Have you ever dreamt of travelling the world?
Here are my top three reasons why I think everyone needs to travel…
Expand your knowledge
“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.”
-Mohammed
Travelling gives you the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom – to connect and apply what you’ve learned to the “real world.” Although, you learn new things as well…lessons that can’t quite be taught from textbooks, but rather experienced. As they say, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” So, immerse yourself in the culture…eat the food, listen to the music and speak the language.
When you travel, make sure to talk to locals – listen to their stories and and learn about the political and social problems that confront them. Everything you’ve seen, heard and experienced… it will inspire you to do something. To build, to create, to develop solutions that will improve someone else’s life, on either a small or large scale.
Step out of your comfort zone
“Adventure is worthwhile.”
-Aristotle
In your day-to-day life, everything is familiar, from the people you’re with to your surroundings. You know how to behave and interact with others around you. All of this changes when you embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Nothing is familiar anymore, everything is new and different. And it may seem scary at first, but you will learn that you can connect with others despite our differences.
Travelling will challenge you – to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. You learn to adapt quickly to new environments and become more comfortable public speaking and engaging in conversations. The places you will go, the views you’ll see, and the people you will meet…these moments will take your breath away! And it’s absolutely exhilarating!
Discover the world… and yourself
“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.”
-Frank Borman
Along your travels, you will meet people who will change your life forever. You will see, first-hand, the problems that our world is facing, our people and our environment alike. And you will realize that we all have a responsibility to take care of our planet, and of each other.
All of these experiences will change you. At the end of a grand adventure, you are not the same person as you once were. You see the world differently. You think differently. On your journey of discovering the world, you also end up discovering yourself.
I hope this inspires you to explore the world! If you ever get the opportunity to travel, take it. You won’t be disappointed. As St. Augustine once said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”