I'm been lucky enough to be able to afford to travel at least once a year, and I plan on it every year, for the rest of my life. I've had the opportunity to visit places all across the U.S and southwestern Europe, but I've also decided to take trips to Northern Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, and Thailand. The latter being the most influential. Here are some reasons why you should seriously consider making one of these destinations your next getaway.
1. The culture shock.
Coming from a first-world country into a less developed country can be very eye-opening, if you let it. The water's not always clean, if there is water, skyscrapers and large companies are scarce, some people speak a different language and almost all of them lead extremely different lives than we do. The best thing you come to realize is that every local you meet seems to struggle with not only one thing, but multiple things. They struggle with putting a roof over their head, feeding their families, disease, and more imminent danger, yet they tend live more lightheartedly than we do here in the United States. And that's because they practice being grateful for the little things that they do have, every day.
2. Exposure to nature.
Because developing countries don't have as many big cities or corporations as we do, they have much more access to nature. Most locals incorporate the outdoors in their daily life, whether it's doing physical labor for chores, or the only way they can wind down at the end of the day, since watching TV and browsing the internet isn't an option.
3. Cost of living.
Hands down, the most expensive thing about traveling to a less developed country is getting there. And even then, you can always find deals depending on the airline or time of year you travel. Once that's done, everything else is cheap. Food, water, housing, experiences/excursions, etc. can be found at an extremely reasonable price, and from there you can bargain it even lower.
4. More opportunities for adventure.
This isn't like walking around a big city, or even the comfort of a suburban neighborhood. There's so much more to do that you wouldn't otherwise get to experience in your every day life (shopping, going out to eat, etc.) Here, the adventures are found in every dirt road you walk on, every mountain you climb, every ocean you swim in, and every person you meet.
5. You won't come back the same person as you left.
You'll meet people from all over the world. You'll meet the locals, other travelers, and make tons of friends along the way. Their stories will inspire you, humble you, and help you realize what really matters. By the end of your trip, you'll have much more patience and compassion for people from all different cultures and backgrounds. You'll realize how much we have access to in the United States, and how lucky we are that we don't think twice about it. Most people don't have phones, so they don't have the convenience of the thousands of apps we have to satisfy boredom, have food delivered to our door, keep in touch with relatives, etc.
Not to mention, all over the world there are riots going on when a developing country tries to keep up with the latest technology that we have. I've heard stories from the locals about violent occurrences going on between the taxi business and the Uber business, costing some people their lives. And it's shocking that that was just the norm.
If you're like me, you'll realize that the many blessings we have here in the United States can also be a curse. We're masters in the art of taking things for granted, dreading physical labor, and valuing material things over relationships. People in developing countries appreciate their relationship with nature, their families, their Gods and spiritual idols, etc. more than I've ever encountered before. And they're often way happier than us, with way less. Once you return from your trip, you'll clearly recognize the blessings we have and the flaws we've acquired because of those blessings. And if you're like me, it'll change the way you view the world and make you re-evaluate how you're spending your own life.
