Growing up with parents that loved to travel was one of the best parts of your childhood. You spent your years anxiously awaiting summer vacations and school breaks to see what adventures they would take you on next. And the times when you weren’t out enjoying the world you would plot as to where you would go next and how to keep this part of your childhood in your life forever because traveling for you wasn’t just going to a fancy resort on a tropical beach with a fruity drink in your hand; it was getting to know the locals and where they lived. Here are just some of the reasons why being a part of a family that is always on the move is one the greatest experiences when growing up.
1. Mastering the navigation of airports
You have been to basically every major airport at some point and know where the good food spots, charger stations, and comfy chairs are (Oh and you’re really good at harassing the airport employees as a result of delayed flights).
2. Seeing sights most people only ever dream of seeing
Whether it be a bird’s eye view of Africa from a hot air balloon, Old Faithful erupting, or street dancers under the Eiffel Tower, you got to see it in real life and not from Facebook videos that people share.
3. And along with number two comes being able to do wild adventurous things
It’s not everyday that you climb Mount Kenya, snorkel in three different oceans, sail on the Atlantic Ocean, or even play a game of soccer with some Costa Rican kids.
4. Appreciating your home more (because you are rarely there)
Coming home after a long trip away becomes one of the best feelings especially when you get to lie in your own bed again.
5. Avoiding the boredom over school breaks
You can always count on being gone over break, which is a good thing because we all know that the anticipation for break is always greater than the feeling of actually being at home on your couch 24/7.
6. Having the best road trip music
From always being on the road, you know the best jams that make you forget about the 12 hour car ride ahead and enjoy the experience instead.
7. Eating (or at least trying) local foods
From weird tropical fruits and mystery meats to a wide variety of beans and rice, you have been exposed to some of the most interesting combinations of food overseas.
8. The people you get to meet
The locals, the people you travel with, and the multiple guides you’ve been with become people you never forget. They become part of the reason you travel; to see their land through their eyes.
9. The amazing views
That moment when you summit a mountain or when you are up early enough to see the first light of day emerge over an ocean can be some of the best views a person can ever experience in life.
10. Experiencing different cultures
The languages you hear when walking down streets, the colorful clothing, the different hairstyles and body piercings are some of the best parts of traveling; getting to see how other cultures express and embrace who they are.
11. Stepping outside of the daily routine
Always being on the move allows you to experience days not bound by a 9-5 schedule and to take some time off from people, who well, push your buttons.
12. You learn a little bit more about yourself every time you travel
You learn what you are good at and not so good at, you learn how to be more independent in certain situations, you gain more people skills, and best of all you allow yourself to get out of that bubble that surrounds your hometown and to see how other people live all over the world.
