Interaction about travelling with my colleague.

One of my colleagues is an Englishman in his 50s and has lived outside the UK for around 35 years. We do not have a strong relationship; however, there is respect there, mainly when I see him in the gym. I remember being fascinated by how long he had been outside the UK. I asked him a few questions about his travels worldwide and how he feels about returning to the UK now. That conversation lasted about 30 minutes in the gym. I was hooked, and when we eventually parted from the conversation, I was left reflecting on many things. One item that came to my mind was students I have previously taught in London. Many of them are simply poorly travelled. I am not talking about leaving the country; rather, I am talking about rarely leaving their borough. Listening to my colleagues’ experiences living outside the UK for so long got me thinking about the young people in London. In this blog, I will share why I believe travelling is such an essential part of the human experience and could change the lives of many for the better.

Travelling will reduce ignorance!

Teaching in London will bring you surprises every day. Perhaps the most toxic trait many of us carry is that we know just how damaging teaching in London can be on our mental state, but there is something that keeps us returning year after year. Outside of the cognitive challenges are patterns I have seen over the years. One of those is how ignorant many of our young people are. I want to put a caveat out: I do not believe students are learning certain behaviours, attitudes, and information independently. Much of what they know stems from their parent/guardians. Also, technology plays a massive role in what they are learning. TikTok has been one platform that is often accused shares and spreads misinformation. Considering how huge the platform is, I would not argue against it. Complex subjects being clipped into one-minute segments is a recipe for disaster, particularly for teenagers and young adults still forming their opinions on the world.

Podcasts are another area of concern, so I will likely have to write a blog piece on it. The sheer level of ignorance I have seen on podcasts is astounding. When watching this disaster-type content, I often smirk at the sheer audacity and confidence some hosts bring forth when sharing damaging information. The confidence is blinding so many young and impressionable individuals who consume content and now believe they have a solid foundation on a topic. Polarisation, especially in the West, is causing many subdivisions in the community. As a result, different groups are against each other, which can lead to violence. This is only good for the next generation if they are exposed to the above and have something to combat it with. I remember my first significant travel trip abroad, which changed my life forever.

My trip to America

2007, I was looking for a job as part of my sandwich year at university. A sandwich year is a year students can gain work experience or participate in a study abroad program. Initially, my aim was to work for a year; however, my applications kept getting rejected, so I needed a contingency plan. Out of nowhere, I decided to study abroad, and in a matter of months, I was in West Virginia at West Virginia University. The trip to America is the biggest reason I am now living abroad. For a start, the weather – may not be such a significant factor, but for me, it is. I do not particularly like the cold, but I can tolerate it if a good summer is pending. Unfortunately, in the UK, the summers are not great. Although the temperatures are suitable, a good amount of rainfall still falls. In West Virginia, the seasons were cleaer. The winter was akin to the UK. However, there were certain days when it felt much colder. However, in the summer, it was consistently hot and relatively dry. Many of us who have lived in the UK for much of our lives bemoan the weather because it is inconsistent. It is hard to plan, which can be frustrating.

Another part of my trip to West Virginia that I particularly enjoyed was my residence. Even how I got that residence was terrific. I remember when I arrived at Pittsburgh Airport. I needed to get a ticket from the airport to Morgantown, where the university is. I had not arranged any accommodation, which, in hindsight, is very silly. I got on the bus excited about my new adventure, knowing I had nowhere to stay. I arrived at Morgantown near the university and needed help figuring out what to do. I spoke to someone to help me get to the university, where I bumped into an Englishman (I am trying to remember his name) who had a small residence entitled IHOP. IHOP stood for International House Of People, and the concept was two people in a room – an American and one international student. The idea was for internationals to settle in with their American roommate’s help. My roommate was a guy named Elias, and he was half-Greek.

We got on well and respected I his traditions and values. The house had different nationalities in it. We had Chinese, Pakistani, Saudi Arabian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Irish amongst others. Interacting with all those people from different backgrounds was such an eye-opener, and this was just at my residence. Meeting Americans from various regions was also another eye-opener. The cultural capital I received from meeting people from many different backgrounds and experiencing other cultures was life-changing. I was never the same again.

