I mentioned in an earlier post how in my ‘other-life’ (my ‘big-girl-job’, or, how I work to earn money to be promptly spent on travel…), that I am a teacher. Specifically, I teach band to middle schoolers. When I got my degree, I was firmly in the ‘I’d like to teach the little kids. K-3 max.’ Anyone I met who said they taught grade 6-9 got an immediate shudder and a ‘wow, brave!’ Answer from me.
However; when I got the opportunity to teach full-time band, with a permanent contract, I thought I’d better take the chance. And mostly, I’ve loved it.
The biggest issue is sometimes the fight to explain to mostly parents about why their child should take band. When students begin middle school years, yes, math and science may become more intensive, and maybe some don’t believe these subjects and music can coexist. And then I found an article that summed up my thoughts so beautifully that I included it in my welcome letter.
When I started to travel solo, and people starting asking me something along the lines of ‘why would you travel solo!?’, I found so many similarities between the two that I had to create a post, just to outline it to everyone!
The original post goes as follows:
Why Teach Music?
Music is Science:
It is exact, specific; it demands exact acoustics. A conductors score is a chart, a graph, which indicates frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody and harmony, all at once, with the most exact control of time.
Music is Mathematical
It is rhythmically based on the subdivision of time into fractions – which must be done instantaneously, not worked out on paper.
Music is a Foreign Language
Most musical terms are in Italian, French or German; and music notation itself is certainly not English, rather a highly developed kind of shorthand that uses symbols to represent ideas. The semantics of music make it the lost complete and universal language.
Music is Physical
It requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, lips, cheek and facial muscles, in addition to extraordinary control of the diaphragmatic, back, stomach and chest muscles; all of which respond instantly to the sounds that the ear heard and the mind interprets.
Music is Art
The techniques and style of music allows us to create emotion. Along with humanism and feeling – these are things that science and math cannot duplicate.
This is why I teach music. Not because I expect you to major in music. Not because I expect you to play or sing all your life. Not so you can relax. Not so you can have fun.
But so that you will be human, so you will recognize another form of beauty, so you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world. So you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good, and in short; more life.
Now. Having said all that. This is why I travel.
Why Travel:
Travel is Science:
Science has completely redefined the way the last generation or so has been able to travel. No longer do we need to take a month or longer to cross oceans via steam-ship. It isn’t impossible to make your way overland across the largest country in the world (7 days from Moscow-Vladivostok; as you can read about here ;)). We can hop aboard a plane and before the end of the day/the next morning, be on the other side of the world. Science and technology have enabled us to seek out experiences, cultures and ideas that are different from our own.
Travel is Mathematical
While GPS technology is certainly helpful on the road, and it may be more and more difficult to find a backpacker without some kind of electronic device on their person, most travels can accurately read a map, estimate distances, calculate how much travel time is needed to reach their destination. Travelling long-term requires serious budget-control, and while not every traveler counts each penny they spend/save, without pre-planning and calculation, it is difficult to begin a trip at all.
Travel is a Foreign Language
Ok, maybe not so much is a foreign language, but nearly every destination one travels to will require some use of a foreign language. Whether its reading subway station maps, decoding busy train/bus station schedules, perusing local menus, or trying desperately to make yourself understood when you need to find a nearby toilet, there are some key phrases that most backpackers will be able to speak in the local language.
Travel is Physical
Carrying your essentials on your back will usually end up meaning you will carry at least 18lbs (for those at the minimal end of backpacking). Travelling any sort of distance will mean that you will inevitably end up carrying this load for at least some distance (even if you plan to take public transportation or cabs to your accommodations, you’ll still need to get it on/off the trains/buses, carry it through the stations, up/down stairs), or even walking to your final destination. Imagine exploring a new city on foot (arguably one of the best ways to do so!), walking many kilometers a day, starting early, staying up late, on potentially rough or uneven pathways. Have you climbed the 400+ stairs to the top of the Notre Dame in Paris? It’s no easy task. Many times, travel pushes you out of every comfort zone you have, and it is no different for any physical comfort zones you may have had in your Pre-Travel Life.
Travel is Art
Traveling and experiencing different cultures creates a human bond. Seeing both the similarities and differences between our cultures and others’ can expand and illuminate our view of the world.
Travel inspires all those who experience it, and whether or not you actually pursue traditional art venues (museums/fine arts), regular experiences will always leave their impressions.
Additionally, all great artists and musicians travelled. You can travel in your favourite artists footsteps, visiting the same gardens that Monet painted in, or the very same church Bach played the organ in. To be in the presence of history is sure to inspire and perhaps even lead to the creation of more art.
In short, travel is so much more than grabbing a backpack and a few maps. While it may start like that, it is sure to lead you places and open you to experiences that will lead to becoming more human; more genuine, more compassionate, more gentleness and love. Travel so you will recognize other forms of beauty, kindness, humanity. So you will be closer to something beyond your own world.
What inspires you to travel? Is there anything I’ve missed that you believe travel can be?
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