What’s the Big Deal With Traveling? by Jared Jaureguy

Photo by yousef alfuhigi on Unsplash

In today’s culture, many young people are placing a high priority on travel. Now more than ever, colleges and jobs are giving people the opportunity to travel abroad and see the rest of the world. While some people find this priceless, others may see it as a waste of expenses. So why should you travel?

Become More Globally Conscious

One of the biggest benefits to traveling is the idea of global citizenship. In this theory, you begin to dissolve the borders you were born in and become more conscious of the struggles and lifestyles of people all around the world. So often, people only really look at the methods of living they were born into, and are essentially clueless to everything else outside of their bubble. This ignorance can lead to some unconscious bias and prejudice, both of which are incredibly difficult to overcome.

On top of overcoming your own biases and prejudices, traveling also helps you become more aware of the things the world needs. Across the globe, there are struggles for equality, housing, adequate food, and even basic human rights. In America, these things can be incredibly difficult to see. By traveling abroad, you can see the struggles the world at large goes through and become more sympathetic to other people’s struggles. This sympathy tends to make you a better person overall, and will push you to make better changes that benefit the world around you. Getting a glimpse of the beautiful world you live in expands your horizons and forces you to look outside of yourself, leading to many improved changes.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Another huge benefit of traveling is that it gets you out of your comfort zone. If you stay in one place your whole life, doing the same basic things you have always been told to, you’re never going to grow as a person. By pushing yourself into an area where you aren’t as sure of yourself and are forced to rely on others for help, you become a stronger individual and a more complete person overall. Learning how to manage this discomfort builds confidence, and that confidence will stick with you through the rest of your life.

Traveling to another country often forces you to not only lean on others for help, but also stretch your mind to a new height for the best success. If you don’t adapt to the culture you’re surrounded by, you’ll end up being miserable the entire time. If you don’t make an effort to learn the language and communicate for yourself, you’ll be stuck relying on other people for every little thing you need. By forcing yourself out of your comfortable homey bubble, you not only stretch your mental capacity, but also hone your socioeconomic skills as well.

Immerse Yourself in New Experiences

Finally, traveling is a whole lot of fun. When you immerse yourself in the culture of the place you’re staying, you’ll have some of the best times of your life. No matter where you visit, the people you’ll meet will be able to show you the rich culture they’ve lived with their entire lives, and that experience will be well worth the trip.

No matter what your personal brand of adventure is, you’ll be able to meet it while traveling. When you’re out on your own in a new place, you’re free to experience all the world has to offer. The things you’ll see and do will be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before, and you’ll be growing as a person and as a citizen of this planet while you do them. The memories you make will stay with you forever, and the lessons you learn will help you through the rest of your life.

Overall, travelling not only gives you life lessons that would be incredibly difficult to learn while at home, but also experiences that are truly a one in a lifetime chance. If you’re looking to become a better person while having the time of your life, travel abroad at some point.