When you travel, so many different things are happening around you. So many different sights, smells, tastes -- you immerse your senses in the culture that you're surrounding yourself with. It is such a unique experience. That's why it is worth remembering! Keeping a travel journal is one of those important components that helps you remember your trips for a lifetime.

I remember so many aspects of my journey to Tanzania, but I'm always surprised when I open up my journal and read about so many different things I wrote about that I just don't remember off of the top of my head. I read about so many great memories and times I spent with friends. It's honestly one of the best ideas anybody could have. My professor required us to bring travel journals and write in them while we were in Africa, which at first I thought it was a little weird. I didn't think it could have any impact on me or how I would reflect on all of my adventures. But looking back on everything, my professor was absolutely right. When you are required to write about what you do every day as you travel, you really start to reflect on how much of an influence your experiences have on you. It's unbelievable. A thorough reflection of my experience is important to me because every moment that I spent traveling is a moment that I want to remember. You really remember it much better if you take a chance to sit down and write about it.

I'm now preparing to leave for Italy for six weeks, and I plan on writing about what I see and do every single day. I want to be able to pull out my travel journal years from now and read about the times I had that may have slipped away from my mind. I will always be able to know that my journal will be full of stories about all of my adventures abroad. Whether it be a plane ride, a funny story, or a beautiful sight, I know it is going to be worth writing down.

I know I won't be able to remember every little thing that happens during my traveling, and that's why I keep a travel journal. I will always love the feeling of reading about the sight-seeing that took place on a specific day. I will always love the feeling of memories flooding back to me about the beautiful times I had while traveling abroad.

So why keep a travel journal? Because it is worth saving the memories. It is worth looking back on and having a laugh, or even shedding a tear or two. And it is definitely worth taking time to reflect on how blessed you are to have the opportunity to travel.