The saying and belief “chocolate is good for the soul” has helped me justify many late nights binge-eating it while getting emotionally invested watching a rom-com. Chocolate not only makes my heart happy, but also my stomach. I mean, the quickest way to the heart is through the stomach--right, ladies? However, when visiting the chocolate capital of the world last summer and binge-eating more gourmet chocolate there, I realized what else is good for the soul: traveling.
Brussels, Belgium, is one of the most underrated tourist hot spots, and while traveling there and other destinations in Europe, I realized how much I enjoy traveling and how crucial it is for our lives. Of course, it is easier said than done. Money is always an issue. We cannot always go to the beautiful or exotic places we desire, but whenever I can, I try to travel. Whether that be local cities nearby, or even a new hiking trail, traveling and feeding your wanderlust is so important. The list is endless for why traveling is so important, but here are some reasons why we should try to make time (and maybe more money) to feed our wanderlust:
1. Traveling helps with self discovery
While you’re out in a completely new place, it makes you reflect on your life and yourself in a new perspective. When you’re taken out of your bubble of your everyday life, you can see things with more clarity. In addition, while traveling, you may encounter many obstacles. It forces you to think on your feet and handle unfamiliar situations. As many reviews you may read on trip advisor say, things will not always go as planned. Traveling allows you to embrace change and uncertainty, and while doing so you may learn some things about yourself along the way in this new change of pace.
2. It makes you get out of your comfort zone
Well, if you read my last article, you know how much I am trying to do this. I really want to try new things and take more risks, and traveling is perfect for that. I am deathly afraid of heights, but when going to Santorini, my hotel was literally staggered on a cliff above the ocean, so I had to face my fear of heights... every day. Everywhere you walked on the island you were high above the ocean. During my trip to New Orleans, I tried to embrace the culture by trying new things. I ate many different types of food I never thought I would, like alligator tail and turtle soup. Both of these trips definitely forced me out of my comfort zone because traveling forces you to do so, whether you like it or not.
3. It connects you to other cultures
While visiting Vietnam many years ago, I was able to see and understand where my parents grew up. I was able to expand my mind and see their culture firsthand. Feeling connected to other cultures also helps you become a more empathetic person. You understand why some people are different as you learn and accept more customs. It also helps educate you more with history. When traveling to Brussels, even though this was a small monument, I was able to learn a little more history I might not have known otherwise. In the main plaza of their downtown, there is a statue of a young boy peeing into a fountain, which is called Manneken Pis. This statue resembles the legend of the boy who peed on explosives during wartime in Brussels. He was able to stop it from exploding and, consequently, save the city. While this small statue seems almost hilarious or trivial to us in America, I was able to understand more about Belgian culture and also why a lot of the chocolate sold around the plaza was in the shape of male genitalia.
4. It gives you a break
This one seems obvious, but it is so true. We all need a break. Whether that be from work or even some space from your friends (unless you are traveling with them), traveling helps distance yourself from your everyday life. Sometimes, binge-watching Netflix and binge-eating chocolate doesn’t do the job. Physically getting away from your life can help replenish your energy when you have to get back to school or your job eight hours a day. It forces you to unplug from your iPhone, even just for a little, and unwind from stress.
As I reflect on my travels (and toss out the chocolate bars), I anxiously await my next trip: Turks and Caicos. While cost or time away from work can be something preventing you from traveling, always try to get out there! You never know how your one trip, no matter how short, will change you. All I know is that when I come back from Turks and Caicos, I’ll be tanner, and hopefully a little wiser.
