The Essence of Traveling and How it Renews My Energy

                                                            Michael Canzian — Barcis Friuli Italy

Traveling is more than a form of entertainment or an act of exploring different places. It holds a variety of meanings for every individual. Traveling allows people to discover and appreciate the beauty of nature, strengthen relationships, bring back memories, and so on. Traveling presents itself as an opportunity to delight ourselves-something that we cannot get enough of because it fills us with joy and excitement. It also gives us a sense of contentment given that we have the freedom to satisfy our interests. Whether one travels for personal leisure or business reasons, it allows one to cultivate interests and curiosities, strengthens one’s relationships, and fosters personal identity.

Cultivating my interests

Traveling lets me devote time for myself-trying out different restaurants, feeding my love for history, and honoring the events around it. Indeed, my passion for cooking encourages me to try out different restaurants around the world, especially when it comes to Italy and my home region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Each time I go back to these places, it is the food that brings me back to my Italian roots. The cuisine in Friuli is an indication of the rich culture and substantiates my love for Italian cooking even more. Furthermore, visiting sites and scenes that pertain to historical events related to World War II prompts me to be grateful for what I have today. Without the struggles and bloodshed that the people faced before me in order to establish basic rights for all of mankind , I don’t think that the freedom’s we enjoy today would be available to us. Visiting such places translates as a way to honor their sacrifices. Another gratifying aspect of traveling is that we get to widen our knowledge base and expand our global perspective. This allows us to understand one another much more effectively and create a deeper sense of understanding for all.

Strengthening my relationships

Traveling allows me to visit my family and friends in Italy. I do this regularly as it is a means of maintaining my bond with them. This is the best way for me to reconnect with them and to immerse myself in the language and culture. Furthermore, my family and I also love going to Disney -something that my mom influenced me by. I believe that Disney is an entertaining place that keeps our family excited every time we visit. Traveling with my family is truly one of the best ways for us to have quality time together, and lets us spend time with one another as we share the same experiences that will surely remain in our memories.

Fostering my identity

Given that I am a Friulano, I spent most of my summers in that region of Italy-something that I have been fortunate enough to experience. Friuli Venezia Giulia will always remain a welcoming environment for me and provides a quiet place for reflection and peace of mind, something which I am unable to experience anywhere else on the planet. Europe has many places that heighten my love for history given that they were able to preserve that beauty through their neoclassical art and architecture. Another place I have learned to love, which is captivating in many ways aside from Italy and wonderful places in the U.S. is Argentina. This country has a blend of European, Latin American, and indigenous customs and traditions. This demonstrates why it is bursting with a culture that I continue to revel in. Argentina also has the best steaks and beef on the planet, so if you plan to visit, buon appetito and buen provecho. — Michael Canzian

Originally published at https://michaelcanzian.com on June 21, 2021.