Travelers, do any of you think that your personality has changed

England left me forlorn and bitter, but maybe that's just cause I got dumped there

>>1144877
I don't think that just visiting a single country has ever changed my fundamental personality in a big way, no. But I think travel, and spending a lot of time in places that are different from where I come from, has certainly opened my mind a bit, made me more global in interests and outlook, and improved my ability to communicate across cultures and/or languages.

For example, when I meet up with someone in my home country who struggles to communicate in English, and whose mother tongue I don't speak, I have a great track record of getting my point across and of figuring out what he's trying to say. I don't even think about it, but it's impressed my wife and other friends on multiple occasions. It's just because I've spent a lot of time trying to communicate without a common language--people who haven't don't know how to simplify their English or listen for clues in other people's.

And 4chan//pol//int// xenophobia-trolls aside, I think most travelers are more interested in different ways of life, less racist, etc., a category in which I certainly count myself.

The only other kind of similar thing is that after spending some years in Thailand, I got used to a lot of local mannerisms and customs regarding feet, posture, etc. So when I was flying back to visit friends in the US once, I was horrified for a minute to see some scumbag hippie backpacker in an airport with his feet up on a pile of newspapers on a table, all up in people's faces, in a way that would be revolting to Thai folks. Wanted to scream "you can't DO that here," to the poor dude for a second, until I remembered we were in Seattle and of course he could. And I probably still duck down/bow my head a bit when walking between people or close in front of people's faces, even having been based outside Thailand for years now.

Not OP, but is it possible for your personality/attitude to change after spending time in another country?

>>1145200
Mine has after living (and studying) abroad for two years. But me and a friend have been trying to figure out how and it's slowly driving us bats: we both agree it clearly has but we can't articulate how.

>>1145201
Why did you move abroad? Where did you move to and where are you from?

It made me try to stop being racist (when I visited Canda and New York and saw how bad it is), but I think everyone is racist, for example I get pissed of when Indians sit near me on the Plane because they eat food that stinks, I would say this is racist because you don't want to sit near someone because of there race, but every damn time they prove me right.

>>1144877
Yes, after visiting Iraq for 7 months in 2005.

>>1145157
So... you travelled with your gf and she chose to dump you right then and there in the middle of your vacation?

>>1145212
This.
Greentext OP
let me feel your feels

>>1145212
>>1145215
She did a year abroad in my country (us) and that's where we met and started dating

I came to england to be with her and the relationship fell apart within a week cause she apparently just didn't feel the "spark" that she felt when she was with me in the states

It was awful. Left me hurting for a while, still trying to get over it

Also I'm not op

>>1145206

Nothing wrong with race realism. A lot of other races and even just other nationalities simply stink. From the food they eat which permeates their skin's sweat to their hygiene practices. It's ridiculous to think every different culture and race is gonna smell the same, and it's ridiculous to expect to find solid BO to be okay. It's just reality.

>>1144877
I became a hardcore libertarian after I visited Alaska.

Being in lots of different cities around the world and being forced to make friends from scratch everywhere has made me a bit more outgoing and self-assured. Social anxiety isn't much of a problem for me now - when I left, it was high enough that it really made me into a hermit.

All of the ridiculous situations I had to handle when traveling via motorcycle in Vietnam and Myanmar really decreased the amount I worry about things. I know now that I can handle some pretty bad worst-case scenarios so I don't worry about the small stuff so much and just improvise more.

I'm much more patient and tolerant of discomfort after having gone through a 10 day meditation retreat in Thailand.

I like black people after spending time in Kenya and Latinos after spending time in Colombia. I still don't like mainstream African-Americans or mainstream Latino-Americans though. Something about being a member of a minority group in the US makes people into entitled twits. But my travels have gotten rid of the feeling that it's due to their race alone.

Traveling through Asia and being relatively desired by the girls in those countries has given a huge boost to my confidence and changed my outlook on marriage. I don't feel an urge to "settle" now for anything less than a great partner and that's changed the way I act in a bunch of ways.

