Finding Culture Through Music with Shaun Day
No matter who you are or where you grew up, there is something that binds all humanity together: Music.At the heart of every traveler is a desire to experience other cultures. In that exploration, the music we discover helps expand our mind. The genres of music we experience awaken different parts of our souls.For musician Shaun Day, music was an every day experience in his family. With a father from England and a mother from the Philippines, Shaun grew up with an appreciation of diversity, which helped shape his future career.[powerpress]
Fulfilling the American Dream
Shaun’s parents migrated to America to chase the American dream. After meeting each other and creating a family, they raised Shaun and his brother Simon with an appreciation of diversity.Growing up in the streets of San Francisco, Shaun was constantly bombarded with different sounds and tastes. A cultural mecca laid outside his fingertips, and the more he learned about diversity, the more his music found its influence.Under the guise of his parent’s influence, Shaun picked up a guitar and let the music have its way.
Music Influences Growth
With the opportunity to grow up around so many different styles of music, Shaun learned a lot about music production.Experimenting throughout high school, Shaun found himself in a wide array of bands. The first, Blind Issues, took him and his bandmates throughout the high school years.After moving on to college, Shaun and front-man Joey Perotti introduced The Sex Effects, which took on a more alternative side.Once finished with California State University Monterey Bay, Shaun landed himself a job at both MHQ and Blue Rhode Studios in Los Angeles, where music production became his life.He now freelances with multiple artists, works in three different studios (including one with his cousin), and has a new band, Red Giant.
The Artist Mindset
Having grown up in San Francisco, living in Monterey, and migrating to Los Angeles, Shaun learned an important lesson:Your surroundings have a major impact on your daily life.Culture bleeds through the street cracks in San Francisco. Monterey boasts a more natural side, where oceans tumble into crashing waves.Los Angeles, however, is where everybody seems to go to chase their dreams.As everyone can imagine, there’s a huge competitive field in Los Angeles for music and movies and everything of the like. It takes a strong person to keep pushing through their dreams and recognizing they need to get their voices heard over the competition. For people like Shaun, there’s just no such thing as giving up.That being said, there’s a big community with all of the artists. They’re all they have sometimes, and they have to stick together. Everything is about auditions and gigs and building relationships.
The Importance of Believing in Yourself
Like so many others, Shaun has discovered the key to success is believing you can do it.Everyone has different struggles in this walk of life. Not everybody has the mindset of an artist, or a traveler, or a businessman, or whatever takes your interest.A lot of times, it’s more about who you know than what.A traveler could know someone in the town they’re in who will give them a roof, where an artist can know a producer in their field to help open doors.As long as you continually push yourself out of your comfort zone, you’ll grow.
Finding Home Through Travel
At the end of the day, you move where your heart takes you.Shaun took his cultural experiences from San Francisco, molded them into his time studying what influenced him, and chased his dream.Those with wanderlust understand that constantly moving helps you find what you consider to be “home.” No matter what, the feeling of “home” hits a nostalgic nerve that makes you feel like you’re where you belong.Music, in a lot of ways, is just like traveling. It opens your mind to different walks of life, it helps you find who you are, and it always provides a safety zone to fall back on when you feel out of place.
How has music impacted or changed your life? Has it influenced your opinions on culture? Let me know in the comments!
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Traveling Abroad Vs. Schooling Abroad
The write up for Part 2, Episode 2 of the Life in Another World Podcast episode. The audio and write up for the first part can be found here.
When you hear the words “year abroad,” what do you usually think? Education? Travel? A world tour or a year in a particular country?
In reality, it could be any or even all of those.
When I was younger and decided to see the world, I thought the only way to travel for a year was to do it through schooling. The prospect of “just traveling just to travel” seemed ludicrous and unattainable --
Until I figured out it was one of the cheapest ways to travel.
On the second part of this podcast episode (check out the write up for part one here), Anna and I move away from our conversation about dealing with death and into a discussion about going to school for a year and traveling for a year.
Studying Abroad vs. Traveling Abroad
Anna set out on an Australian adventure back in 2009. Through CSU International Programs, she studied at the University of Queensland in Brisbane.
Fortunately, since Anna was still a student at the time, most of her grants and scholarships covered her tuition. In the end, she only ended up paying $2,000 out of pocket, and as a prudent saver, that seemed completely attainable to her.
