The Prompt: Secret Santa—You get to choose one gift — no price restrictions — for any person you want. The caveat? You have to give it anonymously. What gift would you give, and to whom?
I would give my niece, Stephanie, a trip around the world with the stipulation that it must last at least one year and that she needs to paint at least one painting in each place she visits and keep a journal of writing and sketches. If she wishes, she could take one friend with her.
The reason why I would give her this gift is because I believe the thing that had the biggest effect on my life was a 4 month long trip I took around the world in my junior year of college and the three years I spent traveling after I graduated from college. After a lifetime of saying this, I’m going to try to analyze why this is so.
l. It showed me life from a world perspective rather than merely a U.S. news view. This is perhaps more possible in this age of the internet, but I had never heard the news from any perspective other than one slanted from the U.S. view.
2. It showed me that everything is everywhere. I met wise people who had never been to school and wealthy entrepreneurs who were the stupidest people I’d ever met. I experienced unbelievable greed and I met the poorest of people who were the most generous in giving what they had. There were people the world over whose desire it was to learn what I knew and to teach what they knew. I started to recognize people I knew in people I’d never met before. I experienced so many cultures—all of which seemed to be working when left alone without having other cultures thrust upon them.
3. I discovered that everyone in the world has somewhere they fit in. Once you find this place, you can fit in anywhere.
4. I learned how to do without almost everything. In doing so, I think I discovered what is most important. (This may be hard for close friends, who know what a collector I am, to believe.)
5. I learned that I am braver and smarter and craftier and more resilient than I ever would have believed.
6. I learned that I am so fortunate to have been born where and when and to whom I was born.
7. I learned that I can do anything I want to and be anyone I want to—and I chose me.
8. I discovered I can be totally on my own and get by fine.
9. I discovered talents I never knew I had.
10. I realized the broad range of choices I had in life.
I would wish all of these realizations on every young person. Perhaps they all have a wider world open to them in this cyber world, but nothing beats real experience and I believe this is the best gift I can think of to give to a very special person in this world.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
I’m sure your niece will be very happy and it will be a great lesson
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Oh can I help planning the trip. I know the coolest and most stunning places in Italy, Austria, Germany and Greece. Oh, we could get together, have a glass of whatever and plan the trip together…if you let me (begging, pretty please). Seeing the world, widened my horizon, changed my believes and made me a better and more understanding person. I traveled the world on my own in a time when it was unusual for a female to do so. I wouldn’t give those memories up for the word. Can only give you a “like” but loved your post.
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I would absolutely love hearing your recommendations of where to go. I’d love to plan a trip with you…be it in a cafe, winebar or here online. Okay. Here goes. Places I would send a world traveler:
1) Cadequez, Spain, a fishing village that was the home of Salvador Dali. Surrounded by hills filled with cork trees. For some reason a magical place.
2) The road that zigzags over the Pyrenees between Spain and France and goes through Andorra. One minute you are in France, the next in Spain, over and over again through the day. Turquoise blue lakes due to the copper in the soil and a castle on every hilltop. Ancient villages with roads so small there were no cars there. Magical place. This trip will take at least 2 days.
3) Barcelona, which we passed by. Can’t believe we did, but we were just in love with being outside of cities, in the countryside. Now, I would love to go there myself, mainly for the architecture.
Okay, your turn! (This is just the beginning of my suggestions. Can’t wait to hear yours.)
Judy
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Oh I loved your last sentence, because I can’t put everything in just one comment. OK there you go, did I warn you that I am rambler 🙂
1. Vienna, Austria…walk in Mozart’s shoes, visit the Klimt house. Go to a “Heurigen”, visit the Schoenbrunn castle, the Belvedere palace and St. Stephens Cathedral. After that a night at the Prater, then drive toward the South of Germany, visit the Neuschwanstein Castle in Fuessen and drive further toward
2. Lindau, Germany…there is something about this city that I can not describe in words. In the South of Germany, at the freshwater lake Bodensee. From there with a boat to the isle of Mainau…just for a few days, before we go to back over the boarder through
3. Garmisch Partenkichen a city divided by a boarder. Garmisch is Germany, Partenkirchen is Austria…on our way to Innsbruck, the next biggest city where I grew up. Going up into the Alps to the boarder Italy-Austria where I grew up.
don’t get me started on Italy…you might regret it 🙂
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Can’t believe I never saw your reply to my comment until now, five years later. I’ve been to Garmisch Partenkirchen where both my husband (long before I met him) and a friend were based. Do you know of a deep ravine between mountains near there where you can walk on walkways high above the ravine? A wonderful walk.
I would add Bali to the trip, and Singapore.
Go ahead and start in on Italy. Florence and Venice, for sure. Where else?
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