During a trip I had made in my university days to visit another Fraternity Chapter, I recall how much larger I discovered my organization to be. All of a sudden, the mission, the work and the friendships took on much larger magnitude. My experience wasn’t just academic; I got to live it by interacting with my peers. This experience expanded ever more when I traveled for my employers.
The last business trip I took my daughter on opened her eyes about my working world. My work wasn’t just emails and Zoom meetings. She saw how I interacted with international peers to solve real-world problems.
Her summer camp opened her eyes to a familiar yet different culture through exchanges with international students. What was old became new again and what was new, just blew her mind. She packed so much into those 2 weeks of camp, she can hardly catch her breath.
After each trip, she came back a slightly different person. More observant. More reflective. More patient. And dare I say, more worldly.
After each trip, she came back a slightly different person. More observant. More reflective. More patient. And dare I say, more worldly. She was a different teenager coming back compared to the one who left. I guess that was the whole point. It wasn’t just her understanding of the world that was updated, it was the possibilities she saw and decisions she can make which could pivot and change the entire trajectory of her future.
Coming back from these trips, the conversations I would have with my daughter were enlightened. They were better informed and arguments better constructed. Talking to other people gave her insights into shared challenges for mutual goals. It offered a different perspective to conflicting ideas. But most importantly, narratives took on greater depth.
Unbeknownst to me, every one of my trips with her during the younger years were tiny steps which culminated into something much bigger. I’m sure there will be a few more shared trips for us. But I am certain there will be many more solo trips for her. Watch out world.
