When I think about the places I have experienced most deeply in my life, I come to the realization that the places where I’ve felt the most bliss have been places where I haven’t spoke the language, but places where I’ve had to just experience with no words to guide me. That’s an interesting realization for someone who has always been passionate about the written and spoken word.
My first experience as a traveling illiterate was the three years I spent on Okinawa. We lived on Kadena, Air Base so as long as I stayed on base, I was surrounded by the English language and never had to learn to speak Japanese. Parts of my three years there were magickal as I was able to walk the streets of Okinawa and observe the many cultures that shared the island. One magickal trip was to Naha City where I learned how Okinawa lacquer-ware, Japanese dolls, and sake were made. It was incredibly to get to experience the shapes, the colors, and the smells unencumbered by my monkey mind which would have snobbishly insisted that all that was to be learned could be learned through words. Instead, I had to watch the lacquer-ware being made to see how it was baked and colored. I had to watch the dollmakers using pins and ribbons to fashion dolls. I had to smell and taste the sake versus just reading about it.
My first solo trip to Toyko I ventured downtown alone. I had a map written in English that I was trying to compare to street signs written in Japanese. It was an amazing adventure as I found my way to the Ginza and gawked and gaped at the expensive shops and took in the smells of food cooking on street corners. I wasn’t feeling so excited to not speak the language when I took the wrong exit on the subway and ended up in a strange part of town with no clue where I was and no one around who spoke English. Luckily, I found my way to an embassy that had a sign in English and that same Embassy was also marked on my map so with just a little bit of trial and error I was able to find my way back to my hotel.
Although there were many signs in English in China, it was still an experience to wander the streets and hear a language that was not my own. I focused on the experiences and the places and not on the written word. Not wanting to miss a minute of our time in China, every night after work my friends and I would wander around town. We’d walk to the “little dark alley” where the best bargains were to be found and wonder at the treasures displayed before our eyes. There were silks and purses, bottles and carvings. It was a treasure trove of things to explore and purchase for our friends and family at home.
One night we went out to “Hot Pot” and enjoyed the experience of cooking our food in boiling broth at the table. Despite loving Chinese food, I had never experienced potstickers until that dinner and every time I eat them now, I’m reminded of my trip to Suzhou. The other food I learned to love in China was egg tarts, they are the most fantastical food full of a golden custard. Egg tarts had their own fan club at my former company and when we all got together we would reminisce about the egg tarts. Not all the food I had in China was quite so yummy, one night we went out for authentic Chinese food and we ate duck’s feet, cow’s stomachs, and pig’s ears. I didn’t enjoy any of it, but I was a good sport and tried it all.
I spent plenty of time in Germany as a traveling illiterate and I always felt slightly embarrassed when so many people went out of their way to speak English for me when I hadn’t learned any German. My friends and I had many wonderful times walking around Bremen exploring the sights and sounds and drinking in the local culture–and the local beer. On my last trip, I was fortunate enough to go to a German carnival and I got to wander around and explore and watch the kids riding the rides and eating cotton candy and the grownups watching indulgently. Hmmm doesn’t sound very much different than what we do in the states does it? That’s one of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a traveling illiterate: that underneath it all we’re all humans with pretty much the same hopes, dreams, and fears. We all want our children to grow up safe and sound, we all want to live in a peaceful world, and we all want a comfortable life.
disappointed when I got to Kolding and realized that the town–including Kolding Castle– shut down at 2 pm. Not wanting my trip to have been in vain, I parked and wandered around the outside of the castle and thought about what life would have been like in the middle of the 13th Century when the castle was built. My romantic mind tells me it would have been wondrous to have lived in a castle and been surrounded by the finest things of the time. However, my more practical mind realizes I’m way too attached to central air and indoor plumbing to have really enjoyed myself.
Although part of me thinks I would have learned more if I would have learned the languages of the countries I visited, another part of me thinks that not learning the language forced me to have to rely on sights and sounds to explore the country and not just on what the words told me about the country.Despite the “handicap” of knowing English, some days I try really hard to be a traveling illiterate in my own country and really pay attention to what is happening and not just the words that are telling me what is happening. Instead of reading the signs about the animals at the zoo, I’ll actually watch the animals; instead of listening to the commentator talk about sports, I’ll watch the game. I can’t guarantee I’ll learn more, but I bet I’ll have a richer experience.
Cairn by Cairn 