It’s the surprise and wonder I get from visiting a new place. Initially, everything is new — even wandering into a grocery store and seeing what the locals like, buy, and eat is new. Hearing a new language for the first time, and listening what initially sounded like a jumbled mess resolve into syllables and words, is something I enjoy. That would be the honeymoon phase for me. After a while, that feeling of novelty and discovery becomes much more difficult to find.

And I’ve found this sense of wonder wherever I’ve gone. Even the first time I visited the US was a surprise. Despite having spent a lifetime reading, watching, and listening to US media, nothing quite prepares you for the full-on experience of being there the first time.