Plane, train, boat or car — all ways of getting from one place to another. It doesn’t take much more than a ticket or some gas to get to any destination, so when you stop and think about how simple it is to travel somewhere new, it seems crazy that so many people choose to stay in one place. Some say travel is too expensive, too much effort or too tiring. But, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that traveling to a new place is an invaluable experience that is worth all the money and effort in the world.
Though I didn’t find my passion for travel until I got to college, since I’ve found it, it has grown immensely. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many new cities and even new countries. I was able to spend a month in Europe, roaming the south of England and took a train to Paris for a day. I’ve explored fun cities in the U.S. such as Nashville, Charlotte, Greenville and Colorado Springs. All of these places taught me lessons I never would have learned in a classroom or at work.
Traveling does something to you that I’m not sure can be described until you experience it for yourself. New cities and cultures open your mind to endless possibilities and teach you things about the world around you, but also so much about yourself.
After spending time in England, I learned that despite how awful most people describe our world to be, there are still genuinely good people around the globe. When you experience a new culture, you learn that there are ways of living that are different than your lifestyle, and that’s OK. You gain a new respect for ways of thinking you didn’t have before, and you get to adjust your mindset to those around you.
Traveling to closer cities taught me just as much as going to another country did. Nashville showed me the value of music and how much it can improve people’s lives. Charlotte and Greenville showed me the beauty of cities in the south. And Colorado Springs exposed me to a kind of nature I had never seen before, making me realize that there are things much bigger than me in this great big world.
Home is a place to come back to when you need to feel comforted, but staying in your comfort zone is no way to live a fulfilled life. Visiting unfamiliar places is the only way to truly experience what this world has to offer you. It’s the only way to understand the past and improve the future by learning about other people and places. And it’s the only way to learn about what makes you truly happy.
Don’t let time pass you by as you stay stuck in one place. Give in to your wanderlust, get out in the world and see all you can in the time you have. There is a quote that says, “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” Don’t let your life escape you — get out in the world and find yourself.
