Traveler
Traveler
by Ben Noring
Flash Fiction:
Everyday you do the exact same thing. You wake up. Go to your office job. Stay until the sun sets, then go home. You go to bed and repeat the same thing over and over. You talk to the same people every day, go to the same places, even eat the same things. This was never your life goal and you can’t imagine where you went wrong. All you know is you need to get out now. Tomorrow is your day. You will drop everything, quit your job, quit renting your apartment and pack your bags. All you know is you’ve got to go somewhere away from here. You buy a plane ticket to Iceland, a place you have recently seen pictures of and recall it being beautiful.“We have now landed in Akureyi, Iceland,” you hear over the intercom. You deboard, not sure of what you’re doing or where you will go, only knowing that this is what you want. You walk around town until you see a fire with many people circled around and they ask if you’d like to join them with some hot chocolate. You accept and listen to their past experiences, the things they’ve done, the people they’ve met, the places they’ve gone. You want that more than anything else. When the night is over, they ask if you’d like join them in going to see the northern lights and you would love nothing more. So, you travel with them for hours, looking at the beautiful scenery along the way. Finally, you reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. You gaze up at the sky and see the green lights shimmering above.
After everything you’ve ever experienced in your life, it hits you, the only thing you want in life is to travel the world and make incredible experiences. After this moment you’ve decided that you will never go back to your old life, from here on out you will travel the world and never waste a single day of your life again.
Artist Statement:
When looking at my portrait, the first thing you’ll notice
is the light coming out of my eyes. This is significant as it represents my
desire to become more enlightened with the world outside of the culture we know
and understand in the US. Another significant element to the picture is the
fact that I am outside which represents the earth to me as a whole, however it
is blurred out so it can represent any place in the world, not just the one the
photo was taken at. Finally, I don’t have a shirt on because I feel it better
shows my desire to travel and connect with people and places than it would if I
had any materialistic items on or with me.
My flash
fiction story is about a man who dislikes his boring life of repeating the same
things every day. He wants to break free of what most people in society
consider the norm and so he takes a trip to Iceland where he discovers he wants
to travel the world and connect with others and their experiences. This relates
to my portrait as they deal with the want to go to more places in the world and
become more enlightened on different people, places, and others experiences. Together,
they express my want to connect with the different people and places of the
world. I believe the work we have done with personality has helped me see what I’m
like, and that’s that I don’t want to have a normal adult life, I want to constantly
be moving and not settle in any one area.
Reflection:
When looking back over the past 8 weeks, the biggest thing I have learned was about the cycle of poverty and what that means to the children born into it. What the cycle of poverty does to people is it puts them in a never-ending cycle, that keeps certain people poor, no matter how hard they work, unless they can get lucky with something such as sports. I believe the cycle of poverty affects everyone involved and is too hard to break out of for the common folk. Because of this, children are put behind others in life due to things such as separated parents, no money for food, and no transportation, among other things. Before I learned about this, I personally believed that I had somehow “done something good in my life to earn the privileged life I have,” however I didn’t do anything at all, I was merely born into it. During an activity in class called “Privilege and Disadvantage Inventory”, I ended with a score of 22 out of 22, which meant that I had almost no big problems in my life and that because of this I was put ahead in life. What most people don’t understand is that the people born into the cycle of poverty, didn’t do anything to deserve it, it just happened, and they were stuck with what they got.
“Life of Privileged Explained in $100 Race” is a YouTube video we watched in class that shows how those born into poverty are more likely to fall back in life based off what they are given. In the video, Peter D, the video uploader has many kids line up for a race for $100, however he asks them questions about their lives and those who are more privileged get to take a step forward for every “good” answer. Because of this, many children are left behind in the race and aren’t given the same fair starting position for the race. This race represents life in the sense that some people can start ahead in life and others aren’t, and no one is able to control what circumstance they are born into. I agree with this argument, as it is noticeable in everyday life, seeing the kids who struggle in life vs those who don’t. According to the video, just because someone is struggling, it doesn’t mean that they were the one who made mistakes to get to that point. Biases stop us from helping people like that despite whether we think we have biases towards the matter or not, and because of this, nothing gets better, and more kids are stuck behind.
When most people see someone behind in life, struggling, their automatic assumption is that they are ghetto or dumb. They have biases that they may not believe they have, however because of this belief, they clearly do. What they see is someone who may be too poor to have a ride, and instead think of them as a “ghetto kid that needs to walk to school or ride the bus”. In order to change the cycle of poverty, we need to change our bias and start to see that others may not be in the same place in life, but that doesn’t mean they deserve it.
I feel like this story is very easy for people to connect to because I felt like I was stuck in the same pattern everyday until I quit my job.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your flash fiction and the details like the flight attendant on the intercom and the hot chocolate to make it feel like you're really there; it was very easy to visualize everything he was experiencing. Maybe you could use a quote in your 'they say i say' from the race video... Is Iceland the main country you want to travel to or were there other specific places you had in mind?
ReplyDeleteOne day, I also would love to travel. Growing up as a military kid, I was always moving but didn't really have the excitement and enlightenment that comes from travelling of your own free will. Your piece really shows what you want and feel, and I love how you made your flash fiction about someone else but still representing you.
ReplyDeleteThe details you used in your flash fiction to describe just how bored the person was of their everyday life and the description of Iceland at first glance was great. What's the place that you want to visit the most in the world? Is it Iceland?