Even though Anna and I took different courses in our treks around the world, we each faced a similar trouble leading up to our journey:
Other people’s doubt.
Our friends and family, though they loved and supported us, didn’t necessarily think we were ready to do what we had planned. I distinctly remember my sister saying, “Don’t you think you should do a smaller backpacking trip before you try for a year long one?”
It isn’t as though we thought our loved ones didn’t support us, but at the same time, we could not be inhibited by their fears. We had enough of our own to overcome.
Choosing to Go
I decided to disappear from my “normal” life for a year because I was tired of it. The routine I’d fallen into didn’t suit me anymore, and I needed to challenge myself so I could grow. Any ideas of remaining stagnant became horrific nightmares throughout my daily life.
When it came to schooling, Anna felt the same way.
Paths in her current education at CSU Monterey Bay didn’t exactly meet the challenges she wanted. It wasn’t that the program was bad, but she yearned for a different taste of education. One that would challenge her in a way that made her realize there were many things on this earth besides her.
For Anna, choosing to study abroad for a year seemed like the only thing that made sense, and with the majority of her finances taken care of, it just worked.
I’d always desired a year abroad myself, but as I said, I never thought I could do it if it wasn’t school-related. I, however, would have had to pay the out-of-pocket international fee in its entirety if I’d gone to school. Since I was fortunate enough to have parents who both afforded and paid for my school, I did not receive any financial aid. Even though my parents could afford my schooling in our home state, one look at the cost for an international student wiped the idea away immediately.
Deciding How Long to Stay
In the early stages of my decision to travel, a year was never even an option. Frustrated with the way my life currently played out, I just wanted to get away for a couple of weeks. Going somewhere for a short period still sounded better than staying put, which was exactly what I needed.
For me, however, that two weeks turned into two months... which bled into three... which transformed into the year-long trip I'd always desired when I discovered New Zealand's Working Holiday Visa.
That, and the fact that going for a year actually turned out to be cheaper than a quick visit.
Who would have thought?
The Impact of Either Decision
As a self-proclaimed nerd, Anna is proud to have traveled for schooling purposes. She loved the ability to study from inside a different culture, and sticking around in one spot for an extended period of time gave way to budding friendships that last a lifetime.
While she was gone, I spent my time watching her in envy. I yearned for the exact experience she had, but it shocked me to hear that she had the same jealousy toward me.
Although she had a great experience and got everything she asked form, Anna never necessarily had the ability to travel around and enjoy the country itself. All of her time was spent on work and school, and outside of a visit to the Great Barrier Reef (as a marine ecologist, she can't miss that, now can she?), Anna was unable to see the rest of the country.
I, on the other hand, scoured every possible inch I could get my feet on in New Zealand. While I was there, however, I still made an effort to get into a school that was denied. The prospect of schooling in a different country still appealed to me, but in retrospect, I'm happy I didn't get tethered to one spot.
Other Culture's Influences on the Mindset
Whether you’re in school or have the ability to travel around, don’t just stick to what’s popular. The information sites only tell you so much, and each location will affect each individual that passes through it differently.
Though I did travel around a lot, I also stayed put in Wellington for a while. There, I was fortunate enough to work inside their Parliament, where I really learned the ins and outs of the country. Before I’d left California, I just clumped “New Zealand” as “New Zealand.” Once I was there, however, I learned each town, village, city, and path is different.
This realization of the depth of the country’s culture paved my way into a different thinking about life:
Every time I’m in someplace new, I’m in someplace new.
Regularly seeing new places opened my eyes to just how unique every place in this world is. At that, no matter where you go, you’ll always be a “foreigner” until you become a “local.” No matter where you go!
When Real Life Stalks You
To all prospective travelers and friends of those who travel, I have a public service announcement:
Just because you’re in a beautiful place that’s not your home doesn’t mean you won’t face any challenges that will challenge you.
For both myself and Anna, this was an obstacle we didn’t know we were going to face. The same people who supported our decision to make this journey expressed a certain sense of resentment once we’d embarked. They felt like they weren’t “as cool as us” or that what was happening in their life wasn’t interesting because they weren’t traveling.
At that, friends back home assume you’ll never be upset or have a “bad day” because they think everything for you is going smoothly.
All of this is wrong on so many levels.
