Ryszard Kapuscinski and Mary Russell both cross very different borders - Kapuscinski, in Travels with Herodotus crosses a literal border, while Russell’s border in Mirror Images is more metaphorical. Kapuscinski, a man whose country was at war for so long, is interested in crossing a border simply for the curiosity of finding out what is on the other side. This is a strange way to think of traveling for many people who cross state lines, or maybe into nearby Canada, with little or no feeling about the difference between the two places. For Kapuscinski, crossing the border is more mysterious and dangerous situation than many of us might be in.
Russell’s border, unlike Kapuscinski’s, is very metaphorical. She crosses a sort of border between having one definition of “home” and returning after her travels to realize how different it is. Perhaps we only truly travel when we can return home and realize something we never would have noticed before, or with a new and improved appreciation for the way we can live, which is what happened to Russell.
I think both of these borders are important. Whether someone is traveling for the sake of discovery and curiosity or for the sake of rediscovering one’s roots, these borders are some that we should hope to cross in our own travels - and hopefully some we can talk about if we ever become travel writers.
I like how you stated, "Perhaps we only truly travel when we can return home and realize something we never would have noticed before, or with a new and improved appreciation for the way we can live." This line really captures my beliefs about traveling. Because of traveling, Russell learned to appreciate Dublin in a new way. Traveling throughout her journey taught her how different some parts of the world truly are, which makes her appreciation for Dublin skyrocket.
ReplyDeleteOverall, your statements on both travel writer's experiences are agreeable; however, I stated otherwise. I believed that Kapuscinski's was metaphorical where Russell's was more literal.
I definitely made a similar connection in my post as well. I found it very interesting that one of Russell's most difficult borders that she crossed was when she returned back home. She was very unsure of her feelings when returning home because there were so many things that seemed to make her uneasy that she really didn't realize before. She spoke of all the noise and disturbances that she could constantly hear. She wasn't used to it after spending all that time away traveling. It is true, like you said, traveling like Russell did could make us realize that there are things that we never noticed before our traveling experience.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read these two pieces, I looked at them completely opposite from you! I felt that Russell's piece was more physical, while Kapuscinski had a moer mental border-crossing experience. That being said, I really liked reading your journal because it was different! I hadn't thought of them crossing the same borders you did, so it was interesting to see such a different viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteI like how you called Russell's border a metaphorical one. i loved when you said "maybe we can only truly travel when we return home and realize something we would have never noticed before." That is a great way to look at the idea of travel. Travel dosent just have to be something that takes you from country to country, but a mental journey throughout your life. "Rediscovering roots" was also very interesting to me in a sense that many of us do not know who we truly are as people and it is important to find that out. Great journal.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the clear distinction between the different types of borders that the writers cross. I never thought of Russel's as exactly metaphysical but i can see the clear point you make here and will adopt this idea. Also the idea of seeing one's home in a different light is one i can easily identify with. The first time i went home after staying at Walsh was very powerful as i saw everything differently.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that both borders are important ones to cross. Going into the unknown after being sheltered for a long time is a huge border one in which is both physical and mental. WHile traveling and then returning home is an incredibly hard thing to do as well. That's the interesting thing with the world it never slows down; it's constantly moving on and changing. I think travel writers hit this point over and over again without even realizing it. However in your weblog you do not mention your opinion on whether or not the borders are important to you. They are important o the world of traveling but do you see their importance.
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