Learning by Going: Transformative Learning through Long-term Independent Travel

397 Pages·2019·5.029 MB·English

by  Birgit Phillips

Birgit Phillips
Learning by Going:
Transformative
Learning through
Long-term
Independent Travel
Learning by Going: Transformative Learning
through Long-term Independent Travel
Birgit Phillips
Learning by Going:
Transformative
Learning through
Long-term
Independent Travel
Birgit Phillips
Graz, Austria
Printed with the support of the Austrian Research Association.
This work received the Patricia Cranton Distinguished Dissertation Award for Out-
standing Contribution to a Living Theory of Transformative Learning, presented at the
XIII Transformative Learning Conference (2018) at Columbia University, New York.
ISBN 978-3-658-25772-9 ISBN 978-3-658-25773-6 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-25773-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019935539
Springer VS
© Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, part of Springer Nature 2019
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Acknowledgements

This book is the culmination of a long and challenging journey that started more than a dec-
ade ago. I would like to thank a number of people who guided me along the way and helped
me complete this thesis successfully.
I would first like to thank my professors and colleagues in the Lifelong Learning Doctoral
Program for their support and constructive ideas and suggestions that enhanced my schol-
arship. Most of all, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors, Prof. Lenz and
Prof. Baumgartner, for their advice and guidance, as well as their patience throughout this
long process.
I would also like to express my gratitude to my friends and family for their support and en-
couragement. To my adorable children, Mayalin and Sammy, for bringing joy and happiness
to every day of my life, and to my husband Mike for standing by me through every step of
this journey.
Finally, I owe a deep debt of gratitude to all of the travelers who gave so generously of their
time and shared their many stories with me, which have been both an education and a cno-
tinuing inspiration for me. I wish you all continuedh appy travels!
Table of Contents
1 Setting the Scene ......................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Guiding research questions .................................................................................... 2
1.3 Rationale for the study ............................................................................................ 2
1.4 Situating the researcher .......................................................................................... 6
1.5 Research approach ................................................................................................. 8
1.6 Organization of the thesis ..................................................................................... 10
2 Identity, Self and Transformation ............................................................................. 13
2.1 Conceptualizing identity and self ........................................................................... 13
2.2 Identity in a postmodern context ........................................................................... 15
2.3 The narrative construction of self .......................................................................... 20
2.4 Transformation and learning ................................................................................. 23
2.5 Long-term independent travel as a form of lifelong learning .................................. 37
2.6 Summary .............................................................................................................. 41
3 The Evolution of Long-term Independent Travel ..................................................... 43
3.1 A brief sketch of independent travel from ancient times to the late 20th century .... 43
3.2 From drifters to flashpackers ................................................................................. 47
3.3 Introducing LITs .................................................................................................... 61
3.4 Summary .............................................................................................................. 66
4 Transformative Travel ................................................................................................ 67
4.1 Before travel: Motivational dimensions .................................................................. 71
4.2 During travel: Cross-cultural learning .................................................................... 87
4.3 After travel: Reentry .............................................................................................. 95
4.4 Summary ............................................................................................................ 104
5 Methodology ............................................................................................................ 105
5.1 The research paradigm: An interpretive approach .............................................. 105
5.2 Data collection methods ...................................................................................... 109
5.3 Participant demographics.................................................................................... 121
5.4 Interpreting the empirical data ............................................................................. 126
5.5 Validating the accuracy of findings ...................................................................... 128
5.6 Summary ............................................................................................................ 130
6 Findings .................................................................................................................... 131
7 Reaching the Tipping Point ..................................................................................... 133
VIII Table of Contents
7.1 Seed experiences ............................................................................................... 136
7.2 Lifestyle dissonance ............................................................................................ 141
7.3 Trigger experiences ............................................................................................ 148
7.4 Final obstacles – Preparing for the unexpected .................................................. 156
7.5 Anticipated rewards ............................................................................................ 161
7.6 Summary ............................................................................................................ 167
8 Experiences on the Road ........................................................................................ 169
8.1 Encounters with nature ....................................................................................... 170
8.2 Encounters with the self ...................................................................................... 179
8.3 Encounters with local cultures ............................................................................. 191
8.4 Encounters with the traveler culture .................................................................... 226
8.5 Outcomes ........................................................................................................... 266
9 Post-travel Experiences and Learning Outcomes ................................................. 275
9.1 Pre-return expectations ....................................................................................... 275
9.2 Smooth sailing and the honeymoon phase ......................................................... 281
9.3 Facing the friends and family .............................................................................. 284
9.4 Cultural value dissonance ................................................................................... 310
9.5 From theory into practice .................................................................................... 315
9.6 Striking a proper work-life balance ...................................................................... 318
10 Final Learning Outcomes ........................................................................................ 327
10.1 Cultural and personal meaning-making ............................................................... 327
10.2 Who am I? .......................................................................................................... 331
10.3 Communication Skills .......................................................................................... 333
10.4 On stories and storytellers .................................................................................. 338
10.5 Summary of LITs’ (transformative) learning outcomes ........................................ 340
11 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 341
11.1 Answering research questions ............................................................................ 341
11.2 Theoretical implications ...................................................................................... 345
11.3 Critical evaluation and future research directions ................................................ 354
11.4 Practical implications .......................................................................................... 357
References ....................................................................................................................... 361
Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 385
List of Tables and Figures

