I wish traveling wasn't so expensive. As a college student, I definitely cannot afford to pay for extravagant vacations on my own. I have however, been fortunate to travel to several different countries and states with my family. That number does not even compare to the number of places I still want to visit in the future. I think that if an individual is ever is given the opportunity to travel, he or she should absolutely to take it.

Through my personal traveling experience, I have discovered that traveling is only as expensive as one chooses to make it. People can expose themselves to new cultures, people, and places without being forced to pay an absurd amount of money. My brother, Daniel, has experienced this first-hand and always reminds me of this. His friends and he have taken many trips to Iceland and have the time of their lives each time they visit. I saw photos of where they have stayed; initially, I told myself that I could never stay somewhere without a huge cozy bed. Daniel and his friends decided to save money and stay in a tiny and cute cabin. He learned that where he slept meant absolutely nothing at the end of the trip. He will always remember the memories he made while in Iceland, not where he and his friends stayed.

I hope travelers remember that while we might want to stay at the most luxurious hotel, that is not significant in the grand scheme of things. What we experience is what's important, so fully immersing ourselves in the culture is crucial. Traveling looks different for everybody, but for my family of eight, it's about going somewhere we all find interesting.

The purpose of traveling is all centered around experiencing opportunities that are once in a lifetime. I was fortunate enough to have visited some amazing places and all of those trips have been unforgettable. There are more ways to life than just our own; I love that traveling reminds us of that.