Jayne and Mark:

Paul and Gemma:

Bea and Pete:

Alicia and Jason:

These people collectively have a positive outlook towards bridging the gap between differences through travel. However, there is no way to imagine that our world is only governed by rainbows and unicorns. Kathryn says that

Her husband, who is a Canadian citizen with Pakistani roots (and general stereotypes against certain ethnicities do exist on a global level), still faces marginalization. Kathryn is sometimes forced to go on holiday with her kids without her husband, especially when she is visiting the United States; a thriving instance of discrimination that falls under the ambit of ‘Restrictions instigated by Security Reasons’, but more within the parameters of perpetuated prejudices. In the words of Don Mclean, “They would not listen, they’re not listening still/ Perhaps they never will.” Yes, perhaps. That is why a fragment of our imagination (and imaginations often transpire into reality) still believes that maybe ‘they will’, but with trying consistently and proving those who divide, wrong. And who could be a better candidate in executing the mission than a traveler?

The race, the ancestral name, the name of the territorial confinement one is born into (also popularly known as the homeland), are matters of rigid honor that a lot of us guard against those who do not share the ‘names’. Segregation is endemic in this world. Our band of travelers, however, belongs to a different world. Bea and Pete, for example, bear no definitive labels. They need not preserve anything except their ruthlessly rootless selves! Bea says:

Paul was born in the UK; half English half Thai married a New Zealander (Gemma) and will probably live in Australia for a few years in 2019.

Alicia has lived all over the world owing to her father’s transferable job. Her mother played a major role in nurturing in her children an accommodating attitude towards moving. Result? “We often found that we were way ahead of our peers when we went back to the US.” She follows her mother’s footsteps in that she ensures her three sons, Carter, Aidan, and Keaton see much as they can in their growing years, to carry the enthusiasm forward. Alicia (teacher) and Jason (doctor), lead a very rich life through traveling the world, minus the luxury car and the extravagant nest. To them, travel time is family time.

Kathryn hits the road between gigs and forages for breaks to take her kids along to distant places. Paul and Gemma maintain continuity of first, saving money and then traveling. Pete and Bea are digital nomads. Alicia, Jason, Jayne, and Mark cash in on spring breaks, Christmas, weekends, Thanksgiving, summer vacation to travel.

At this point, the most relevant statement that one can think of is the one proposed by Jawaharlal Nehru, the First Prime Minister of India.