Traveling allows you to learn other cultures and different aspects of life that you may not know or be used to. A lot of people don’t get to see and experience other parts of the world, and I think it’s great for someone to at least get to go afar once in their life. It is truly an eye opening experience.

Traveling can be uncomfortable and out of your comfort zone at first, but it’s always nice to get out of your shell, especially if it’s for the better. While you travel, you get to gain a sense of perspective and appreciation for things you may have had no clue about. It gives us exposure to other cultures and allows us to learn about the different foods, dialects, music, and lifestyles that are so unique from one another. Staying in a certain area for your whole life limits yourself from everything that happens in all the different places in the whole world, which prevents you from understanding the heart and celebrations of others. I believe that traveling helps us open up and give respect to cultures, and I think that thinking your lifestyle is the one way of life is not quite right when there are more than 3800 cultures in this world. This is where traveling comes into play and helps you to see this. 

  I’m not saying that you should go across the country, but I’m saying moving around and experiencing different places doesn’t hurt. Studies show that traveling can be great for mental health. We all get overwhelmed and may get sick of our own home, so why not go on a little vacation to clear your mind. Traveling can reduce stress and rather dramatically lower stress levels. According to a study, three days after taking a vacation travelers reported feeling less anxious, well rested, and an improvement in their mood. Interestingly, these benefits stayed for weeks even after the trip had ended. Taking a trip and getting to see different ideas and beliefs can help you expand your creativity and viewpoints. This can help you to allow yourself to learn and apply the things you get to experience through traveling to your own life. When you travel, try to have an open mind to learn and to respect others. Having the right mindset when you travel is vital because through it, you can become more knowledgeable as a person.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to many states and parts of the world. I have lived in Texas my whole life and when I was 11 years old I went on a trip to South Korea, China, and Paris. This was my first vivid memory of traveling out of the country, before then, I was too young to remember. This travel experience was quite eye opening and was difficult for me to process at first. I was so close minded due to only living in one small area, and it revealed to me how there are so many more things to life. During my time there, I struggled and it was hard for me to appreciate all the different cultures that surrounded me. It was quite confronting to see the whole other world that lives before me. Especially when I was in Korea, it was culture shock and it was very hard for me to take in. The respect they have for others and behavior was very different, and as a Korean-American it was nice to see my culture in depth. After my time there, I was able to reflect and truly learn to appreciate all that I was able to learn in such a short amount of time.

Now that you have learned why you should travel, think of some places you may want to go in the future and maybe you can fulfill your journey. Be positive through your travels because it’ll make the experience just that much better. See the good rather than the bad, but have sympathy for the difficulties faced throughout the world. Have respect for others and try to learn about different views in the world, and importantly have fun.