Getting to know your own country is an important thing to do for a true patriot. Some say it is done best by travelling around it, others argue there are better ways.

I tend to agree with the former since I am a keen traveller and have experienced that firsthand. You can learn the history of your land from books, memorize images from maps and photos, but it is the people, I believe, that define the country as well as, if not more than the landmarks. Thus, I think, travelling and communicating with people in different places within your country is essential for truly learning about it. Aside from the population, every place has its own atmosphere which can only be felt, but not described.

Some people, however, argue that the facts and numbers are the only thing worth learning about your country. It matters the most, they say, since it is the academic knowledge in its purest form.

The reason I cannot agree with this is quite simple. We are not some data, we are human beings. We live in a society of other human beings. A large, if not the largest part of it is defined by us and by our feelings, and so they are not negligible. The facts, however, can be learned at any desired time and often come by themselves as you are communicating with local people.

Thus, I believe that travelling around your country is the best way to truly learn about it.