we don't have a choice where we're born. but we can choose our own path.
Does your place of birth define who you are?
Nationality is the lottery of birth.
This is a phrase I’ve had stuck in my head recently, especially since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s a phrase I first heard during my university studies. All around the world, different people are having vastly different experiences. In one part of the world, pandemic-induced lockdowns incite hate and fear, with people desperate to get out. Meanwhile, other regions experience pain and suffering, wishing that lockdowns had been induced to protect friends and family.
It appears that one thing we all have in common is how little choice we have for the circumstances we are born into. Nationality is a lottery, and where we are born has a huge impact on who we are.
But it doesn’t define us.
Nationality is simply an influencer on the path we take and helps us decide which roads to go down along the way.
Travel is one of the most powerful acts which I believe can redefine what it means to be whichever nationality you are. Travel redefines the perspective we have of our own nationality and culture. It refines our values and weakens our prejudices and judgements because we can all of a sudden understand what it feels like to walk in the shoes of others.
This simply seems impossible if we don’t see the world in a different way. It’s our nationality defining who we are which makes it difficult to comprehend our differences.
Strip away the notion of nationality. Where you are born does not define who you are, but it can be a huge influencer.
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