I usually love, and crave, alone time. It’s how I recharge. But while traveling, it was my least favorite time to find myself. The irony of my trip was that I wanted to interact with others more than keep quietly to myself. When you find yourself in new surroundings and away from your usual comforts you tend to adapt in ways you would never expect.

For me, it came as striking up conversations wherever I could. And from those conversations I received some of my best insight while on this trip. For example, I was waiting in line at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. As I ate my chocolate croissant (my go-to breakfast on this trip) and downed my first coffee of the day, I started talking with a woman behind me in line. The usual polite conversation you have with fellow travelers and about where we have been in the world. She said she had been to NYC on a couple occasions (she’s from England) and that she has seen the Rockefeller Center Christmas Spectacular. I confessed to her that I never have even though I live so close to the city. She also disclosed she had not been to a few sights near her that were “must-sees”. Then she said, “We seem to take for the most granted what is so close to us.” Wow. I remember thinking how profound it was then and now I see it even more so. It’s insane that I needed to travel thousands and thousands of miles to realize I’ve been taking too much for granted. But everyone is different. And we all figure it out our own way.

Times like this, the simple conversations that bring such insight, will be what I miss the most from this two-week journey. My biggest fear became my greatest desire. It’s incredible how life’s insecurities sink to the background and confidence bubbles forth while traveling.