What do you think is your travel personality? Do you notice any difference in your personality when you travel alone or with a group? Remember that we all have our personas. We may be a different person when we travel by ourselves or when we travel with other people. Our personality may also depend on the personalities of the other individuals in our travel group.
Our travel personality may also depend on our goals for traveling. What kind of experiences do you usually imagine for your travels?
Thrill Seeker
Are you looking for thrilling experiences when you travel? Do you see yourself swimming with sharks or camping in the wild to get a glimpse of wild animals? Does excitement fill you at the thought of bungee jumping, sky diving and the like? If this is you, then you definitely have the travel personality of a thrill seeker. If you seek even more extreme thrills, you may even call yourself a danger junkie.
As a thrill seeker, you want to get close to the wild side of nature. You crave the death-defying stunts other people have experienced before; and you want to feel the same adrenalin rush for yourself. Sometimes, even if you fear it, you still go for it. It takes courage to travel out of your comfort zone. This is something you actually crave.
Of course, you don’t go into these adventures unprepared. If you need to learn a new set of skills to participate in an adventure; you take the time to do so. You spend time learning and training as though you were preparing for the Olympics. Thrill-seeking is like a sport to you. You actually enjoy the whole process. You’re not really competing against anyone though. For you, the thrill and the adrenaline rush are all worth it.
Adventurer
Do you picture yourself exploring new dive spots, swimming with whales, climbing mountains or trekking through the dessert? Do you enjoy road trips? If so, then you have the travel personality of an adventurer.
You’re the type of person who relishes unique adventures. You are always open to new types of experiences. To try something once is your motto and that’s what makes traveling with you so much more fun. Whether you travel alone or with buddies; you always enjoy your self. The least adventurous around you also get to have their fun even when they’re just watching you.
You are always interested in what unique experiences your destination has to offer. Spontaneity is the name of your game. Your travel buddies are swept along with your enthusiasm to try out new things. However, you always keep everyone’s safety in mind first.
Sightseer
Would you describe your travel plans as calming, laidback, easygoing, casual and free? If this is you, then you’re a sightseer. For you, travel is a time to relax, walk around at your leisure and just enjoy the scenery as you pass by it, or as it passes you by.
This doesn’t mean that you don’t make plans. You enjoy the freedom but you do have an agenda of the places you want to go to; the food you want to try and other activities you want to watch or even participate in. Wandering around and getting lost in exploring the interesting nooks and crannies of the place is a normal part of the experience for you.
Your travel plan might include going on a tour group but you also make sure to have free time to explore on your own. Leisure is your travel game plan. A structured plan on where to go and what to do is a convenient way for you to get acquainted with a place quickly. This is also an opportunity to take note of interesting places or things to do. Then you take your own leisurely time to go back and enjoy them on your own or with your group. You usually take lots of pictures or videos.
Learner
Do you travel because you are interested in the place’s culture and/or history? You may be curious about something specific such as the cuisine or the arts. Maybe you like going to places like libraries, or museums; or you enjoy hanging out at historical sites? Do you like visiting old buildings or spending time inside old churches? If this is you, then your travel personality is that of a learner.
Your travels often have a structured plan to it. You know which places you want to go to and which ones you might want to see if you have time left. A guided tour is usually on your list. You may get a local guide that you can consult when you need to. Afterwards, you go straight to what you really came for. You spend most of your travel time in the specific places you have on your list. Going early is part of your habits; because having the church or museum all to yourself is such a pleasure.
Your itinerary may also include taking a class such as pottery or weaving. You take lots of pictures or illustrations, or notes. Sitting on a bench and just people watching is also a leisurely time for you. When you go back to rest; you usually review your pictures and/or notes.
Your Travel Personality
Does your travel personality fit any of these? If not, which are you closest to? Your travel personality may be a combination of any of these as well. Or you might have started out as a sightseer and now you are more of an adventurer. You may also be a learner and now you aspire to be a sightseer and enjoy the sites around you more.
The more important thing is how your travel goals have helped you develop as a person. Traveling helps us get to know our selves better even as we get to know more of the world outside our home towns. For some people, travel is a way to sort through their life issues. It also provides us with more inspiration for what we want to be and where we want to be in the future.