I remember my friend Daniel saying I was not the same person when I returned from that trip. He was right. My perspective changed from being a young man from East London to understanding that I could live and work anywhere. Understanding that the borough I am from is not the be end all. It was a genuinely awakened experience.

Those who travel have a different energy!

Whenever I speak with people who have travelled a lot, there is something different about them. They are usually very open to all cultures and backgrounds and avoid their country’s politics. They do not have polarised views and can be very balanced when communicating them. Their different energy comes with life experience when you have visited/lived in different places and experienced something different to what you know. It is these types of people that I can speak to for hours. They do not have one way of doing things. They have stories about their travelling journey. When you dig deeper into why they are so open regarding typical polarizing topics such as politics, you will notice that they always mention their experiences with different people from different backgrounds. My views have changed over the years, and I think for the better because I now consider all angles. For example, I do not look at conflict through the lenses of one side. I see both perspectives. I am more sensitive to other groups of people who face a form of discrimination. I learned about countries and the context of why certain governments are set up the way they are. This helps with sympathy for other groups and understanding who they are as a group of people. I would not have evolved like this had I not left my tiny bubble.

My observations

When speaking with my students, many are missing out on many things. The last establishment I was teaching at in London was a joy but equally sad because there were instances of people who tried to be something they were not. Identity crisis, or rather identity confusion, is something many of us face, particularly growing up in the inner cities. At one stage, I thought selling drugs would be a good idea to make money, then realized this was not me, and that idea came from the environment I was in. Many of those students are surrounded by the street life. Some believe they have no choice but to join because if they don’t, they will become victims. It is sad because the money they are chasing is sometimes at the expense of their life. A lot of our young people need to venture out. We should provide them with opportunities to see different parts of the world and experience it for themselves. Inflation is hampering this possibility; however, if subsidies can enable this, then this should be taken seriously. If investors could make this happen again, this should be visited. Having two weeks in a completely new place where people do not have to look over their shoulders can make a huge difference. Recently, I was walking back from school and saw a young black boy walking on the other side of the road with his ear pods and phone. I mention his ethnicity because it is significant. Growing up in London, phone robberies were rife, and it seemed that other young black boys targeted young black boys. Seeing that young man in a different environment where he does not have to worry about his ear pods or phone gave me a great feeling. It also means he does not need to be on alert after he leaves his house. He is growing up with a completely different perspective. If he were in London, that innocent-looking young man may have had traumatic events that could have changed his psyche forever. I remember listening to songs where rappers said, “I’m a product of my environment”. Recently, it has hit me just how powerful that statement is. Changing the environment can make such a huge difference, and many of our young people do not have the opportunity to do so. A week away or longer, if feasible, can change the trajectory of an individual. I hope young people will be afforded an opportunity. I have often been critical of the attendance the trips my colleagues have organized. Sometimes, a mandatory trip where they can experience a new environment could be the start of their new mindset.

Final thoughts

The idea of trips is to give people a different experience and perspective. Nowadays, for many reasons, young people stay home and, if not, remain in their small towns without travelling outside their bubble. Travelling is an integral part of developing into a young adult. Going to new places and seeing what life is like for other people. There does not have to be a strong motive for the trip’s intentions. Travelling to new surroundings is a blessing.

I am aware of the challenges of doing this, particularly in my home city, London; however, there are other avenues that can be taken. For example, in-school trips should be fun and educational. I see school as something other than a place for students to excel in their subjects. I see a bigger picture of students becoming global citizens. This perspective comes from my time at international schools, where becoming a global citizen was an essential part of these establishments—well-planned trips to places that will give students a chance to experience a new environment and new people. However, trips will not eradicate all the problems we have in society. It will provide hope for students who may be familiar with one type of surroundings to experience something. That small trip could be the seed that opens their mind to a different kind of life. My trip to America certainly did for me; a trip abroad may not be needed to change the mindset of a young person.