Travel Reflections - Purpose In How We Travel
Allan and I recently celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary with a visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, for the first time! Canada is so close to us here in New York, yet it took us visiting more than 30 countries before we got to Canada. In reflecting on our anniversary trip, I’m led to share a deeper message that I receive from this experience, rather than writing a typical blog that provides a play-by-play of all we did during this particular trip. That said, for those interested in seeing those details, the video play-by-play of our weekend is available at My Cruising Family on YouTube and is linked here.
I’ve wondered and asked God about how in the world telling people about cruises and travel is glorifying onto Him. How is this a ministry? Well, dare I say that this trip highlights some of the answers to that question, at least a bit, for me. If you’ve been following My Cruising Family for a while now, then you know that I had a goal to visit every country in the Caribbean, and that I achieved that goal in 2022. Well, a part of the reason for that goal is that I am Jamaican, born and raised, and I remember overhearing an aunt say in conversation, years ago, that she doesn’t need to travel to certain other places – I don’t recall exactly where was being discussed – but she said she doesn’t need to travel to certain other places because she has so much to see in the Caribbean, and she would have to visit those places in the Caribbean first. While I didn’t necessarily agree with her sentiment, my goal to visit every country in the Caribbean stems from hearing that statement.
How does that answer the question I asked God about this being a ministry? Well, being a child of the Caribbean, I learned at a very early age about the many countries, islands, and cultures that exist throughout the Caribbean. As a lover of travel, why would I not want to start right at home – “home” being broader than Jamaica, but the Caribbean, overall? Whilst there is nothing wrong with desiring to see Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica, South America, Africa, and North America, why not start by true exploration of the Caribbean? That’s what I’ve done, and this particular trip to Canada highlights to me that the desire and accomplishment of starting at home is an illustration of our first ministry. Our first ministry is our home, our family. If home isn’t a priority and isn’t right, can we truly say we are ok? Can we truly maximize our reach to other people if we’re not right at home? I am sure some try to and maybe even do so, on some level, but maximum use of the gifts God has given me is the goal. Our Pastor, A.R. Bernard, has been teaching on the command to “occupy,” and to me, that means starting with my roots, where I am, and what I have, and then branching out from there.
Ok, Peta-Gaye, so we get the message, but HOW did this trip to CANADA bring about this clarity? Well, after the Caribbean, the next place I’ve called home is New York, USA - my travels from age 4 to when I officially moved to New York City at age 10 were only between Jamaica and the USA, every summer, some Easters, and some Christmases, and then, when I moved to New York, I visited Jamaica every summer. For me, then, that was the extent of my travels until high school when I visited London, England, with my sister, and Berlin, Germany, with my school’s debate team for a Model United Nations competition. Now, in 2023, this intentional first trip to Canada allows me to say I’ve not only covered every country in my home of the Caribbean, but also, now, every country – albeit only 3 – in my home of North America.
We have also visited some Central and South American countries over the years, primarily via cruising, including Belize, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia, but those came as part of larger itineraries that helped me achieve the “every Caribbean country” goal, so they were quite intentional as well, and they are very close to home. So…
All Caribbean countries… check.
All North American countries… check.
All Central American countries… in progress…
All South American countries… in progress…
What will come next? Completing one of these areas that we have already started to explore, or venturing to a new continent altogether? What do you think it will be?
Either way, the amazing thing is that starting with home as the first focus – the Caribbean and North America, that is – I feel, in this moment, that the possibilities of what’s next are truly endless as I can see myself touching foot on just about any part of the earth without any hesitation or concerns for what I’m overlooking back home, and with many references from what I’ve learned at home to get me through the travels that are further away.
I have been to and intend to visit more of Europe, certainly! I intend to travel the entire world, which is why I am very intentional about the trips I take… I’m not sure if someone can accidentally travel the whole world… I think you have to plan it. So, yes, I am focused on my own travel plans.
With that said, though, I have a question stemming from this reflective moment I’m having with myself regarding my approach to travel. I am not saying this to condemn anyone – I feel I have to preface this way because, online, sometimes folks seem to take a question as an insult – but why is it that so many of us from the African diaspora seemingly seek to visit Europe more so than “home?” By “home” in this question, I mean wherever home is to you and it can be multiple places as it has been with me, the Caribbean, North America, Africa, South America, wherever. If this describes you and your style of travel, I truly would like you to share the inner driving force for that desire to visit Europe, especially if you don’t have a similar desire to visit Africa or the other lands known to reflect the Diaspora. Again, please take this as me sharing the inner driving force for my approach to travel, thus far, and asking you to share yours also. No condemnation. No judgment. Who knows, it may inspire someone else too.
Looking forward to our future adventures!
