--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't classify myself as the first…" description: "\"I don't classify myself as the first space tourist because I wasn't as though I paid and had a holiday out of it - although I had a fab time.\" — Helen ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg" --- # I don't classify myself as the first space tourist because… ![“I don't classify myself as the first space tourist because I wasn't as though I paid and had a holiday out of it - although I had a fab time.” quote by Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg) > “I don't classify myself as the first space tourist because I wasn't as though I paid and had a holiday out of it - although I had a fab time.” [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She distinguishes herself from being a true space tourist, emphasizing the work aspect over leisure. **In simple terms:** She sees herself as a professional, not a tourist. Key Takeaway Recognize the purpose behind extraordinary experiences. Themes space travel identity purpose Mood contemplative analytical Type explanatory reflective When to use this quote - career decisions - public speaking - space industry marketing Key Concepts professionalism tourism personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What defines a 'tourist' in extreme contexts? - Does purpose diminish enjoyment? A Different Perspective The line between work and leisure can blur, challenging definitions of tourism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiday/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tourist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tourist/) ## Related quotes > [“Except I wasn’t paid not to have feelings. I had broken my own spirit for free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-schiff/except-i-wasn-t-paid-not-to-have-feelings-i-had-broken-my-own-spirit/) Rebecca Schiff > [“It wouldn't be so bad, really, if I wasn't paid so shit, if there wasn't the constant misgendering, if I didn't work in both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-evans/it-wouldn-t-be-so-bad-really-if-i-wasn-t-paid-so-shit-if-there-wasn-t/) [Alison Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-evans/) > [I did albums for Cash Money. I didn't do singles - I did whole albums for Cash Money - and at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mannie-fresh/i-did-albums-for-cash-money-i-didn-t-do-singles-i-did-whole-albums/) [Mannie Fresh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mannie-fresh/) > [A lot of people considered my career as an artist largely over. Two albums got shelved. But I've made music since I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-posner/a-lot-of-people-considered-my-career-as-an-artist-largely-over-two/) [Mike Posner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-posner/) > [“It's easy to identify tourists on Edinburgh's Royal mile. They're the ones bound in knitted scarves, wearing puffa jackets and woolly hats no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-bennett/it-s-easy-to-identify-tourists-on-edinburgh-s-royal-mile-they-re-the/) [Gabriella Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-bennett/) > [To be a tourist is to escape accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/to-be-a-tourist-is-to-escape-accountability/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“I began to think of myself as a perennial tourist. There was something agreeable about this. To be a tourist is to escape accountability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-began-to-think-of-myself-as-a-perennial-tourist-there-was-something/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Traveling for modeling has been great, but I never really have much time to live the tourist life while in all the different cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rila-fukushima/traveling-for-modeling-has-been-great-but-i-never-really-have-much/) [Rila Fukushima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rila-fukushima/) > [Gloucester's not some chi-chi tourist town. It's a working-class seaport: a no-kidding-around down-and-dirty place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-horovitz/gloucester-s-not-some-chi-chi-tourist-town-it-s-a-working-class/) [Israel Horovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-horovitz/) > [“She was a stranger in her own life, a tourist in her own body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/she-was-a-stranger-in-her-own-life-a-tourist-in-her-own-body/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [Jamaica's a country of great dichotomy. On the one hand you have a tourist industry with great beaches and resorts, but on the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/jamaica-s-a-country-of-great-dichotomy-on-the-one-hand-you-have-a/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [China is one of those vast, continental conglomerates that... I mean, if they were to start a tourist trade in China, they'd just bus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-albarn/china-is-one-of-those-vast-continental-conglomerates-that-i-mean-if/) [Damon Albarn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-albarn/) > [“Everyone just laughed. But then, I closed my eyes and deeply thought about the story of the tourist, deeply thinking about that story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuki-takaya/everyone-just-laughed-but-then-i-closed-my-eyes-and-deeply-thought/) [Natsuki Takaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuki-takaya/) > [There's a new tourist born every minute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murray/there-s-a-new-tourist-born-every-minute/) [James Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murray/) > [From a tourist's point of view, you finally have time to travel, but you need to spend your time looking after your child. Club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guo-guangchang/from-a-tourist-s-point-of-view-you-finally-have-time-to-travel-but/) [Guo Guangchang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guo-guangchang/) ## More by Helen Sharman > [I'm not going into infinity. I'm going into low earth orbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-m-not-going-into-infinity-i-m-going-into-low-earth-orbit/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [While we've taken seeds into space, and astronauts on the International Space Station have eaten lettuce they've grown, we haven't produced fruit in space,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/while-we-ve-taken-seeds-into-space-and-astronauts-on-the/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [The advice I was given was just to make sure you look out of the window occasionally. It's something no astronaut ever gets tired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/the-advice-i-was-given-was-just-to-make-sure-you-look-out-of-the/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [Britain should definitely be part of a Mars mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/britain-should-definitely-be-part-of-a-mars-mission/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [I get standing ovations at meetings when I say Britain should be involved in human spaceflight. Unfortunately, that goal has been blocked by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-get-standing-ovations-at-meetings-when-i-say-britain-should-be/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [It's very exciting that people could actually live on another planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/it-s-very-exciting-that-people-could-actually-live-on-another-planet/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [During launch, the outside of the rocket is covered in a protective fairing, so we couldn't see outside, but as soon as that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/during-launch-the-outside-of-the-rocket-is-covered-in-a-protective/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [We should be pushing our boundaries. After all, we Britons are explorers and adventurers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/we-should-be-pushing-our-boundaries-after-all-we-britons-are/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [From space, the earth appears predominantly blue; the clouds are brilliant white. Surprisingly, you don't see much green, although Ireland looks green, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/from-space-the-earth-appears-predominantly-blue-the-clouds-are/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [You don't go into space just for the science. Economically, it is not worth it. I think the reason we should be in space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/you-don-t-go-into-space-just-for-the-science-economically-it-is-not/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [The view from space is really very special. From the window, you can look back at the Earth and see the stars around you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/the-view-from-space-is-really-very-special-from-the-window-you-can/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [I would much rather fly on Soyuz than the shuttle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-would-much-rather-fly-on-soyuz-than-the-shuttle/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [I operated a periscopic TV camera so the commander, Anatoly Artsebarsky, could establish where we were heading. It is real teamwork on Soyuz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-operated-a-periscopic-tv-camera-so-the-commander-anatoly/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [I hope there will be continued U.K. investment in human spaceflight to enable Britain to benefit from space travel in the longer term and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-hope-there-will-be-continued-u-k-investment-in-human-spaceflight-to/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) > [There is very little difference between men and women in space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/there-is-very-little-difference-between-men-and-women-in-space/) [Helen Sharman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) [Explore all 31 Helen Sharman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/) ## More First quotes > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [I watched the movie 'What We Do in the Shadows' in a packed theater when it first came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/i-watched-the-movie-what-we-do-in-the-shadows-in-a-packed-theater/) [Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/) > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Our fashion for us, it's an expression; first of all of life, I put all of myself in my fashion. Sometimes it's good, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefano-gabbana/our-fashion-for-us-it-s-an-expression-first-of-all-of-life-i-put-all/) [Stefano Gabbana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefano-gabbana/) > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [We do need different types of propulsion to get to Mars. I wrote one of the first Ph.D. theses on that in the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-do-need-different-types-of-propulsion-to-get-to-mars-i-wrote-one/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [The first draft is usually junk. You have to work on it seven to eight times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-subramanian/the-first-draft-is-usually-junk-you-have-to-work-on-it-seven-to-eight/) [Ravi Subramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-subramanian/) > [When I first started, all the reviews of Cold Chisel would say, 'This singer won't have a voice in six months.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/when-i-first-started-all-the-reviews-of-cold-chisel-would-say-this/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I first got into boxing when I was quite young. I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) Browse all 9,159 First quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't classify myself as the first space tourist because I wasn't as though I paid and had a holiday out of it - although I had a fab time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Sharman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-space-tourist-because-i-wasn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-space-tourist-because-i-wasn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/helen-sharman-20410_first_i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-spa_690748.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't classify myself as the first space tourist because I wasn't as though I paid and had a holiday out…” — Helen Sharman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Helen Sharman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-sharman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't classify myself as the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-space-tourist-because-i-wasn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-sharman/i-don-t-classify-myself-as-the-first-space-tourist-because-i-wasn-t/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```