As a lover of travel and adventure, I have learned over time that every country, every city and every home has a culture of its own. The beauty of culture surrounds us consistently. Whether we choose to notice it or not, that’s up to us.
Having been born and raised in Texas, I have been taught from a young age that this state is the best state. The food is outstanding, the way we speak is completely different from the other 49 states, and there’s NO place like home.
The culture of this state is made up of pride, sweet tea, BBQ, Blue Bell ice cream and our beautiful people. If you go deeper, there’s a different vibe to each city. Austin is weird and hip -- it’s simply Austin, Texas. Houston has an entire culture of its own. Houston is known for the music, food, the rodeo and lots more! Dallas is a whole new world. The culture there is completely different compared to Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Waco and every other city in Texas.
Then there’s the rest of the world. Turkey, Greece, India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Ethiopia... Every country is completely different.
My travels have taught me that no country is better than the other, simply because you can’t compare them. They are all different in their own way. There are good and bad aspects to each and every country.
In Turkey, it’s part of their culture to serve Turkish tea or apple tea to guests and customers at every home and store. In Pakistan, it’s respectful to remove your shoes before entering one’s home. In the UAE, it’s normal to smoke hookah all the time, because it’s simply part of their culture.
Culture is made up of clothes, food, traditions and language. Clothes make a massive difference because each country has a special spark of it’s own. Some countries have similar customary outfits, but many vary depending on their history.
Food also varies depending on location, availability and what that specific place is known for. Coffee, something that is found worldwide, is crafted in a variety of ways all over the world. But the way we create and drink it is part of our culture (not everyone knows what a Frappuccino is) and it's different everywhere.
Removing shoes, serving certain foods or drinks and dressing in a specific attire are parts of each country’s tradition. But the best part about culture, in my opinion, is the multitude of languages. It’s the most beautiful aspect of culture because it changes the way people communicate.
I love learning new languages, even if I only know how to say a few words or sentences. In a way, it’s what makes us who we are. It shows us that we aren’t the only ones in this world. There’s a lot more to it than we think, and there are thousands of languages that we will never learn.
For me, it’s breathtaking to see how amazing the world is and truly see the beauty of culture. It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to have access to so much and yet we decide to take advantage of it. Go out there and learn, seek adventure and appreciate the beauty of culture in the world!
