Traveling abroad is one of the most important obligations of our generation. It's up to us to broaden our horizons and develop our own senses of worldliness. Traveling abroad opens limitless opportunities for those both in and out of school. Whether it is to immerse yourself in a culture and learn a new language or simply to explore the vast wonders of our planet, traveling is the greatest opportunity we have, and it is up to us to seize that opportunity and venture forth into the world.
1. Expand your comfort zone
Traveling to foreign countries allows you to partake in activities that may push you out of your bubble of comfort and into the clutches of anxiety. Whether this be trying a totally taboo food or participating in an activity that might make you uneasy. I know for me, swimming through Kicker Rock in the Galápagos with hammerhead sharks not even 40 feet below was something that shoved me out of my comfort zone, but looking back on it, I’m so glad I did it. It's important to branch outside of your comfort zone because it's not only exciting, but it also broadens your horizon and develops your sense of openness to future activities.
2. Develop a greater sense of empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Gaining empathy is a very rewarding life skill both in and out of a workplace. It’s not always that easy to be able to understand the problems facing those of a foreign country. The language barrier is tough enough to break through, let alone understanding many of the factors that affect them, including socioeconomic status, religion, and race. Traveling abroad and spending time with people culturally divergent from your own allows you to experience their way of life first hand and gives a better understanding as opposed to seeing biased portrayals by not-always-accurate sources, such as the news. There is no better way to understand the afflictions of others than to, quite literally, walk a mile in their shoes.
3. Learn a foreign language
In reference to the point made about the language barrier, traveling abroad definitely helps when learning a language that is endemic to the land you’re traveling to. Be it Spain, China, Iceland, or even Russia, almost every country has it’s own variation of language. Along with helping connect to the native people, studies have shown that learning, at least, one foreign language improves students’ overall academic development, resulting in higher retention of knowledge and improved test scores. Plus you can pick up on fun sayings from each land. My favorite phrase that I've learned whilst traveling is "þetta reddast" from Iceland, which means "It will all work out okay."
4. See the natural wonders of the world
One of the greatest parts of traveling abroad is being able to experience the gorgeous and awe-inspiring natural wonders of the world. Imagine crystal clear water, gravity-defying towers of sandstone covered with flourishing foliage, and monumental glaciers seemingly ascending into the clouds above. All of these and more await only those adventurous enough to seek them out. These are the places in which creativity thrives. Gorgeous landscapes become backgrounds to your imagination
5. Create life-long memories
The memories gained from venturing out into such a vast and diverse world are as countless as they are priceless. I can speak first-hand from my traveling experiences that the memories I made in Ecuador, Panama, and Iceland will forever take superiority over those made in the states, mainly because of the once-in-a-lifetime situations I was in. From catching the perfect sunset shot on the coast of Santa Catalina in Panama to beating the previous record of the Glacier Push-up Challenge on Falljökull glacier in Iceland, these memories seem almost unreal. The entire traveling abroad process (although potentially stressful) is absolutely life changing. I cannot express enough how wonderful the experiences are that await you on your own journey!
