The Cost Of Traveling
Start writing a post

When I was younger, I yearned to travel to places like Japan, New Zealand, Korea, India and all sorts of different countries. I often daydreamed of crystal clear waters, new adventures, and a lot of great food. I thought of the new friendships I could make and all the historical sites I could visit. I thought of all the beautiful sunsets I could photograph and the cool trinkets I could collect in each country. I daydreamed of how great it would be to just go out and see the world. I wanted to see what was out there and to have these things rock my world.

But in the midst of thinking about exploring caves and climbing mountains, I had missed to consider an important detail; it is a fairly easy detail to miss because no one really talks about it and it is something that romantics like myself don't really consider: in order to pursue my whimsical dreams of traveling, I never stopped to consider the costs of leaving home in order to pursue my dreams. The costs of travel, I’ve experienced, are much more subtle and less materialistic than I expected.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel abroad for two months in order to pursue a possible career path. I have travelled overseas in previous years, but this was the first year I travelled to an unknown country where I hardly knew anyone. In this span of time, I realized one thing about the cost of traveling:

The cost of traveling includes much more than the money in our wallets.

It costs us our prides. It costs us our ability to be proficient in communicating with one another because we have to deal with the language barriers presented in that country. We have to go back to learning basic words like "mother" and "father" and "thank you" when we think we already know those words so well.

It costs us our physical comforts. When we travel, we may find ourselves sleeping on dirty mattresses. We may have to take cold morning showers and live through hot summer nights. We may have to adjust our eating habits and sleeping schedules. It costs us our relationships at home. We may have to deal with the possibility of having a limited amount of internet service, experience dropped phone calls from a loved one, or spend days without having any type of communication from home.

However, my friends, as you travel you should also expect to be filled with much love and appreciation for everything around you. Expect to learn more about yourself. Rejoice at the kindness you’ll receive from strangers and cultivate the ability to forgive those who may not be as kind to you. Above all else, expect to come back home a different person. Come back as a storyteller with blistered hands, brimming eyes, and a growing thirst for something greater than yourself.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

A Beginner's Wine Appreciation Course

While I most certainly do not know everything, I feel like I know more than the average 21-year-old about vino, so I wrote this beginner's wine appreciate course to help YOU navigate the wine world and drink like a pro.

450
Pexels


Keep Reading... Show less

Who doesn't love ice cream? People from all over the world enjoy the frozen dessert, but different countries have their own twists on the classic treat.

Keep Reading... Show less

As any other person on this planet, it sometimes can be hard to find the good in things. However, as I have always tried my hardest to find happiness in any and every moment and just generally always try to find the best in every situation, I have realized that your own happiness is much more important than people often think. Finding the good in any situation can help you to find happiness in some of the simplest and unexpected places.

Keep Reading... Show less
Christmas

Remember The True Meaning of Christmas

“Where are you Christmas? Why can’t I find you?”

6694

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year. Christmastime is a celebration, but have we forgotten what we are supposed to be celebrating? There is a reason the holiday is called Christmas . Not presentmas. Not Santamas. Not Swiftmas. Christmas.

boy standing in front of man wearing santa claus costume Photo by __ drz __ on Unsplash



What many people forget is that there is no Christmas without Christ . Not only is this a time to spend with your family and loved ones, it is a time to reflect on the blessings we have gotten from Jesus. After all, it is His birthday.


Keep Reading... Show less

Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore my dog. I am constantly talking about my love for her. I attribute many of my dog's amazing qualities to her breed. She is a purebred Golden Retriever, and because of this I am a self-proclaimed expert on why these are the best pets a family could have. Here are 11 reasons why Goldens are the undisputed best dog breed in the world.

Keep Reading... Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments