 "Photo: Photo by Amanda Huffman")
What makes for a good college education? Is it the school you attend? The professors whose classes you take? Is it student life on campus? Or are all of these the elements of a good college experience?
Without a doubt, all of these things are important. But I am inclined to believe that there are things outside of the classroom and even outside of student life on campus that make the college experience much richer and more meaningful. One of them is traveling. By traveling, I mean traveling outside of the valley; or, better yet--outside of California.
The Disneyland ride says that “It’s a small world after all.” I get what they were trying to say in that song. I really do. But if you are someone who has rarely traveled outside of California, the world is a much bigger place than you can imagine. And I’m not just talking geographically.
Growing up, our family traveled a lot within California. But my first big traveling experience happened when I went on a mission trip to Brazil at 15. It was my very first time outside of the United States, and it expanded my view of the world in all kinds of ways. I got to see firsthand another culture besides my own; I learned a little bit of their language (Portuguese), I ate their food, I spent time in their homes and I got to worship with them in their churches. I met so many wonderful people whose faith and hospitality inspired me. Most of these people had very little, yet they were so full of joy.
My second notable traveling experience happened in 2004 when my wife and I got married. For our honeymoon, we went on a cruise to Ensenada, Mexico.
So, before returning to school for the spring 2010 semester, it was time for some more traveling. My wife and I went with our church college group to a conference called Passion 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. Half of our group flew out to Atlanta and the rest of us decided to go on a road trip.
I am glad I was part of the road trip. Our five-day journey took us through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and finally to Georgia. For my wife and I, there were many firsts on this trip: it was our first time in any of the aforementioned states, our first time seeing the Grand Canyon, and our first time traveling on parts of Historic Route 66. There were times during the trip when I wished I would have just flown out to Atlanta: driving for 10 hours or more a day can do that to you. Many times on our journey we were tired and grumpy. But overall, I would not trade in our experience for anything. The awe-inspiring sight of the Grand Canyon, powdered with snow, was breathtaking. The experience of meeting new people who talk differently than I do was interesting (Note: I learned that “y’all” is apparently considered perfectly proper English in nearly every state besides California). And the time spent with dear friends was unforgettable.
Going to Passion 2010 was itself very exciting. Witnessing 22,000+ students from campuses all over the country (and the world) gathered at the Georgia World Congress Center and the Philips Arena to lift their songs and lives up to God was inspiring. Seeing those same 22,000+ students live out what they believe by raising $724,480 for really good causes--ranging from business loans for women in Haiti to drinking wells in Guatemala--was life-changing.
So the road trip across the United States was kind of like the cherry on top of what was already going to be an incredible experience for us. It has made me appreciate travel more than ever before. I would go so far as to say that traveling is a vital part of a college education. You can read about history and locations all you want in your textbook. But going and seeing those places makes all the difference. Beyond your own backyard, there’s a bigger world out there for you to explore. There are people you should meet and places you should see. So if you want a truly meaningful college experience, I encourage you to learn from the classroom of the world. In other words, you need to get out more!
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