Without expressing any negative feelings toward people who treated me like this, I’d kindly like to explain a few things:
- Your life, and everything that’s happening in it, still matters to your friends when they’re on the other side of the world. That’s the last sense of normalcy we have to cling on to. Never think you don’t matter.
- I can still feel like crap in a beautiful place. Life still exists during travels, and it’s not always easy for me, either.
- Americans don’t travel. Why is that necessary to share? Because of the fact we’re a rare breed, whenever anyone “finds one of us,” they essentially take their opportunity to “ask it every question you’ve ever wanted to know.” America controls the media, and the people around the world watch us with wide eyes and dropped mouths. And no, they’re not all as jealous as we think.
- “Look at where you are” isn’t a valid thing to say to a friend that’s hurting just because they’re traveling. What would you say to me if I was on your couch? You wouldn’t point out to our hometown and say the same thing.
- The reason you think everything is “perfect” is because we don’t post negative things on social media. We want people to believe that we’re having a great time. Would you rather your traveling friends go through all of their pain through their statuses? I wouldn’t.
Making the Final Decision
Perhaps you’re considering a year abroad for school. Maybe you’re about to embark on a world tour and will only spend a few days in hundreds of different locations. You might only be able to swing a week, but that’s perfectly okay, too.No matter what, you can expect to walk around in a constant state of wonder. You can expect good days, bad days, support, resentment, and everything else that comes in between.Why?
Because no matter what, as long as you’re traveling, you’re growing.
What you’re used to is not normal for everyone. Traveling helps you evolve, forces you to open up and accept other cultures, and teaches you how to commingle with people around the world. When you immerse yourself in other cultures and experience it for yourself, it’s impossible to avoid being humbled.More importantly, traveling helps you own who you are. You’ll learn about yourself and the people around you, whether you try to or not. Gain all the inspiration you need by living vicariously through other people, but remember, they can’t live your life for you.Now, go out there and learn how to experience and feel it for yourself.
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The Benefits and Downfalls of Traveling Solo
Ever wondered what it's like to travel solo? Despite all the wide-eyed selfies, it isn't always everything it's made out to be. In this first episode of The Life in Another World Podcast, join me as I reflect on the benefits and downfalls I experienced in my solo year abroad.[powerpress]
You may think that traveling solo sounds easy, or it may be the most daunting notion you’ve ever heard. Truth is, it’s a pretty even mixture of both. Some desire a solo year abroad to learn about themselves and transform into a well-rounded individual. Some may not even choose a year, but embark on hundreds of smaller trips just to get away. Whatever the reasons, there’s benefits and downfalls to facing the world on your own.
Facing the World Head-On
Despite any speed bump you may face along the way, a lot of good things come from traveling solo.
As for me, I had a rough time accepting my role in life. I thought I didn’t deserve happiness, and that my mere existence was in the way to those around me. Through my negative misconceptions about myself, I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and grow.
Apart from that, as a fantasy author, I was desperate to get into my character’s shoes. I’d released a self-published fantasy book, and the truth was, I hated it. I knew it wasn’t ready, and I knew I’d rushed the publication with my impatience. My jump-the-gun approach to my publication instilled in me a desire to escape. Although I was unhappy with the final product, the story had ignited in me nonetheless. I knew if I whisked myself out of my normal life and put myself in my character’s shoes, far from home and clueless about how to blend, my story would blossom.
To Solo or Not to Solo?
In truth, you should never let a travel buddy (or lack thereof) stop you from doing what you want. Do you have a place in mind that nobody else wants to go to? Go anyway! There’s no right or wrong way to travel, as long as you’re getting out there.
With or without anybody with you, there are always a million factors that play into your decision to go. I fell into the category of being unable to find a travel buddy, as I disappeared for a year. Other obligations and fears may have kept my friends back, but I refused to let their hesitancy stop me.
In a lot of ways, I consider myself lucky. Standing at a firm six-and-a-half feet tall, I knew I could defend myself if I needed to. Not everyone gets that luxury, but you may quickly find that making friends isn’t as hard as you’d think.
How to Bond on the Road
When you’re in a position where you feel out of your element, getting overwhelmed is a given. When you travel to a foreign country, you realize that no matter how much you prepare, culture shock is insane.
