People still ask me, "Why Iowa?" when I tell them I'm from New England. Back home, people just could not understand it, believing Iowa is pretty much the middle of nowhere. Pico Iyer's essay resonated a lot with me, especially when he writes, "we have the opportunity to come into contact with the more essential parts of ourselves (which may begin to explain why we feel most alive when far from home)" (2). I was looking for something completely new, in order to better get to know and appreciate myself and others. I always feel joyful when exploring a new place or culture.
Iyer writes, "all significant movement we ever take is internal" (5). When I moved here it took about five hours total travel time (by plane). My second choice college was also five hours away, just by car. The distance is not significant to me, simply the fact that I am in a completely new place. What changes more than the scenery is often my own emotions - I usually feel more optimistic in a new place than a familiar one.
I liked the line, "genre distinctions join other borders in collapsing." It has a whimsical feeling to it, and I agree, the lines between fiction and nonfiction are often imperceptible.
I am also a huge fan of Ralph Waldo Emerson (I optimistically brought a book full of his essays, which I have yet to read, with me to college). So, undoubtedly, I was very excited that Iyer brought him up, saying he believed "reality is our creation."
I agree with you on the fact that being in a new place increases optimism. I find that if I am around new people I am more outgoing than if I am around familiar people. My favorite part of a new place is meeting new people and seeing what their personalities will show me about my own!
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