[India]

I think of the places others tell me about that I’ve never been to. As they describe Paris, Bali, or Niger, I’m reminded of the empathetic challenge in trying to connect with their experiences.

There’s a lot to find out. “What did you notice about the place?” “What was difficult?” “Did the people have a certain type of character?” “Could the scenery be contrasted with places you’d seen before?” “Did you get anything about the national politics?” “What do you find yourself responding to in foreign places?”

But we all know that travel experiences are among the hardest for others to connect with, and so these discussions usually don’t happen.