Travel is Education for Living

The truth is that traveling is a privilege. To be able to go somewhere and spend money and do something because you want to, is a privilege. But when you travel because you have to and it is for a better life, you adjust as needed.

The difference between traveling for leisure and moving to a new place are very different. Both teach you valuable lessons and are good to experience with balance.

Traveling can be defined loosely if you want to include exploring new places in your home state you never saw before. It doesn’t need to be going to a new country or new state or place far away from home.

We can learn from just traveling outside of our house in our nature trails or to a new bookstore. Traveling out of our comfort zone is really all we need to do to learn and grow.

In my adventures so far, I have learned many lessons about the world and also about myself. Traveling has a way of exposing you to new places and exposing new places out of you.

These are my biggest travel takeaways:

— Intercultural communication

Being able to understand people around you is an important part of traveling, even if you are just visiting for a short time. Communication is more than just language, it is about accepting their differences, their traditions, their lifestyle and gestures that are different from your own. Letting go of your old ways to adjust as needed, you can learn to adapt to other cultures and use your judgement to do what is best for you.

— Passport privilege

Where you are from matters in this world. The place you are born gives you power to live work and explore new places, whereas some may find it holds them back from traveling. A passport with little restrictions has ultimate freedom to go where they want on this planet. On the other hand, there are passports that will never get accepted because of politics. Acknowledging that my passport has allowed me to travel to different countries and experience new cultures has allowed me to have an open mind and understanding towards others.

— Tourism is a double edge sword

While tourism is a growing industry and brings in lots of revenue for many places, it has plenty of effects and obstacles. Similar to many arguments of our lifetime, is money more important than our planet and people? Tourism can be great for education, cultural awareness and self care, but there is a fine line between what is sustainable and what is destructive. In my opinion, slow travel is the best way to travel for the planet and also for the community. However, many people do not have the vacation days or flexible work life balance to be able to travel for long periods at a time. Unfortunately, most people end up booking trips to places they know little about to just sit on our phones and spend time with the same people. There are better ways to travel and simply by learning and becoming aware before making plans you are already doing better than the rest.

— Make friends and be open

For extroverts this might be self explanatory and happens naturally wherever they go. For the introverts, it will take a little more courage and stepping out of your comfort zone. Whichever you are, being in a new place is always better spent with locals and new friends. Take the time and effort to talk to new people, put yourself out there and enjoy your time to the fullest. When you make friends locally, they can give you advice, show you new places and just be there when you need to talk or want to hang out.

— Practice the language

Language is easy for some and hard for others, so listen to what learning style works best for you. Whether you learn the language fluently or just pick up a few words, it all makes a big difference in your experience. Even without speaking, we can use our non-verbal communication effectively to get by. However, to truly feel immersed with a new culture, learning the language is a crucial aspect to acclamation.

While traveling may be a lot more accessible today, it is still not the same for everyone on this planet. Be aware of yourself and your actions when in a new place to stay safe and also have a better experience overall. Remember that travel is a great way to learn, but that it comes with a price and should always be done with intention and purpose.

Enjoy your next adventure and safe travels!

xoxo

GloboMama