Traci in a cave in Puerto Rico
My recent international trips have exposed me to various destinations around the world, including Puerto Rico, Japan, and Cambodia and Thailand. I visited these locations over the past three consecutive summers, and my rationale for traveling to each of these areas involved various motivations. The trip to Puerto Rico was a family vacation, and the purpose of this trip was to visit family and gain a deeper appreciation for my heritage. My grandmother was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and much of my family resides in Puerto Rico, so this vacation was an opportunity to connect with family and explore the island for the first time. Visiting Japan was a trip I made independently and spontaneously; I literally purchased my plane ticket the morning I departed. My aunt, uncle, and cousins lived in Tokyo for several years, so visiting them was a contributing factor in taking this trip. However, my main motivation in traveling to Japan was to escape my daily life and frustrations. This vacation was therapeutic and provided me the opportunity to clear my head and find my inner-self while independently exploring Tokyo. Finally, I traveled to Cambodia and Thailand this past summer with an organization called Discovering Deaf Worlds, to support Deaf advocacy organizations and members of the local Deaf communities. This provided me exposure to unfamiliar and fascinating countries, while supporting a cause that I am truly passionate about. This tour allowed me to connect with the local people, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lives they have lived.
Traci signing with Deaf Cambodians in Phnom Penh
When I travel, I seek unique experiences and opportunities that are contrary to what I would experience in my daily life. I am an allocentric tourist, so I actively pursue travel destinations that allow me to become immersed in foreign languages, cultures, foods, and history. Gaining an authentic experience is my priority, and therefore I avoid areas dominated by tourists whenever possible. During my travel experiences, my desire is to connect with the local people, whether or not we speak the same language, and observe first-hand how they live. Personally, I am fascinated with the local history and learning about various components that have shaped the lives of the local people. By interacting with the native people, I have gained new and diverse perspectives, which has broadened my thinking and acceptance of different ideas, people, and cultures. My open-minded nature, formed by my international experiences, has also influenced me to fully experience and immerse myself in the culture of the country that I am visiting. For example, this past summer when I visited Cambodia, I sampled many unique foods, including chicken feet, crickets, and snake. Although I would not ordinarily each such foods, I gained a richer experience by eating the local cuisine. In my option, it is important to take risks and live out-side of my comfort zone when I travel to fully experience the host country and enrich my life.
Traci on the streets of Tokyo, Japan
Aside from traveling, three activities that I am passionate about are skiing, walking and hiking, and sign language. Since learning how to ski at the age of five, I have been addicted to the thrill that skiing provides. Personally, I find skiing to be appealing because it can be both a peaceful and adrenaline-induced experience. While engaging in this activity, I can enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains as I gracefully slalom through the powdery snow. In addition, I enjoy walking and hiking, which was initiated during my childhood due to my upbringing in an active family in Colorado. I especially enjoy walking and hiking when I travel because I have found it to be the most effective manner to observe and immerse myself in many countries or areas. For example, I experienced El Yunque (a rainforest in Puerto Rico) by foot, which provided spectacular views that were only visible along the hiking trails. My tour of Tokyo also included a tremendous amount of walking because it is an extremely walk-friendly city (with the assisted use of public transportation). While walking the streets of Tokyo, I discovered many areas and attractions that I might have otherwise missed due to the city’s expansive, yet compacted nature. Finally, walking and hiking rural areas of Cambodia provided me with the opportunity to connect with the local people who were harvesting rice-fields in Kampot. Exploring various areas in this manner is such a personal way to connect to the area, and provides a more gratifying experience. Lastly, I am particularly passionate about sign language and engaging with the Deaf community. In the future, my goal is to combine my passion for both sign language and travel to provide international tours for members of the Deaf community. Although this is not particularly a physical activity, it is a strong passion and component I wish to include within my travels.
Since these activities are strong, personal passions, it would be ideal to incorporate them into future trips. Although I have not traveled internationally for the purpose skiing, this is a realistic endeavor to consider. Many destinations around the world are recognized for their ski resorts, and are also countries that I would be interested in visiting or revisiting. Such renowned options include Chile, Canada (British Columbia and Vancouver), Japan, New Zealand, and Europe including Switzerland, Austria, France, and Italy. These countries would not only fulfill my desire to ski, but would also offer essential elements that I seek while traveling, such as foreign cultures, languages, history, etc. In addition, these destinations likely offer walking tours and trails for hiking to fulfill this passion as well during my visit. It is also possible that I could either arrange to travel to these countries with members of the Deaf community, or even connect with members of the local Deaf community in these areas. By selecting one of these destinations, it would be achievable to integrate all of my passions into an international experience that would provide optimal, personal satisfaction to further enrich my life through travel.
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