
Sonder
"the profound realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as one’s own, populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness – and which they are constantly living despite one’s personal lack of awareness of it”.

When I first read this definition, it struck a chord deep within me as I realized that this is the feeling I have experienced time and time again while travelling. For me, travelling is about the places you go and what you see there, but in a much larger way it is about the people that you meet along the way. I have met both incredible locals in the countries I have visited and people from all over the world who somehow ended up in the same place as me, many of whom are still friends of mine today.
Sondering can occur anywhere, travelling or people-watching from your front porch or a park bench. I know that one of my ultimate travel goals is to make connections with people everywhere I go, and I find myself experiencing this sensation again and again of how vast this world is and how much there is to learn from everyone we interact with in life. It is also a reminder that although there are bad people out there, way more are incredibly nice and kind and generous, something I think is essential to keep in mind when embarking on any kind of trip.