List of Tables
Table 1. Phases of transformative learning ........................................................................ 29
Table 2. Systems Theory of Intercultural Reentry ............................................................. 103
Table 3. Interviews and Questionnaires ............................................................................ 121
Table 4. LIT’s educational background .............................................................................. 123
Table 5. LIT’s Key Characteristics ..................................................................................... 124

List of Figures
Figure 1. U-Curve: Adjustment to a new culture over time .................................................. 89
Figure 2. W-Cure: Stages of transition shock ..................................................................... 96
Figure 3: 1st round LITs’ nationalities ................................................................................ 121
Figure 4: 2nd round LITs’ Nationalities .............................................................................. 122
Figure 5: The transformative learning process in long-term independent travel ................. 132
Figure 6: Reaching the tipping point .................................................................................. 135
Abstract
In the last twenty years, academic interest in long-term independent travel has been on the
rise. However, most researchers have focused primarily on motivations and travel behaviors,
with little attention paid to the post-travel experience and long-term effects on traveler values
and identities. In terms of the effects of the travel experience on the travelers themselves,
this is a significant oversight, as it is the return to their home cultures which compels travel-
ers to truly process the lessons they have learned on the road and figure out how to inte-
grate these new ideas into their lives. Therefore, this paper is an attempt to fill this research
gap by exploring the complete travel experience, from initial motivations all the way to post-
travel reintegration and the long-term effects on the travelers’ values and behaviors. Thus,
the goal of this paper was to explore the potential of long-term independent travel to foster
transformative learning and personal growth.
To this end, the overall travel experience was divided into three phases—pre-travel motiva-
tions, experiences on the road, and the post-travel phase, including a period up to thirteen
years after the actual travel experience. For each phase, both the learning mechanisms and
outcomes were investigated in an effort to identify typical patterns and themes both within
and across the three phases. The paper is grounded in transformative learning theory, which
focuses on how life experiences lead to significant changes in an individual’s meaning struc-
tures, perspectives, and, ultimately, identity. It also draws on various theoretical perspectives
on intercultural learning and adaptation. Furthermore, the paper is situated in the narrative
identity paradigm, which conceptualizes identities as continuously evolving narratives into
which individuals integrate new experiences with an ultimate goal of creating and maintain-
ing a coherent sense of self.
In line with the focus on narrative, the travelers’ own stories were deemed the most appro-
priate access point into the travelers’ experiences and shifting meaning schemes. Therefore,
empirical data was gathered primarily via two rounds of semi-structured interviews with trav-
elers who had a minimum of six months of independent travel experience. In this context,
“independent” was defined as moving from one location to the next with little or no fixed or
pre-determined itinerary. The first round of interviews included 41 subjects, while the second
round, which took place 6 to 13 years after the first interview, consisted of 23 follow-up inter-
views or tailored questionnaires. In addition, these interviews were supplemented by email
XII Abstract
correspondence, travel blog and social media research and several years of participant ob-
servation, which enabled the incorporation of autoethnographic research elements as well.
The results show that the complete process of long-term independent travel is replete with
learning opportunities which have a powerful and enduring effect on those who engage in
this form of travel. Through meaningful interaction with other cultures, travelers learn im-
portant lessons about themselves, their cultures, and the world as a whole that lead to dra-
matic alterations in personal value systems and identity constructs. In particular, the data
indicates significant enhancements in critical thinking, self-awareness, self-efficacy, and
adaptability. In addition, by expanding perspectives, long-term independent travelers seem
to develop increased open-mindedness, empathy, tolerance and overall intercultural and
interpersonal communication skills.