ReplyDeleteI really liked your flash fiction and how well it connected with your portrait. I liked how your flash fiction was like a story or a good book. The light in your eyes in the portrait is clever to represent how you want to enlighten yourself with the world and meet new people. I found it relatable because I also want to travel and have new experiences. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI feel that flash fiction, every day is pretty much the same, it's just a big pattern repeated over and over and there's not much you can do to escape it. Seeing and doing new things is the best way to get out of routine, like just being outgoing and doing stuff you've always wanted to do helps a lot
ReplyDeletethe Story really illustrates that people often get caught up in the swing of life. that society is almost becoming too repetitive. it is good to still have people that want to get out there and see the world. not everyone should be sitting in cubicles.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your flash fiction it is really easy to understand and connect to because you do the same thing everyday. I liked how you flash fiction and picture went together very well and all the detail that you used.
ReplyDeleteI like how the flash fiction is like a shorty story, rather than just a cool or deep few lines or words. The way it's set up reminds me of something that would be in the beginning of a Sam Kolder "My Year 2017" type of YouTube video, like a voiceover prologue.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you explained people biases they have towards black people.. Instead of helping they judge . Your story sounds like mine going far away just to meet new people and do new things.I like your thinking.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this because it was all relatable and interesting to read. The way you described privilege in the $100 dollar race was really good and helped open my eyes up more about how lucky myself and others are compared to some peoples situations growing up.
ReplyDeleteThe flash ficition originally seemed disconnected from the overall message you were going for. However you were able to synthesis the discovery of wanderlust to that of your own. The symbolism/editing used in your piece helped add personal motivation for wanting to travel. The reflection is enjoyable on the topic alone. While most other people chose to talk about bias using the Invisibilla Podcast, you chose to talk about privilege, which is a much need breath of fresh air.
ReplyDeleteYou seemed to put a lot of thought into the various aspects of your photo to really drive your meaning.
ReplyDeleteThis post I think can apply to a lot of different people. I like how in your flash fiction you go from very mundane language to more vibrant language after the character starts traveling. I can definitely relate to this, especially during school when I feel like I'm just on a cycle. Traveling is SO fun and I love your project!
ReplyDeleteYour Flash Fiction was good. I never realized until i read it, how many people wake up every day and do the same stuff every day.
ReplyDeleteYour flash fiction is very powerful. We all have those times when we want to break our routine or cycles and do something different. Your flash fiction did a really good job showing that. Then when we do try something new, we might fall in love with it and want to never go back to the old life. It may be different things for different people but we all have those moments and your piece did very well to show that and make me think of what that is for me.
ReplyDeleteI really like how relatable your piece is and it really makes you self-aware of the fact that we are living in a cycle! I think that putting your flash fiction in the POV you did really helps move it along and it keeps it interesting to read because you can really get the whole picture!
ReplyDeleteI think it's really interesting that instead of doing a piece about specifically you and your personality, you did one about someone else and then explained that back to you. It is a new way to think of doing this project that I find really interesting. I really connect to your want to travel because I also love traveling and hope to do lots of it one day.
ReplyDeleteI found interesting to read your flash fiction and artist statement because I found relatable about traveling new place. your picture and flash fiction connect very well. you did good job with flash fiction and you have good information.
ReplyDeleteYour picture was really interesting to me and out of the ordinary (In a good way). I think you did a really good job writing your flash fiction. I feel like a lot of adults feel that way, and dislike doing the same thing everyday but do it because they think they have too. Your artist statement really made the picture make sense and it felt like it was a perfect picture for your piece.
ReplyDeletei can relate to your story by saying i get up in the mornings and lift to be better everyday and school is like everyday as well. it sucks doing the same thing everyday of your life.
ReplyDeleteI can relate because in the morning I have to ride the bus because I haven't learned to drive yet and I like how you take into consideration everyone's life.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people have that same situation every day. Some people like that routine, but others do not. I agree that you should do something about it, because you don't wanna be stuck with that life forever.
ReplyDeleteI relate to the man in the flash fic, living everyday over and over again, everyday being the same. ive already hit that point in my life, everyday is the same, work school sleep work school sleep, day in day out. I really think the flash fic went rather well with the picture and I like how you exposed yourself with your reflection and thought it was rather amazing.
ReplyDeleteI really loved your flash fiction. I feel that's a great story that not too many people write about. it was great to see someone doing it. its odd to think that so many people wake up and do the same routine every day.
ReplyDeleteThis flash fiction is so very beautiful. It really develops and in captures the freedom and change this person is going through. at the beginning you see the pattern and an almost sluggish tone but as the goes on you can see the writing flourish as if the man you talk about becomes free from his mind and is truly happy with his being. Very well done!
ReplyDeleteI loved your piece and I thought it went really well with your picture and I thought you had awesome detail with all of your pieces.
ReplyDeleteYour portrait and flash fiction are great and very relatable, and your reflection does a good job explaining how many people are trapped in the cycle of poverty and can't do anything to escape it, just how many want to escape their boring, monotonous lives like in your flash fiction.
ReplyDeleteI liked this piece cause it gives someone motivation for there goals. and everyday life. I also like your portrait.
ReplyDeleteYour portrait is very interesting and creative. I like how its very easy for people to connect with this and it is easy to connect the flash fiction with your picture because of how well written it is. Your artist statement and reflection are also very detailed and well written.
ReplyDeletei can connect because i feel like with school you wake up and do the same thing over and over, love the portrait.
ReplyDeleteI love your flash fiction I think it's so relatable. Living in Iowa, or even just the mid-west often makes us feel isolated from the rest of the world. The yearning to leave and meet new people, travel to new places is something I think most people probably feel. Your portrait was also very interesting. I don't think I would have understood it if I had not read the explanation, but I think you tied it in in a very creative way! Well Done!
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