International travel is a scary concept to a lot of people. The thought of being in a crowded airport being patted down by TSA, paying for way overpriced airport food, going 30,000(+) feet into the air, flying over an ocean and being in a foreign country where the currency and language are completely different than what you're used to are all very terrifying notions.
Why would anyone ever want to travel internationally? Why would we want to leave what we know for something completely foreign? This past summer I went outside of the US for the first time in my life to Germany. All of those thoughts and questions went through my mind at least once a day for months leading up to the trip. I was scared, worried, happy, excited and nervous all at the same time as I boarded the first flight. I was in Germany for 10 days on a mission trip, and I loved every second of it. Whether it's for a mission trip or just for fun, international travel is a really good thing that I believe everyone should experience, and here is why:
You gain an understanding of how loud Americans are.
We are so loud. It's just our nature. Silence in big public places is awkward to us. Think about if you went to a mall and it was absolutely silent, it would be awkward and uncomfortable right? Not in Europe. You can walk into the most crowded place and hear a pen drop. A big part of that has to do with the way Europeans live compartmentalized lives, but it's also just a part of their nature to be quiet.
Here, if we see our friend across campus, we yell their name loudly or if we are talking on the phone our voice tends to raise a little. If we are in a group and someone says something funny we all let out this loud, obnoxious laugh, and we tend to just speak loudly altogether. It's not a bad thing that we are loud in America, but traveling internationally makes you more aware of how loud we as Americans can be. Next time you go into a public place just take a mental note of how loud it is.
You have a new appreciation for other cultures.
In those 10 short days I was in Germany, I learned a lot about not only German culture but other European cultures as well. Things are very different there, and it is hard to explain to someone who has never traveled internationally. If you've traveled to Europe specifically, you know that refills on your drink at a meal are not a thing. Also, if you want water be sure to ask for still water unless you're into drinking sparkling water because that's what they'll give you.
If you need to use a public restroom, be sure to have a 50 cent euro on you because they charge you to use the bathroom, and don't be surprised if you're walking down the sidewalk and you see someone rolling a joint out in the open because that's legal. I see things every day that remind me of Germany, and I just have this appreciation for their culture that I definitely wouldn't have if I hadn't had gone on that trip.
It teaches you a lot.
I learned so many things on that trip, including life lessons I never would have gotten by staying in the States my whole life. There are countless things that are different from Germany and the US, but this is the most beautiful thing: one day every single nation will bow before the one true God and all of our differences will go away, and that's the biggest lesson I learned from international travel.
So friends, I hope that one day you will travel internationally. I related this to Germany, but the bottom line is the same no matter what country you choose to visit: it opens your eyes to the fact that God created every nation, tribe and tongue to worship him forever and puts it right in front of you. I encourage you to put all fears and anxieties aside, and go somewhere as soon as you can.
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." - Saint Augustine
