Less than one fourth of Americans know how to fluently speak another language besides English. Many United States natives rarely take the chance to travel outside of their borders, whether it be because of a lack of money or simply a lack of knowledge on the topic of traveling. It’s extremely important for people to take part in the opportunities that they are given in order to gain a new perspective of how the world is outside of the United States. Had people never traveled away from where they were born, the world would be a much different place. America would never have been discovered! By traveling outside of their borders, people are able to uncover so much new information that allows them to learn more about both other cultures and about themselves. There are many reasons why you should travel abroad.

1. There is so much new food for you to eat

In America, it is typical for people to usually stick to the same old food choices that they have had since they were a kid—with the exception of maybe eating a salad instead of chicken fingers for dinner. When you go to another country, you are able to experience a vast array of new options. Breakfast in Spain might consist of a thick Spanish omelet, Lunch in Japan may be chicken yakisoba, and Dinner in India could be aloo gobi. Having the chance to try new foods helps you to understand more about the culture of other people and how they grew up. Because of this, it opens up doors for fresh relationships and the open-mindedness to take a shot at different things.

2. You are able to learn more languages

Familiarizing yourself with other languages allows you to become much more diverse, which in turn provides a larger variety of future opportunities. Along with this, many languages have numerous words and phrases that are not at all included in the English language, and knowing those grants you the ability to get a broader vocabulary. Becoming bilingual will help you immensely in the work force, and you will have many new job opportunities open up.

3. You can learn history through experience

There are so many holidays in other countries that are not included on the United States’ calendar, causing the majority of Americans to be unaware that they even exist. When most Americans think of Independence Day, the first thing that comes to their mind is the fourth of July—and fireworks, of course. But for Finland, it’s December 6. For Panama, it’s November 3. For Zimbabwe, it’s April 18. All of these countries have their own idea of what independence means to them. And all of these countries celebrate in their own ways. In order for people to become more culturally aware, it’s crucial that they take an interest in things outside of what they have always known.

The most life-changing thing about traveling is the knowledge you gain. It offers a way for you to learn more about the world around you and about yourself as a person. You can figure out how you work in new and exciting environments, and how those environments allow others to grow. Traveling abroad is a way for you to experience eye-opening things that you may never have even expected to be out there.