I have had the great fortune of traveling throughout much of South and Central America in my short life and every trip has brought something invaluable to my life. Some of my trips have been months long, while others have been one or two weeks. But it never matters how long I am in a new place because my experiences, and even more so the people, stay with me forever. I firmly believe that everyone should take some time in their life to travel. To explore those places that tug at their heart strings. To take a step out of their comfort zone and see what this big world has to offer in a place different than their own. I can say that the first time I went out of the country I was ecstatic. Every time after that has only been full of more excitement and anticipation. I want to share some of that with you, so here are five reasons everyone should take a trip out of the country.

1. You will learn a lot about yourself.

I have always believed myself to be a fearless and spontaneous individual but every time I step foot into an airport, knowing I am heading to a new and far away place, I question whether that's true. I have learned that I am not always fearless but that I am capable of overcoming my fear. I have learned that I can be selfish, shy, ignorant, awkward, and a million more things that I wished I didn't know but were necessary to learn and change. I have also learned that I am strong and capable, that I can step out of my comfort zone and connect with people that speak another language and have a different culture. I have learned that there is so much more to my world than just me and that it is so important to learn about others and to experience what it is like to be in someone else's space.

2. You will see a lot of amazing things.

I have been able to see landscapes that brought tears to my eyes. People that were so different from me but stunning in their own ways. I have witnessed weddings, birthday parties, baptisms, and celebrations of all kinds that were foreign and wonderful and took me to a place that my own experience at home never could. I have seen women carrying piles of laundry on their heads up the side of a mountain. Children playing soccer for hours on end. Men working in fields to provide for the meal that evening. I have skied the Andes Mountains, swam in the ocean, witnessed the World Cup stadium being built, and seen thousands of stars out in the middle of a farm in Brazil. The world has so much to offer and we have the opportunity to explore it.

3. You will meet amazing people.

Often times we see the same small set of people every day for years. This isn't a bad thing. We form lasting bonds with the people around us and share many wonderful experiences. But traveling allows you to step outside of that small circle and form bonds with people around the world. I have friends in many different countries that I love dearly and would consider family, regardless of the fact we spent so little time together. I hope that someday my house is too small to contain all the people I have met and loved around the world.

4. You will appreciate your home.

I love the places I have been and the people I have met. I love the rush of traveling, moving from place to place and experiencing new culture. But at the end of each trip when I am boarding a plane to go home there is always a little flutter of excitement to be back. I cry when departing from my new friends and I miss them after I am gone. But being away from home always reaffirms the fact that I love where I have come from and that it will always be a special place in my life. Seeing the way in which other people lives helps me to appreciate and give thanks for all the things I have at home. The rush of the adventure is wonderful and something that I hope to experience for the rest of my life. But the quiet rest of coming home is wonderful in its own right.

5. You will have memories to last a lifetime.

Whether you take on trip or hundreds, the memories you make will stand out forever. Gaining insight into another part of the world is something that you will value and reminisce about for the rest of your life. You will think about the food you ate, what you loved and what you choked down. You will remember the crazy mishaps that scared you to death in the moment but make you laugh when looking back. You will look at photos of the friends you made and wonder where they are now and wish them well. You will laugh at the jokes and the moments of craziness and smile knowing that you were apart of something bigger.

Today's traveling innovations connect the world in a way that people never thought possible. Were it once took months to make it from one place to another it now takes only a few hours. We can go and see more in a weeks time than many people will see in a lifetime. I know that not everyone loves the idea of uprooting their life, for however long a time, and traipsing to another place. But I would encourage all of you, even you home-bodies, to take a chance and set out on a great adventure. You will not regret it!

“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson