She can usually be found jet-setting around the world, staying in fabulous luxury hotels, and visiting the best of what the planet has to offer. This past weekend, however, Samantha Brown came to Columbus, Ohio. She spoke at the AAA Travel Expo, which was located downtown. My friend Leah, who is both a travel agent and avid traveler, invited me to attend the Expo with her.
I was really looking forward to hearing Samantha Brown speak. I've been watching her shows since "Great Vacation Homes," but it was her "Passport to Europe" series that really won me over as a fan. I love how her travel experiences, while rarefied and highly unique, are described in her personable way, making her show strangely relate-able. She makes it seem like anyone can travel and have these life-changing experiences. She conveyed exactly this message when she spoke at the Expo.
I found two topics during her presentation to be deeply profound. First, she spoke about how her travel experiences have given her more confidence in every aspect of her life. I've found the same to be true from my own experiences. Traveling to another country definitely requires a certain level of confidence, especially when you are traveling by yourself or without the comfort and ease of an organized tour. My sister and I have both traveled around Europe by ourselves, sometimes arriving in a city without any reservations or concrete plans at all. Traveling like a vagabond forces you out of your comfort zone, allowing you to meet people that you otherwise never would have spoken to. You also have to figure out every single detail of your travels completely on your own, building problem-solving and communication skills. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with this kind of travel that I'm not sure can be achieved any other way.
Secondly, Samantha (we're on a first-name basis now) spoke about how important and vital traveling really is. She stressed that it is not some frivolous act merely for the privileged few, but an opportunity to greatly improve one's life. I couldn't agree more! I find it so upsetting when traveling is downcast as a "vacation" or considered prodigal and wasteful. Any opportunity to explore the world and see how other people live is a worthwhile one.
While I loved Samantha Brown's presentation (even the somewhat awkward Q&A from strange members of the audience...), there was one huge downside to it that Leah and I discovered. Our minds were spinning with all of the places we want to visit!
Thank you, Samantha Brown!
(P.S. How fabulous is her dress?! I love it!)
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