Going on a cross-country road trip has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. I finally got the chance to go on a three-day long road trip from Massachusetts to Florida this past winter, which allowed me to see many of the states I had never been to before on the eastern border of our country. I got to see the charming cities of Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA, and eventually made it to the Gulf Coast of Florida to lay out at some of the best beaches in the country. However, my journey was not as glamorous as it may have appeared on my Instagram profile. I learned many things about our country during my travels to the South, and became eager to explore more of this beautiful land. Here are some of the lessons I learned while road tripping.
Poverty is a major issue.
Growing up in a predominantly white, middle-class town, I was never fully exposed to the depths of poverty. Obviously I knew people who did not have as much money as me, or were richer than me, but I had never really visualized the depths of poverty. I then moved to Newport, RI for college, and again, I was exposed to a lot of people who perhaps were wealthier than me, but I did not experience poverty firsthand. Driving through the country, I saw people living in what looked like rundown shacks to me. I will never forget when we were almost to my grandparent's house on Christmas Day and we had to stop at a McDonald's in a small, rural town in Florida because we were starving. To our shock, we ended up spending about a half hour waiting to get chicken nuggets and a medium fry because this McDonald's was so packed. Why would this many people be eating at McDonald's on CHRISTMAS DAY? After researching this town, it turns out most people there live below the poverty line, and the cheap, fast food that McDonald's produces must have been their best option that day.
Us holding flowers a homeless woman made us in Savannah, G.A.
That being said, obesity is also in fact, a major issue.
After spending time in the South, I understand why Americans are stereotypically described as fat and pictured eating cheeseburgers. This sounds quite harsh, but because we were on the road for so long, we had to stop at many fast food joints and chain restaurants in order to grab a quick bite. In these fine dining establishments, I witnessed so many morbidly obese people. My sisters and I, who are admittedly quite small, were looked at like we had three heads. I always hear that there is an obesity problem in the U.S., and Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign is trying to solve that by fostering a healthier generation. However, I probably could not tell you more than five people I know personally that I would consider obese. After seeing many walks of life in my travels, it is evident that there is in fact an obesity crisis in this country.
Unfortunately for me, sour patch kids are contributing to the rising obesity crisis.
This may be the land of the free, but you are not safe everywhere.
In the wake of the recent tragedies that occurred in our country, I think people are starting to realize that your life could end at any given time, anywhere in this country. The only thing stopping a shooter from coming into a movie theater, classroom or club and killing everyone is if they feel like it or not. Luckily, many people in this country have not been in a situation where they were held hostage or gunned down. However, activists are pressing more and more for stronger gun control laws because of the senseless tragedies that have occurred in the past five years alone. This becomes more important when you travel through states that have open gun laws. I saw several people just carrying guns in their pocket like it was nothing; they could have decided to shoot me if they felt like it. While stopped at a gas station in North Carolina, a suspicious looking man was eyeing my mother as she was counting her money because her debit card was not working in the slot. She then got out of the car to go into the convenience store to ask the clerk what was wrong with it, and the man jumped out of his car and followed her in. My sisters, aunt, cousins and I all screamed when we saw that the man had a gun hanging out of his back pocket. Thankfully, my mother's life was spared in this incident, but in that moment I thought the man was going to hold a gun to her head and rob her. This event taught me to be safer and aware of my surroundings, especially when traveling.
A cool building in Charleston, S.C.
The land we live on is incredibly diverse.
They say America is a melting pot, and man oh man is that true. During this trip, I was exposed to such a variety of people, geography, architecture and lifestyles than I could ever imagine. And I only traveled the east coast of this country! It was so interesting to see all of the different things that make up this country, and it made me eager to explore more places.
Incredible architecture in Charleston, S.C.
As U.S. citizens, we do not get to see enough of what this country has to offer.
Every year, hundreds of students flock to Italy, Australia, China and more to immerse themselves in a study abroad program to learn more about a different culture. And don't get me wrong, that is an amazing and life changing experience. However, I think students could benefit just from studying for a semester in a different state and area of the U.S. There are so many different sub-cultures, dialects and traditions in this country it is amazing. From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters, there is something new to learn in every state of the U.S. I don't think people get to see enough of this, and I think it would make people more understanding and open-minded if they were able to explore this land and the people that live on it.
Olivia, Gabriella and I exploring the jungles in Myakka National Park.
When it comes to bettering our citizens, education is key.
I now understand why we took a field trip to Washington, D.C. instead of Montreal in eighth grade. Reading about our country's history in textbooks is one thing; actually seeing it in person is another. I don't think the values and traditions of America truly sink in unless one is able to experience them firsthand. As a nation, we are always trying to improve our education system and encourage people to complete higher education. But why was I only taught about the history Plymouth Rock in elementary school and not about the history of the Golden Gate Bridge? I think in order to give our students a full education of this country, we need to be taught about what ALL of the country has to offer. Oh, and field trips. Everybody loves field trips.
Olivia taking pictures of the alligators in Myakka National Park.
While my road trip was mostly a whole lot of fun, I seemed to have learned quite a few things from it as well. I hope reading this inspires you to reconsider your next trip to Punta Cana, and perhaps change it to New Orleans or Yosemite National Park in order to experience the diversity and beauty this country holds.
