I love to travel, I always have. I was born in Germany, lived in England for a year, visited France, Scotland, and Austria. I’ve been married for three years and in that time my husband and I have lived in three states, one of them being Hawaii, for no particular reason. I dream of one day visiting Russia to try out my RUSS 101-RUSS 202 speaking skills. I can’t sit still. I have wanderlust.
But because travelling is expensive and not always extremely accessible, I have been forced to find other ways to travel. And wouldn’t you know, I’ve found a way to travel FOR FREE! (What college student doesn’t love the sound of that?!). I don’t even need a passport. For this method of travel, all I need is some time, curiosity and a library card.
That’s right, I’m referring to the library. But, are you surprised? What other place offers access to anywhere in the world and even to worlds that only exist within pages? I love everything about libraries! I love the smell, I love the sounds (or rather soundlessness), I love the rows and rows of shelves lined up in neat aisles.
In case you’re wondering where this proclamation of love is stemming from, I just got a library card to the Provo Library. Talk about a beautiful library! I could spend hours browsing book after book and I often end up with too many to read before the are due back to the library.
This most recent library trip I narrowed down my travel itinerary to four places, all similar but equally intriguing. I will start on The Farm in Tennessee with Ina May Gaskin who will tell me all about natural childbirth and where I will hear stories of other women who have experienced childbirth. Then I’ll work my way to several doctor’s offices who will guide me on the wonders of labor and the art of breastfeeding. Lastly, I’ll make my way to a yoga studio where I’ll learn the best ways to exercise in preparation childbirth.
Once I finish these, I can’t wait to go back to the library and see what other place I will decide to travel to!
(By the way guys, I’m pregnant. I don’t just have some odd obsession with childbirth)
Also, thanks to Sined for the 'travel through books' inspiration, you can read her post here.
I'm glad my little phrase inspired you to write this great post! And I completely agree, what best way is there to travel anywhere you like to any time you like? I haven't seen a plane that can do that! Haha.
ReplyDeleteTravel has been intimately connected with literature in so many ways -- not just the literature of travel, but the fact that we "travel" to distance places every time we have vicarious experience via literature. In the past I've taught a travel writing class and even taught an honors course based upon travel that we followed up on with a study abroad program in London and France. Here is a set of readings based on travel.
ReplyDeleteI say that the "lust" in wanderlust has immunity from all those regular cautions about lust...
I like that you wrote about how you can travel to new places through books. I feel like even though some books may have "too much" detail about the setting and such it gives the reader a better view of where the book takes place.
ReplyDelete