My university classes are finally finished and my exams have yet to start; in fact, I have all of April to myself and in the lush nation of Ireland no less. So what is one American girl to do with herself on the appropriately nicknames “World’s Largest Lillipad?” Why, travel no doubt! But on a college student’s budget, travel takes on a whole new meaning, including long nights spent waiting in airports, wearing the same shirt for days, and having everything you own on your back. In the end it really brings into perspective what we as humans need to survive.
My usual travel pack includes a change of pants, a few reliable shirts, a coat, the shoes on my feet, selected toiletries (including toothpaste and Lush’s solid shampoo bars, great for getting through airport security) a cell phone and a good book. With these meager supplies I can find my way around through any city, which makes me wonder why I keep so much more at home.
As I now have a stock of belongings both in Ireland and at home in the States, I am beginning to wonder why humans accumulate so much when they stay put for too long. Maybe this is the backbone of our waste problem. Even in early human settlements, groups who moves own substantially less than those who ground themselves to a spot, in part because humans can’t really carry much. This brings us down to the necessities.
My necessities, I now see, are clothing, contact, hygiene, and even a book for those long waits on uncomfortable train station seats. It’s an interesting experiment, really. As I move from city to city I’m less tempted to buy every souvenir I see simply because I know I won’t be able to carry it. When it comes to food I am pressed into buying a loaf of bread and a pack of apples, as long as I can carry them. Life on foot is really very exhilarating, to know that self-reliance is more than a house you own, it is being able to live on your own no matter where you are.
In the end it is an experiment on what it really important, and on cutting back on the consumer culture. Even when coming back from a weekend abroad, I wonder how much of the trinkets I keep do I really need? Certainly not the hair dryer, or all the fancy jewelry. I can live with just enough, and come the end of the term I know I’ll be forced to once again see what is most important for my long flight back to the states. How many pairs of shoes do I need? Just the ones on my feet.
Excellent article! Yes, I’ve often noticed that I could get by on a lot less than I had called ”essential” previously.
Good point about the bar shampoo. I was so happy recently when a friend gave me a bar of Burt’s Bees shampoo. Until then I had no idea that such a product was even available!
It’s Rosemary Mint scent, by the way, and very nice!
I think that due to the financial crisis many of us are learning that we don’t really nead many of the things that we gather around us