I am in my late 40’s and I am a proud member of the BTS Army. If you have been living under a rock, BTS is a seven-member boy band from South Korea who has been capturing the hearts of millions of people around the globe. Mind you, joining fan clubs is atypical of me. In fact, it is the first time I ever joined a fandom in my whole life. Although the Bangtan boys are handsome and very talented, especially when you are watching them perform with their in-sync choreography; those are not the sole reasons why I love BTS. There are many artists out there who are equally or even more good-looking and talented than the seven boys, but there are deeper reasons why the group has caught my fancy and are breaking international barriers.
How I Found Out About BTS
I first learned about BTS when I heard my teenage son listening to one song over and over again. The song was Boy with Luv by BTS with Halsey. Although I like the melody of the song, being the authoritative parent that I am, I quickly check the English translation of the lyrics of the song. Yes, I do that. I screen songs, games, TV shows and other media content that my child is into. My belief is that media content has an effect on the subconscious mind of a child. Too much violence, inappropriate sexual content and offensive languages can have a negative impact on the well-being of a child. Since I found the lyrics wholesome, I let him be.
During that time, BTS was already gaining popularity in the west. So, imagine my surprise when I began seeing news about them from publications that I follow. Just a quick background, I don’t normally read the mainstream news because it is full of negativity. I am also not much into entertainment news. My leisure time was limited to the two-hours I allot each night watching two episodes of Korean Dramas. I do stock options trading so I mostly read business and economic news from Economic Times, Fortune, Forbes , The Wall Street Journal and the likes. And I’ve noticed that since that year, BTS with their company Big Hit Entertainment, now rebranded as Hybe Labels, always shows up in business and economic articles. So, that’s when I began to read about them.
The BTS Story
Humble Beginnings
I have nothing but admiration for people who are able to succeed despite their humble beginnings. And BTS did exactly that. The Kpop industry is infamously known for its years of strict and intensive training from packed schedules, extreme diets to the pressure it subjects its trainees. To be able to complete training and debut as a Kpop artist is already an achievement by itself. What is more laudable is that BTS had to undergo all this without the financial support and influential backing of a big entertainment company. In fact, Big Hit Entertainment was already on the verge of bankruptcy then. There are even stories about how BTS performances were shortened and even cut from broadcast by major television networks. What is worse is that there was even an instance where they were humiliated live during an interview. It is so easy to give up given such circumstances, but they did not. Instead they used the hate, discrimination and criticisms as fuel to hone their skills. Bounded together with a common dream, the group had to overcome struggles not just in their professional lives but also in their personal lives as well.
Commendable Achievements
Today, eight years after their debut, BTS is now a global phenomenon. As I write this, they dominate 70% of the uppermost tier of the World Album Charts. They broke numerous records from Billboard charts to different music awards in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Their names can even be found in the Guinness Book of World Records 18 times. A joint study conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture & Tourism state that their song Dynamite alone was able to bring US$1.43 billion dollars in the South Korean economy and was able to generate 7,928 jobs in the middle of the pandemic. To be able to accomplish all these at such young ages is truly remarkable. And to be able to use your talent to be a blessing to others is really commendable.
One of the reasons why BTS became so popular is that a lot of people resonate with the lyrics. The messages are familiar. Thus, listeners are hit on an emotional level. Most of the songs nowadays talk about the same topics – love, friendships, breakups and death. But BTS songs are different. Yes, they also talk about love and friendships but they go beyond that. They talk about hope, aspirations, dreams, challenges, happiness and struggles in life. They even took it further by talking about mental health, social issues and challenging the status quo. Because of the messages of their songs, they were even invited not once but twice by the United Nations General Assembly to be the guest speakers in front of member representatives from 193 different countries for their Love Myself Campaign.
Here are inspirational quotes from some of their songs:
DREAMS and GOALS – “What is the you that you dreamed of? Who do you see in the mirror? I gotta say, Go on your path. Even if you live for a day, do something. Put away your weakness. “- No More Dream
HARD WORK and SACRIFICE – “I worked all night, every day while you were out clubbing” – Dope
HOPE – “The morning will come; No darkness no season is eternal.” – Spring Day
LOVE YOURSELF – “I’m the one I should love in this world, shining me, precious soul of mine. I finally realized so I love me, not so perfect but so beautiful.” – Epiphany
Diverse Genres
If you are going to compare my BTS playlist to that of my son, one will be surprised that only about 20% of the songs are the same. That is because BTS music is so diverse that they have released songs from multiple genres.
