I have a list. A large list, one could say, with the names of destinations I desire to visit written down. It includes Brazil and Argentina, Tanzania and Egypt, plus many, many more. And with the relative ease and accessibility of travel in today’s world, my list has grown exponentially larger. I’m constantly adding to it, saving destinations on my Instagram’s “saved” tab.

While not a bad thing, this cycle of attractions and destinations saved via Instagram began to disturb me. I follow several travel bloggers, websites and magazines: there are also countless apps that automatically search cheap flights, hotels and accommodations for the “wanderlust” at heart. With so many places to choose from, I began to ruminate on my desire to visit and see as much of the world as I could. In the present day, how do we as individuals decide on where to visit next? Are we making decisions on where to go based on what we see online? Or do we have more of a deeper interest and connection we would like to experience when traveling to a particular place?

These questions spoke to me, as I have seen more and more people visiting various places around the world, but how engaged are they with their surroundings?. How concerned are they with actually connecting with the locals, or using the nature provided there to take a real break from their hectic and social media filled life back home? It almost feels as if trips are taken specifically for the photos, and the experiences lived via comments and likes received on Instagram.

In this post, I’m hoping to examine the notion of what it means to travel today. I’ve had a passion for traveling since I was a young child: having an immigrant parent automatically instilled in me the desire to experience and understand different cultures. And don’t get me wrong; I’m no better than the next person. I started my travel and design blog a year ago, and try my best when traveling not too think how this shot, or that location, would be a great post or photo opportunity.

To answer the question would take a real conversation, one between ourselves and our need to stay connected, and with others. I believe that traveling should be an experience that fosters connections, whether that is through people, culture, language, food, art and much more. I believe in visiting places because of the genuine interest you have in understanding how someone else lives, or trying different spices and ingredients you normally don’t consume. Travel is a way to create empathy between individuals; it opens up our understanding of who we are as a society, creating creating global connections. This is my outlook on traveling, and how I pick places I would like to visit: What food is eaten there? What neighborhoods could I stay in, or visit, that would allow for the most authentic connections with locals?

The answer above is only my own point of view. And while I completely support the use of Instagram and just how accessible travel has become today, I challenge you to stay engaged and interact as much as possible with others. Don’t just take a photo; ask a local to take one with you! Share a meal with a stranger, or stay in a hostel. Do your research about the place you are visiting, learning the proper etiquette and ways to communicate. Consider not being online, and instead live in the moment. And lastly, choose wisely on where to go next: while there might be tons of saved photos, follow your intuition and explore what’s most meaningful to you. Comment below on what you think-I’m hoping to start a conversation on this topic. Thanks for reading!