While there are a lot of people out there who don’t like to travel—who don’t like to leave their hometowns, who don’t like to go new places because it stresses them out—there is also quite a large quantity of people who love to travel. People who love to go new places and experience new things and try new foods. To see life from the perspective of someone who lives somewhere that isn’t home.
Going somewhere you haven’t been before opens your eyes to so much. So many new opportunities of life. New activities that maybe aren’t offered where you’re from because of lack of resources or other reasons. New foods that you didn’t know were even a thing. New people. New sights. New sounds. New smells.
Something that has been on my bucket list ever since I can remember has been to visit every country, every state in the United States and every province in Canada, before I die. I realize it’s a bit farfetched, but hey. Nothing is impossible, right? I mean, at the slender age of nineteen, I can already cross off seven countries and six states (not including Canada because I went there when I was really young and I cannot remember it, and not counting the states I’ve been in solely because of connecting flights).
I want to say, that if you ever get the opportunity to travel, take it. I spent three months in London my senior year of high school/sophomore year of college (long story) and it was one of he best decisions of my life. I don’t regret one second of any of it. I got to see so much; I traveled all over England and Scotland, as well was Prague and Paris. I’ve been to Mexico three times and I’ve been multiple places in the United States.
Always take the opportunity to travel is ever presented. Or even save your money and plan something. Don’t worry what others will say or think. Find a friend, or go on your own, and just go. Live. Breathe. See. Experience. You won’t regret a minute of it.
Sometimes, you don’t really get to know who you are or what you want to do with the rest of your life until you get the opportunity to travel and see more of what the world has to offer. If you only get to see what your hometown has for you, then how can you ever be expected to decide on one career for the rest of your life?
There is so much out there that we are all missing out on because we’re either too scared to go alone, or we’re “too busy” with things like school or work. Take a year off. Save up some money. Hell, take out some loans. Do whatever you can to make sure you see more than your little corner of the world. Home isn’t a place. It’s the people you feel most comfortable with. It’s where you can be the best you there is to offer. So yeah, maybe where you live is “home.” But is it really where your heart is meant to be? Is it really home?