Everyone has something that's their "thing." From a sport to a hobby, we all have something that we cherish greatly. Usually, this "thing" makes you feel like nothing else does. For me, traveling is what makes me experience a type of happiness that is like no other.
There's something about sitting on a plane and arriving at a new place, that makes my stomach do twirls. Travel has turned into my all-consuming passion, my first love. I've always grown up with a craving to see the world. I was fortunate enough to go on many family vacations to different parts of the world all through out my childhood. But what really sparked my passion was my month abroad living with a family in Italy through Rotary youth exchange. This experience opened up my eyes to a whole new perspective on life. I became completely fascinated by different cultures and all of the different types of personalities in the world. I believe that seeing the world is more educational than a high school or college class.
By being exposed to new places, people and cultures, I get to develop a wider world view. Getting away from home gives me the opportunity to reflect on both my life and the world around me. I'm the type of person who often feels like I'm stuck in a rut in my daily life. I yearn for something exciting and different. Traveling gives me the chance to experience new challenges. It's the ideal place to test yourself. It pushes me to my limits and gets me outside my comfort zone.
Although it's a cliché, traveling truly does give you a sense of freedom and adventure. It enables us to get away from our normal life style and gain the knowledge of everything we don't see on a day to day base. I often question the meaning behind life and one thing that I always come back to is us humans were meant to move around and interact with one another. The souls you meet along the way will forever leave an imprint on you.
Our society is so heavily reliant on social media that we tend to forget about face to face interactions. You can't experience life via instagram. Being stuck in a daily routine tends to make me feel negative about humanity. It's traveling that restores my hope in people. The news doesn't tell enough about the good in life. That's why getting out there and actually seeing it for yourself is so important. I decided to dedicate my life to traveling as I major in international business. I hope to always feel as alive and free as I do when traveling. I can't wait to spend a life time meeting new people, gaining knowledge of different cultures and truly finding myself.
