Photo credit: Jennifer Tang
1 Absolute freedom to be a new version of yourself (even if just for a short while)
I never realised how bold and active I could be until I travel. Living in a society rife with Asian norms, one way or another, we find ourselves susceptible to the societal pressure that conforms us to traditional values. Whether it’s the kind of clothes one can wear, the kind of activities one partakes in, or the kind of non-conventional future career one envisions, resisting the status quo takes a lot of effort, plus it’s difficult to shake off a sense of heightened self-consciousness, especially when expectations are high and demands are many.
However, all of these concerns evaporate the moment you land on foreign territory. As a traveller in a faraway land, who’s here to judge? You surround yourself with strangers who are more interested in jostling for a prime position to claim their baggage than scrutinising you. You breathe in and feel revitalising energy flowing through your body. You smile at the realisation that you can finally let all of your rebellious, adventurous, and bold thoughts run wild and free. Looking at all kinds of travellers around you, staring at a world of unknown outside the window, and listening to the unfamiliar voice from the train system, I sense a new me growing inside.