To illustrate, my son is more into contemporary music such as pop, club music and rap. His favorites include:
My point, whatever generation you belong to or whatever preferences you have for music, BTS has something to offer.
Hidden References
No BTS song is a stand-alone, meaning everything is connected to something else. Every frame in a music video is full of clues and secret messages that refer to either a past song or the personal life of a member. They also give hints of future works or releases. Sometimes, the intro of a song is connected to an outro of a past song. Not only that, their songs give references to specific books. For example, the whole Map of The Soul series is derived from Carl Jung’s analytical psychology on the Map of the Soul.
As a result, their songs are like embarking on a journey with the member’s personal and professional lives whether individually or as a group. And in each step of the journey, they never failed to include the BTS Army in the depths of their narratives.
So watching a BTS music video is no longer just for entertainment purposes alone. It is like solving a puzzle or a mystery. You have to look for clues and hidden meanings. It is thrilling and mind-boggling. And sometimes, one needs to read books to fully understand the meaning of it all.
BTS Personality
Authenticity
There are millions of BTS content in every social media application out there. Unlike other artists wherein content is limited to videos of them on stage or pictures taken by paparazzi; BTS has as many videos of them off-stage as well as on-stage from the time since they were newbies. One thing worth noticing is that the boys are consistent with their behaviors. How they acted a decade ago is exactly the same as it is today. Each member is so funny. They laugh at the silliest of things. They fight over food. The maknaes are always goofing around. And their hyungs are trying hard to maintain order in the group. I love how each one has a unique personality that complements the group.
It’s so easy to fake a personality for a while but to be consistent for almost a decade, that’s no longer fake. Those are really their personalities. They are not afraid to show their weaknesses. That’s why a lot of people can relate. They are not some idol on a pedestal, they are just normal human beings like you and me.
A Way to Connect
One good thing about them is that there is actually a way to connect with them through V-live. Sometimes, the group or a member of the group will go live and talk and just answer questions from fans. I have seen how fans will literally tell their problems and struggles in life and the member will do his best to answer and give advice based on his personal experiences. How cool is that!
BTS Army
But what I love the most about them is their positive effect on their fans.
The BTS Army is the official fan club of the septet. Already millions strong, it is not just your typical fandom. It is a community. With a common goal of helping the septet reach out to unchartered territories. Legions of fans helped translate BTS song lyrics and video contents into several languages to ensure that BTS gets introduced to new audiences and be internationally recognized.
But what’s special about the Army is that they go beyond supporting the group. Since BTS is also popular for their philanthropic works, it is not surprising that BTS Army is not far behind. When BTS launched the Love Myself Campaign with UNICEF, BTS Army made individual donations to UNICEF on the individual members’ birthdays. When BTS donated $1 million dollars to Black Lives Matter, Army matched that amount and donated a few days later.
True, there is always a toxic minority in every fandom that gives the organization a bad reputation. But as a whole, this passionate fandom has been using their influence for positive change. They helped Korean orphans be sent to school. They raised money to bring medical help to Syrian refugees, to provide clean water to families, to help LGBTQ refugees living in poverty, to donate 100 cameras to assist kids in Kenya learn about photography and to donate toys to children suffering from cancer.
BTS Effect
On a personal level, I too have experienced first hand the positive effect of BTS.
For one, BTS served as a bridge between what seemed to be a widening gap between an adolescent and a parent relationship. This is not only true for me but to my friends as well. BTS made it possible for parents and their children to reconnect and create a deeper bond with one another.
Second, BTS served as role models and inspiration for many. Seeing how they were able to survive and conquer their difficulties gave their fans hope to never give up and fight for their dreams. Their messages are very inspiring especially during this pandemic. If there is anything, they showed people that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and that dreams do come true.
In addition, it is not just their passion for their craft and determination to succeed. Fans also learned to love themselves. I personally witnessed the positive changes BTS had on my child. My son started taking care of himself. Drinking lots of water, having a skin care routine, reading books, being fashionable, finding his passion, working hard and not giving up are just some of the habits he had adapted for himself with BTS as his role models. As a parent, I am truly grateful for that.
“Kim Namjoon! Kim Seokjin! Min Yoongi! Jung Hoseok! Park Jimin! Kim Taehyung! Jeon Jungkook! BTS!”
How about you? Are you a member of BTS Army too? I would love to hear why you love BTS too.
