I am back from Europe and slowly recovering sleep and my
normal routine. It was an amazing trip, and there is so much to tell! I learned
a lot, tried new things, met some great people, ate some great food, and took
lots of pictures. I will do separate posts, in an effort to try and do justice
to the millions of thoughts I have right now swimming through my head. First,
let me tell you why I was in Paris, France in the first place, and give you
some solid traveling advice.
I volunteer for a national non-profit organization that
helps people with bleeding disorders. I myself am affected with von Willebrand
disease, or VWD. What that means is, it just takes longer for my blood to clot
than a normal person’s blood would. I don’t bleed faster, but I do bleed
longer. I bruise more easily and am prone to getting bleeds. The type of VWD I
have is a qualitative defect. Everyone has factors in their blood to help with
clotting. These factors are numbered 1-13 (don’t quote me on that, this is all
from memory and high school biology). Von Willebrand factor is a protein
located on factor number 8 that helps with clotting. People with VWD either don’t
have enough of it to help with clotting (quantitative), OR they do have enough
of it, but it doesn’t function properly for clotting (qualitative). That would
be me.
Now, having this chronic illness has made me want to help
others affected with bleeding disorders. I have been volunteering since I was
18, and I love it. Volunteering in general is really great, as it changes your
perspective on things and opens your eyes and your heart. I have done a wide range of volunteer activities
from fundraising to public speaking to education and advocacy, to planning and
implementing youth programs and many things in between. Now, every 2 years, the
World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) hosts a global conference in a different
country. This conference is open to attendees affected by bleeding disorders
all over the world: patients, families, doctors, physical therapists,
researchers, pharmaceutical companies, etc. This year we had over 5,300
attendees! Every 4 years out, at the conference, delegates from each country
that is currently a member of the WFH vote on where the next conference will be
hosted. There are many countries that apply for this privilege, and certain
requirements must be met in order to qualify. This year, the vote was between
Montreal, Québec, Canada and Miami, Florida, U.S. The National Hemophilia Foundation
requested that I help them secure the bid to host the 2016 WFH congress in
Miami, FL. So above all things, that was my primary objective. I will tell you
about the result later!
I consider myself to be a pretty experienced traveler.
Compared to most, that is. I have traveled a bit within the U.S., as well as
outside, and I know that is not an opportunity a lot of people have. I would
guess that most people in Wisconsin actually never leave it or go very far. I
definitely feel very fortunate that way. This trip made me realize that there
are 3 qualities I think that are essential to being a good traveler:
Smart
Brave
Open-minded
You have to be smart: By that I mean you should have done
some homework about the place you are going to visit. I don’t mean read history
books. You can if you want to, and if that’s your thing. I actually mean being
sensitive to the culture and the people that live there. If you can learn the
language, even if only a few key phrases, it will take you far. Manners always
do, no matter what the language. People appreciate that you are trying to speak
their language, rather than just trying to track someone down that speaks yours
(that perpetuates the American stereotype also). Moreover, this will save you from
potentially embarrassing social situations (faux pas). For example, a thumbs up
here in the U.S. may mean “up yours” in another country. Also, use your street smarts. Be aware of your
surroundings at all times, and read everything you can: street signs, maps,
etc. See what the locals are doing, and follow suit. Also, don’t break any laws
doing stupid things you normally wouldn’t even do at home. Common sense will do
you wonders.
You have to be brave: This one just means you have to be
willing to take risks, but also know your own personal limits. Traveling itself
can be a risk, even more so when you are by yourself. But imagine the
experiences, the people you will meet, the things you will do, and the places
you will see. Try a new food. Make a new friend. Do something you normally
wouldn’t do. This one goes hand in hand with being smart. Ask for help if you
need it.
Finally, be open minded: This means to not be judgmental of
others. More than likely, you will observe things that differ from the way you
do things back home. Take it with a grain of salt. You can learn to better
appreciate your own home through what you encounter. This also means having a
good sense of humor about things. Know that you may run into obstacles that may
really be stressful like language barriers, missed flights, lost luggage, unexpected
costs, etc. Take a deep breath, and just handle it with poise and humility, and
you will be a better person for it.
My next post will be all about Paris…stay tuned!! J
No comments:
Post a Comment