Volume 23　素晴らしい旅を！


Getting out of Your Comfort Zone

Michael: And yet remarkably, I know in Japan, the great majority of people travel to China and Korea. Is that because they're so close?

Ann: I would imagine it must have something to do with proximity.

Michael: But it seems like a lot of Japanese people are just a little nervous about taking that extra step and, and being a little more adventurous with their travel. 

Ann: Although, I, as I understand it there is a new kind of travel that's becoming a little more popular, where people are going for longer periods of time. It used to be one of the stereotypes about, for example, Japanese travelers - was that they would just go very, very quickly, right? So, it'd be like . . .

Michael: Right.

Ann: . . .  a week in Europe with half a day in each place, and then you come back. And now they have, uh, more people are doing these so-called "long stays," right, where they go, and perhaps they are artists or they are scientists or they're doing a home stay, like you did, where you become, uh, much more immersed in the culture. 

Michael: Right, right. But yeah, it's nice that the culture is beginning to change a little bit and people are beginning to think that, "Yeah, I deserve a longer break. I want to see more of the world. I want to see other cultures. I want to understand what's going on." And, uh, I think it's a wonderful thing.

Ann: Yeah, I think so too. And then there's ecotourism as well, right?

Michael: Right!

Ann: If we think about the difference between being a tourist and being a traveler - that maybe there is, for a lot of people, more of a move towards this traveling, in the sense of really immersing yourself in a place and getting to know it and seeing, not only looking at it, but seeing h-, in what way could you be involved in it, you know, as part of the, as we say these days, the global community.

Michael: Right, yes. Ha-ha.

Ann: Ha-ha. Right.

Michael: And, on that note, thinking about traveling, I hope everyone listening is gonna have a wonderful summer vacation this year. And, if you haven't made your plans, tell you what, try and do something a little more adventurous, yeah?

Ann: Yeah! Go forth and, you know, try something new, go to new places, uh, get out of your comfort zone.

Michael: Yeah, that is always good advice . . .

Ann: As we say, yeah.

Michael: . . . definitely. 

Ann: And, uh, we will be wishing you all the best in whatever travels you may be doing.

Michael: Yeah! Well, you know. I think I'm gonna go to a travel agent and see what's available.

Ann: Ha, good idea. Take care!

Michael: All right, bye-bye.

Ann: Bye.