Just sitting here remembering the first days in the mission field. That was 1983, in Southern California, as a Spanish-speaking missionary. I was excited, in unfamiliar surroundings, encountering people from all over Latin America. The very first "lesson" was in the house of someone who did not speak a word of English. I don't know if she was Mexican, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan...

Of course it was exciting to be in a strange place, and learning how to do this missionary stuff, and wanting to succeed, and learning Spanish. It was also stressful as hell. Every minute of every day had to be accounted for on the stat sheet. Every minute had to be spent within earshot of the "companion." Every day was clouded with expectations of "success," defined in so many ways by so many missionaries, including A.P.'s who were looked upon as superhuman.


Anyway, tonight, I am sitting here reading a novel in Spanish, and just wondering what it would be like to once again be in a similar situation, except without all that missionary shit; learning about people and their cultures and their struggles and successes, and language, and dialects, except not under the influence of Mormonism; without that cloud hanging over me.

Wouldn't it be nice to experience cultural diversity without that pressure like a cloud hanging over me?

I don't have money to travel, but if I did, having been away from Mormonism for 19 years now, I would go all over the world, and just ... enjoy, and learn a hell of a lot.

I'm reminded of that radio show "magnificent obsession" where the people share their stories of how it is to live drug-free or alcohol-free, after years of addiction.

In a way, you are saying, wouldn't it be nice to experience the culture without the demand to change it?

MJ Wrote:
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> In a way, you are saying, wouldn't it be nice to
> experience the culture without the demand to
> change it?

Exactly.

Depending on how crappy you are willing to live, you can travel pretty cheaply.

I backpacked across Europe for 48 days on $3,000
Most of it was spent on the plane ticket and a rail pass to get around Europe. I slept in hostels, and if I couldn't find one (only once) I didn't "upgrade" to a hotel, but just slept in the plaza with the homeless people.

I ate traditional cuisine once in each country, and then just survived on canned peas and corn (literally brought a can opener, and would only buy/eat canned food because you can eat for about $1.50 a day)

Just saying, if you really want the experience, you can scrimp and make it happen.

P.S. Later, when I married, I took my brider to Italy for 16 days. We lived half in hostels/tents, and half in B&Bs. We also ate out a lot. It was way more fun, but we saw way less, were there for less time, and spent about $8,000 (so $4,000 a person, for way less time and coverage). So it all depends on HOW you want to travel.