step for Italy in it's quest to be more economically and environmentally friendly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/science/earth/29fossil.html?_r=1&hp

Seneca's Essays

On Facing the World with Confidence:

http://www.stoics.com/seneca_epistles_book_3.html#‘CV1

This essay explains how to keep yourself safe. It says to own nothing that could stir jealousy in others, keep to yourself, live a private life--as to avoid notice of others. Don't voice your opinions to the public, do not gossip. Do not provoke anyone, use common sense. Having a lot of money or power could lead you to danger as well. No one who can arouse terror can live with peace of mind. And most importantly don't do wrong, because even if no one finds out, you will always know that you did it. This seems to connect with the Dichotomy of Control because you are doing everything in your control to avoid disappointment.

On Rest and Restlessness:

http://www.stoics.com/seneca_epistles_book_2.html#‘LXIX1

This essay relates to Negative Visualization because it says that when people are constantly moving around from place to place, they are always unhappy and will never find peace. These people can never heal from past hurts because as they move from place to place trying to forget these people or events, they are really only stirring up past memories that cause more pain. People should settle down in one place, interrupted, in order to heal and find inner peace.

Seneca

I read Seneca's letter on good company. This letter discusses that the time you have to spend with others is your free time and it is in your control what you do with it. This idea is represented in the technique of dicotomy of control. In order to avoid disappointment you can control the people you spend your free time with so surround yourself with people in good standing and that you enjoy being around.
http://www.stoics.com/seneca_epistles_book_1.html#‘LXII1

I also read Seneca's letter on the friendship of kindred minds. This letter was interesting, I got the feeling it was referring to self denial. Seneca talks about not allowing yourself to be friends with someone until they develop themselves into the type of person you want to spend time with. He says "such a joy is light and fleeting" referring to spending time with someone you love, but when the person you love is the sort of person that you desire them to be then the joy is sustained. This phrase is what made me think of self denial because this technique enables you to enjoy things more and for a longer period of time instead of having fleeting joy.
http://www.stoics.com/seneca_epistles_book_1.html#‘XXXV1

Seneca Letters

The first letter I read was on Self Control. This letter was about your emotions and how they can become vices if you become overindulged in them. No matter what, people will experience certain feelings and desires that they can't always control. But, if you act on these emotions and let yourself become overindulged in them sometimes it is hard and almost impossible to make them go away. What Seneca says is ideal, but also hard to do, is being able to let yourself indulge in emotions and give into certain desires only in moderation. This letter relates to the philosophical technique of Dichotomy of Control. Our thoughts which can dictate our emotions and desires are not always up to us and are out of our control. But what is up to us is how we choose to act on those thoughts and desires.
The second letter I read was On Grief for Lost Friends. This letter was about the line between what is a normal amount of grieving for the death of a friend and what is considered an excessive and unnecessary amount. Seneca says he "would not have you sorrow more than is fitting". Seneca points out that humans are mortal beings and at any moment their time on Earth can run out. This letter relates to the philosophical technique of Negative Visualization because if you visualize what your life would be like if you lost a good friend, it will help your realize and appreciate them more while they are still alive. If and when they do pass away, because everyone eventually does, you will not dwell and grieve for an unnecessarily long period of time, because you already accepted that it was going to happen. And, because of negative visualization you didn't take them for granted while they were still alive.

-Olivia