hostels.

going on my experiences with hostels in australia, whereby i treated them as merely places to sleep and grab a shower before i jumped on a bus to my next (more rural) destination, i was a little apprehensive about the concept of spending 3 weeks staying in these places during my time in the states, with little to no 'retreat' to a more 'homely' environment. the contrast between these accomodations; between staying with liberal families in their beautiful and unusual homes, to staying with young, excitable people in new and fast cities, fixed in my mind the attitude that hostels are not the most comfortable places to stay.

hostels can be pretty intimidating places. everyone there is there to have fun. which can make for a good party atmosphere, obviously, but it can also make for a competitive atmosphere. it's like the first week of uni, but all the time. in some situations, it can feel like everyone is out to impress everyone else. the thing is, in a hostel, everyone has an interesting story to tell; they're all travellers! they're all explorers, they're all away from home, they're all trying to make the most of their time in whatever city they find themselves in. some of the more arrogant people don't seem to acknowledge this; that maybe, they're not the most interesting person in the room. during my time in australia, i got this vibe a lot.

however, like a lot of situations, when i started to relax into the environment, i didn't perceive nearly as many negative feelings or attitudes. the first week i spent in the usa, i spent in a hostel. and i didn't ever feel pressured or intimidated or overwhelmed by other people's personalities.

this has been a bit of a rambling entry. but i think the main point is;

if you start to shed your prejudices about an environment or a situation, it can start to appear in a different light. and that light is often worth taking a look at.