This is a review of the great book. The Transformative Power of Travel
Anyone who enjoys traveling will not be surprised to travel that Tom Leegstra believes that travel has the ability to transform us for the better. However, only a few of us have taken the time to consider the implications of this transition. Tom L. Friedman’s book, The Transformative Power of Travel: How to Discover Yourself by Exploring the World, explains how travel transforms people, teaching them to be patient with others as well as tolerant of and open to new ideas, opinions, and differences. Traveling and the experiences that come with it can be uncomfortable at times, but it is in those situations that we are most likely to undergo personal transformation. You can travel and explore great things.
Besides providing all of the necessary books about traveling, such as obtaining passports and remembering to pack toothpaste, The Transformative Power of Travel also discusses how to set goals for your travels-goals that are not just about seeing a sight, but may also include learning something new about the special person you are traveling with, or simply learning how to relax and enjoy yourself while on your travels.
Tom begins by instructing us to strip down to our underwear—not literally, but metaphorically speaking. Our readiness to immerse ourselves in new experiences has reached a ready time. Travel makes you feel naked and vulnerable, but Tom reminds us that it is precise during these vulnerable moments that we can grow the most in our understanding and appreciation of others. “Once you have stripped away all of your clothes, you have nowhere to hide your real, vulnerable self,” says the author. Then you can start working on making that version of yourself an even better version of yourself.
Of course, there are several places to travel throughout the world. Tom is a true world traveler, having visited forty-three nations over his lifetime. He chose France, India, and Cuba as the locations for this book since they are three fascinating and unique nations that have influenced him. If you want to travel and explore new things you may do so by clicking on the photo.
France serves as a reminder of the trip he had with his girlfriend, a trip that helped to cement their bond and ultimately lead to their marriage. The Eiffel Tower and other romantic Paris landmarks were definitely on the itinerary, but they also spent time getting to know each other in lovely romantic settings in order to determine how compatible they are. For Purchasing of the book.
When Tom traveled to India, he discovered some wonderful things about himself, including how he responds to discomfort and feeling out of control in an unfamiliar setting. Besides that, he had some very amazing insights. Here’s what he had to say about his visit to the Taj Mahal:
“Being there produces a weird feeling of oneness with the people who built the site, despite the fact that they lived thousands of miles away on a different continent than I do and centuries before me, which is rather surreal. Being there in person made me feel as though I had some sort of connection to those people in some way. It’s a difficult sensation to describe, but it left me feeling little and extremely humble.”
Throughout the book, Tom sprinkles in Pro-Tips and Reflections on his own life experiences to keep things interesting. He also instills in us the ability to think for ourselves. For example, when he landed in Cuba, he met a woman who had just come on her own from Mexico City, which was a pleasant surprise. He says the following: “I had heard terrible and terrifying things about Mexico City, but she had toured the city on her own and appeared to be completely unafraid of the place. That struck me as extraordinary. I considered myself to be a wimp for not having visited Mexico City yet. That taught me a valuable lesson once more: don’t believe everything you read or hear in the news media. Keep it real, people! Carry out your own study and speak with visitors who have visited the area.”
This comment illustrates one of the most significant benefits of travel: it helps to dispel incorrect prejudices and preconceived notions. “I have come to believe that travel is the most effective and expedient approach to challenge our own beliefs or biases about people, places, and cultures,” Tom says.
Tom also talks about what to do if something goes wrong. The bottom line is to maintain your composure. He says, “I’m not going to lie, I’m not going to lie to you,” “While such events may appear to us at first to be happening to us, we can learn over time that these events are occurring for us. We can learn valuable lessons about growth and development from these events and their repercussions.”
The book finishes with appendices that include more resources as well as information on how to deal with ambiguity and other challenges that may arise while on your journey.
If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Cuba, India, France, or any other nation, this is an excellent book to start with to get a taste of the culture. If you enjoy reading about other people’s travel experiences, you will thoroughly enjoy Tom’s book. In order to overcome your fear of traveling, begin by reading this book. You could find that it inspires you to become fearless and ready for an adventure.