"What were they thinking?" is the question I hope you ask yourself when you visit these images. Click to enlarge. They are candid guest shots from Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Botswana, and Japan. They are of our hosts, guests, and indigenous people who have welcomed us into their world for a brief visit. They offer a handshake, a smile, and perhaps a cup of tea with only the expectation of a friendly face in return.
When you look into the faces of the people in these images, what do you see? What can we learn from your perspective? How would you feel if it was you in the picture? And, if you are in a picture, how did you feel when it was taken?
To us (Jo Ann & Gene), these people are at the heart of reasons we choose to travel. Our curiosity drives us to meet them where they live, doing the things they do in their everyday lives, untouched by the culture we bring. They greet us with a willingness to share the things that make them who they are.
One of the lessons the pandemic taught us is that the freedom that travel brings us is critical to the success we seek on our shared planet. Closing ourselves off to the movement of the world, despite the comfortable homesteads where we nest, among other things, can leave us feeling incomplete, lonely, and uninspired. As the world begins to heal from the ravishes of COVID, perhaps mentally and visually re-visiting our past travels can not only help us look to the future we so desperately crave, but help us to recognize our privilege and use it to once again begin to learn and share with the rest of the world. That all starts with asking ourselves the questions I asked above. When you look into the faces of the people in these images, what do you see? What can we learn from your perspective? How would you feel if it was you in the picture? What do you want to do?
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Gene Taylor Email: GT@WalkingConnection.com | WalkingConnection.com | GenesJourney.com
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