I only recently started going farther than the five feet outside of my house to grab the mail, so I'm no expert at what you need to do when you travel, what you should bring, where you should go, etc., but I can tell you why you should travel.
1. To understand the world better.
You're never going to know any more about the world than what you see on TV, what you've read on the Internet and what your friends tell you if you don't see it for yourself, and seeing it for yourself may change your perspective on it. Each city, each state and each country have different cultures. Have you ever wondered why each state has a different political stance? It's because the culture is different everywhere you go. It's crazy to think that a city has a completely different vibe than the city 40 miles away from it.
2. To become cultured.
Recently, I've been looking into things to do in South Korea because I plan to study abroad there in a couple of years, and I've learned a few things about politeness in South Korea. For example, a common way to greet someone is bowing at a 45° angle, and a polite way is bowing at a 90° angle. South Koreans also shake hands to greet, but the polite way to do it is softly with two hands. It's really interesting how small things we don't really notice mean a lot when it comes to politeness in another country, so it is important to travel to other countries to experience and learn these things yourself in the environment it originated from.
3. To see the beauty of the world.
Last Summer, I went up to Yosemite with my best friend, and it had to be one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. We went on a hike and saw maybe 3 or 4 waterfalls during the whole 16 miles. We even sat at the top of a waterfall. There were so many flowers and plants I had never seen before, but then again, I'm not really plant-literate. We got to sleep under the stars and just be surrounded by natural beauty.
4. To try new food.
One of the reasons why I travel to different cities is to try different food or boba places. I love finding new cafes, especially cute ones, where I can chill and hang out with friends. I've also opened up my taste palette a lot this past year! I've tried a lot of new food from different cultures like Vietnamese food, Taiwanese food, Japanese food, Mexican food and Middle Eastern food. You never know what kind of food you'll become obsessed with if you only stick to what you're eating now.
5. To take a break.
Life becomes routine. We see the same people, we do the same things, we get up at the same time - we become automatic. That's why I travel. To see new sights, smell new smells, try new food, and get away from everything for a little bit.
