There are many reasons why you should travel the world. My love of travel was instilled in me by my mother. As a child, every summer we would pack up and visit someplace new, whether it was a different country within the Caribbean or North America. It was something that I looked forward to at the end of every school year. My current dream is to visit all fifty states and at least 20 different countries before my 50th birthday.
Many people express that the reason they donât travel is that itâs too expensive, but I say if you really want to get out and explore the world, youâll find a way to do so. As a matter of fact, Iâve shared ways to travel when youâre flat broke, how to save money for a surprise vacation, and even how to make a vacation budget.
However, if those donât invite you to get out and find your wanderlust, here are my five reasons you should traverse the world.
Expand Your HorizonÂ
Donât let your prejudice get in the way of visiting another country, despite what you may have heard, or donât understand. When you travel and explore other countries, not only do you get to see their culture personally, but you also know why they act and do things their way. Immerse yourself in the culture and take a few steps in their proverbial shoes. Youâll be wiser for it.
New Experiences
Youâre never going to know if you like something if you havenât tried it, right? After all, youâre traveling the world to experience something new. So why eat the same old, boring pasta that you can eat at any restaurant at home? Or just lounging around on the beach. Try ziplining or even parasailing. Eat that jerk chicken in Jamaica and that curry in India. Experience all the new things that are available and take a step out of your comfort zone for once.
Meet New People/Friends
Who doesnât love making new friends? Especially friends all over the world? How cool is that? Itâs great connecting with others and inviting them to experience your world. Youâll also have friends who would be more than willing to share their own little part of the world with you. Now you have something that other tourists may not have. Itâs a good way to really see the world through the eyes of a local; after all, they know where all the good stuff is located.
Learn a New Language
So this one might be a bit tougher, because while you may not indeed learn a new language, you may very well learn a few new words or phrases such as âhello,â âplease,â and âthank you,â and we almost all want to know âwhere is the bathroom?â Showing that you have an interest in their language and are willing to give it a try will endear you to the locals, since theyâll appreciate your wanting to know more about them and their culture. So go ahead and yell âbonjourâ all throughout France!
A Sense of Appreciation
My mother would always say, âYou may think you have it bad, but thereâs always someone out there who has it worse than you do.â I never truly understood what she meant until I visited a particular Caribbean island and saw the kids having fun without shoes; they had no internet connection, but they were still happy. My own kids would have been complaining that there was no wi-fi connection. It just goes to show that you never truly appreciate what you have until you see others enjoying substantially less. So before you start complaining that your barista didnât make your latte just right, remember that there are those who donât even have clean drinking water.
So start saving some cash or travel on a budget if you have to, but no matter what you do, get out there and navigate the world in 2019!
