A book cannot be judged by its cover. This is a metaphor we have all heard before and we all know that it’s just saying don’t judge something by its appearance. I have always really loved looking at pictures of other places, but I realized that I don’t really know anything about those places. When I realized this, it became my goal to travel. If I ever do travel to another country, this is what I will do: See the sights, explore the culture and learn about the people.

The first thing I will do after arriving in another country is be a tourist. I’ll see the sights and eat weird foods that I have never heard of before. Also, because I am me, I will make sure to bring every map I can get my hands on. Unfortunately, getting lost is something I do a lot. Another thing I will bring is a list of the best things to see and do. I will stay in some quaint, rustic inn with lots of historical significance. Taking my time, I will be sure to look at the architecture, art, and history of whatever country I happen to be in. Last of all, I will take as many pictures as I can. After all of my touristy things have been done, I’ll dig into the culture.

Now that I’m done being a tourist, I will look into the culture. Maybe I will start by visiting local markets and shops. Another great way to do this would be to go to museums and look more into the history. I might look into religions also. I’ll be sure to buy hand-made trinkets from local craftsmen so I can remember what I have learned. Even though I am a pretty picky eater, I will try to eat as many of the traditional dishes as possible. However, If they are spicy foods I will be sure to stay far, far away. Now I can say that I have experienced the culture and there is only one thing left for me to do.

Learning about the people, the third and final thing on my list, is the most important to me. Without the people, a country is nothing. Throughout the first two tasks I will probably learn something about the people but talking to them specifically is something else entirely. I want to watch them work and try what they do. Being able to communicate with the people would be amazing. I would love to be able to hear their opinions, even on simple things like their favorite colors, come out of their own mouths as opposed to that of a translator. I want to be able to go through the life a girl in that country and see how our lives compare. Even though I probably wouldn’t get that far, I would try to learn the language or languages of that country. After I have spent time learning about the people, I think I will finally understand that country.

To me, it is impossible to really see a place until I have seen the people who live and work there. No matter how many times a person visits a certain place, until they know the people, they really don’t know anything about that place. They just see what’s happening on the surface. If I ever really want to visit a place, I will have to be a tourist, learn what books can tell me about the place and finally I will have to learn whatever I can from the people in that place. There is so much more to other places than we see through pictures. Just like a book cannot be judged by its cover, a place cannot be judged by its picture.