Ultimately I think I'm the same person as when I left home 9mos ago, but the experiences have taught me quite a bit and changed how I approach things in life a bit.

>>1145322
>>I'm much more patient and tolerant of discomfort after having gone through a 10 day meditation retreat in Thailand.

Can you describe this a bit more? I'm interested but haven't meditated for longer than 15 minutes, can't get a good posture

>>1145355

Not him, but have done the 10 days.

Constant pain! ow my knees still hurt!
But the point is to objectively observe the pain without identifying with it and without deciding "I don't want this"...
Those thoughts will happen, simply observe them as thoughts, not as your thoughts.
You get to the point where you can notice discomfort, notive you're thinking "I don't want this", detach from that thought, and simply continue on despite the discomfort happily.

my 2 cents.

Personality? No. Opinion of a country? Absolutely.

I don't know about a single country in particular but I have found that I'm a lot more empathetic after travelling quite a bit. People talk about all the good things about travel like experiencing exotic cultures, food, etc etc. However, what a lot of people don't talk about is the self-discovery you experience whilst travelling. This is a little political but I feel a lot less patriotic for my own country and I have to empathise with people such as refugees and I have to ask myself "would I not do the same?" - the answer is of course not.

>>1145499
I'm familiar with the concept of observing them, or "being a mountain as the clouds pass"

How long did it take before that "clicked" for you? Did you stay in a place with others who paid for the same thing, eat there, sleep there, do meditation classes all day? Did everyone else take something positive from it, did some people get bored and quit? Was it expensive?

>>1145646
I'm the original guy. You had to adapt using the meditation and mindfulness techniques or you would just give up and leave. Maybe 30% of the people did - being located very close to the Thai party as a constant temptation.

Look up Watt Suan Mokkh, they have the daily schedule posted up there. 10 days is a very long time to go without communicating with anyone at all, without any stimulation, without any knowledge of what was going on in the outside world. By the end of it I was honestly really done with it and just thinking nonstop about the threesome I wanted to have with Thai hookers afterwards.

I'd say do it if you have a long trip and have some meditation experience.

>>1144877
I would not say my personality changed -- obviously, though, if you travel it can and likely will change your world view to some extent. I have a fascination with weird little cultural bits and pieces (Vietnamese Water Puppets anyone?) that I did not have before seeing some of them.

>>1144877
I hate the Chinese a lot more

I am absolutely cool with everywhere I have been and think some places are awesome, including home.

Except for fucking China.

Wumao Warriors incoming.

>>1145210
Underrated post

I was super into direct and prolonged eye contact after visiting Innsbruck because old people would stare at me while I walked down the street and I thought that was a thing.

>>1146119
Chinese is great nation. Democracy fail common man. How can you criticize politicians? Do you know how it is to be a politician? China government guarantee human rights.

>>1145239
lmao you sound like agent smith you dumb cooze

>>1145217
Haha, that's because these chicks get loose while traveling. A pussy at home is different than free range. Sorry meng. I recommend 1 Hail Mary drinking, 3 Hos, 1 ethnic. Amen

>>1146214
I've mostly gotten over it now, but the pangs still hit on occasion. I'll be back in her country again on unrelated business for a while, so I'll just meet new people, see new things, and maybe make her jealous.

>>1144877
I'm an adult before I started traveling and have gone through shit- so maybe seeing a shitty hotel won't change my life like the other guys here. In Vietnam, right now. But I gave up on finding a good spouse because it seems like SJW culture destroyed what being a good partner can be about, but Asian women in some countries would make much better wives/girlfriends. I have thought this for awhile, but experiencing it has just proven what I've heard and read. This is being general, and not all inclusive to either western or eastern females, of course, but chances are way better. As a person I didn't change, but you'll never know for sure unless you go.

>>1146216
If you still desire to make her jealous and think about her- I can't quite believe you're over here. Take my professional subscription. Doctors orders. Trust me anon.

>>1145257

Most of Alaska's infrastructure was the result of government and I'm pretty sure Alaska might have the highest percentage of government workers.

>>1146220
I'll keep that in mind, doc. Thanks for the advice.