At first, you may feel like you’re alone in your disorientation. When I went to New Zealand, even though I knew the cars drove on the other side of the road, my compass switched off. As an Eagle Scout, I had learned all the tips and tricks of wilderness survival. When I went to the Southern Hemisphere, however, I discovered the sun is in the North instead of the South portion of the sky, the moss grows on different sides of the trees, and the Big Dipper doesn’t exist in the constellations.
Thus, I completely lost my sense of direction.
But was I alone in feeling that way?
I thought so, but the moment I opened up to other people in my hostels or on my bus, I found I was far from the only one shrouded in fear. When you meet people who presently suffer that same sense of shock, it’s like you’ve known each other forever.
Everybody chooses different reasons to travel, but learning the similarities and differences between people makes that bonding almost impossible to ignore. You learn that everyone has faced the same million excuses you used to held you back.
More importantly, you realize that even though you’re traveling solo, you’re never truly alone.
What to Do When You Realize You’re Not Alone
Make friends!
Although my personal experience didn’t allow me to have a travel companion, I always ended up with a handful of people to talk to.
At the core, traveling alone is obviously being alone all the time. That purposeful isolation from society forces you to get out of your shell and talk to other people. Want that picture taken of you so you don’t have to selfie it? Buck up and ask that stranger. You may find you don’t need to question yourself or the people around you as much as you did.
There were plenty of times when I wished I had someone with me, but I never knew how strong I was until I put my strength to the test. Every “I can’t do this” weighed me down, but I pushed past it and I connected with people I never even dreamed could have existed.
Learning How to Face Yourself
The prospect of having someone you know at any given time while you’re in a foreign country is, of course, desirable. To have that sense of safety, to never feel so out of place to where every face is just as foreign as the country you’re in.
If you have a partner, though, you then have to either agree on every activity or go off alone anyway.
In the debate between solo versus group travel, no decision is the wrong one. Whether you go alone, with your best friend, partner, or in a group, you’ll learn and grow so much. The relationship with yourself will grow, as well as the relationship with anyone you travel with.
I yearned to have that time alone, forcing myself to look in the mirror every day and face myself no matter what. Traveling solo made me search for my purpose, and locked me deep within my own thoughts until I experienced my metamorphosis.
When the Loneliness Strikes
Solo travel may come with a healthy dose of an I-can-conquer-anything feeling, but not every day is a perfect paradise. Some days require having the best of friends or the closest of family around you, and when you don’t have that, those days are rough.
Likewise, there may be certain places you visit that you wish you had someone to share the experience with. For example, I spent my year in New Zealand waiting for the opportune time to visit the acclaimed Milford Sound. When I finally landed there, after waiting for longer than anybody else who was on the bus, I knew no one. I had just hopped on to that bus for the day, and most of the travelers had been with each other for a while. I stayed behind in Invercargill to head to Stewart Island, and everyone I knew on my bus went forward without me.
The place I was so excited about was still just as beautiful as I’d imagined, but I walked around the boat in isolation as everyone gathered over their cameras to discuss their pictures. Sometimes, small talk doesn’t work as well as it does at other times, and although I’m forever grateful to have witnessed Milford’s beauty, it was one of the hardest solo days I had to endure.
Being Ready to Travel
Not everyone thinks traveling helps you “find yourself” or “become who you were born to be.” I say you have to be ready to grow for travel to really affect you.
When you’re ready to travel and when you choose to drop everything and go, there’s no way you can’t learn about yourself in the process. I had to learn how to entertain myself and make everything I wanted to do happen for me.
That being said, make sure if you are going somewhere alone, you’re going somewhere safe. Make sure people know where you are and that you’re safe. While you’re at it, make safe decision and choices. When you’re in control of all of everything, don’t let your freedom become your poison. You don’t want to end up as one of the horror stories that holds people back from seeing the world.
The Key Aspect to Solo Travel
So, what is the grand finale of traveling solo? What is the purpose? What do you learn?
Nothing more than how to rely on yourself, and believe me, that’s the most important lesson you’ll ever need. I no longer question my place or think I deserve misery like I used to. For me, that’s the greatest gift I could have ever asked for.
I chose to travel because I wanted to stop believing that there was nothing else out there for me. Once I discovered what lay on the other side of the horizon, I learned how to live life to the fullest and make the most out of everything.
The visas and savings and everything that goes into traveling is a daunting headache, but the end result is always worth it. Prepare yourself for the speed bumps that will occur, but realize that by the end, every bad day will be irrelevant.
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