My Challenge......

I've been doing this blog for over a year now and many folks have said that they are, "living through my experiences" or that they are seeing these places through my eyes.....

Well, now I have a challenge for you.

I would like to challenge everyone to leave the United States at least once a year, if possible. If not, go for once every two years.

Some of you might be thinking that this is impossible, that you can't do it. Well, to put it frankly, you're wrong. Canada is very close by and if that's all you can do, do it. Mexico is a pretty cheap place to go, so you can always visit there.

My point is, I feel as though many Americans don't actually try to get outside their comfort zone.....to go out and experience and see what the world is actually like. We instead stay at home and let the television tell us what it's like and we say to ourselves, "oh, that's a nice place, but I'll never be able to get there." That's crap, in my opinion. Save up and go. See the world and bring it back with you and educate others on what it's really like.....not by what CNN, Fox or the Travel Channel tell you. What are the people like? Do they actually like Americans? Is it a friendly place? How is the food? These are all things that people want to know and that you would be able to tell them, just by going.

I have accepted the challenge as well. God willing, I plan on trying to leave the US at least once a year. Even if I don't end up settling in the US, what ever country I live in, I will try to leave at least once a year, to visit new places, new cultures and to discover new sites (at least new to me).

And if at all possible, go some place where YOU are the minority. It has been a crazy experience here in Egypt. I get stared at.....a lot! Sometimes because of my shorts, sometimes it's my bald head and other times it's because of how pale I am. It's awkward, it makes me uncomfortable, but most importantly, it allows me to see how people feel in the US when the roles are reversed and it makes me realize that maybe I should try to be a little more friendly to those people, after all, they helped me.

So please, take the challenge, get out of your comfort zone and see the world. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered that some people read this and love where I go....but wouldn't it be more fun to experience it on your own?

The Western Wall in Jerusalem.