The world can either be a vastly intimidating place or a playground just waiting for you to tackle it-- the differing element here does not actually have anything to do with the world itself, but rather how you view it. No matter where you are from it, is incredibly necessary to see more of the world and expand your perspective. Please travel and see the world, the experiences and lessons it will grant you are beyond priceless.
Traveling changes the way in which you relate to the world.
There isn't anything wrong with growing up in a small town, but if that's all you know for the rest of your life I promise you -- you will miss out on an unfathomable amount of beauty. When you travel to other countries you sail across new waters steeped in colors you didn't even know were possible in nature, you meet boldly unique people carrying with them stories and wisdom that you'll remember for the rest of your life, you leave footprints in the dirt of an active volcano puffing out gusts of smoke in your wake, and most importantly you feel an obligation to this world. You feel out your place in this world, and you find new appreciation in the smallest of wonders. You cannot truly understand the beauty of this world and why it is so important to protect it, until you have experienced it firsthand for yourself.
Traveling forces you to learn things about yourself you might not have learned otherwise.
Traveling is a great test of your limits, your patience, your mental, and sometimes even your sanity. If there is one thing guaranteed-- it is that things are going to go wrong. It's how you handle those blunders and mishaps that teach you about yourself. When ferry rides get cancelled because of strikes, when your accommodations for the night aren't what you thought you paid for, when the bus you were supposed to be on drives right by you without stopping, and especially the countless times that you're going to get caught in a spontaneous downpour of rain -- the only thing you can control in these instances are your own reactions. You'll learn how you handle stress, your level of organization and patience will change, and you'll have to learn that sometimes you just have to let go and make the best of a crummy situation. So next time you're caught in the downpour try stopping for some gelato; I promise gelato will make any soggy walk home ten times better.
Traveling exposes you to all different types of people.
One thing we often forget about or take for granted, is that most of the people we spend time with in our daily lives are there by choice. We have decided that these people match our rhythms and we find happiness from being in their company. That's not the case with traveling. When you're traveling you're going to meet a wide variety of people, not all of them will be pleasant encounters, but each one you will come away from having learned more about yourself and them. You learn to appreciate the people that you have at home, the ones that you never get sick of being around and can always count on for comfort and understanding companionship. You learn which types of personalities you mesh well with and which types will drive you crazy. You will learn the countless ways people view and interact with the world, and you will experience firsthand how wonderfully n being on this earth is.
To travel is a great luxury. There is endless opportunities to learn about yourself, others, humanity, and the world simply through motion and journeying to new places. Some of the most important lessons I have learned throughout my life have happened when I was furthest away from home. So travel far, travel wide, but most importantly travel with an open and eager mind.
