If you are ever given the opportunity to travel abroad, don't give up the chance and embrace it. It's a gift to be able to experience the wonders outside of our country. You'll learn a lot while doing so, even if you are only there for a week or two. It's important for people to travel abroad, in my opinion, for a variety of reasons.
1. You build confidence when you're abroad
Traveling abroad builds confidence because you are new to a country you've likely never been before and you have to make it work. You build confidence by figuring out the local transportation, whether that be the bus system, the subway or taxis. You also build confidence by asking for directions and embracing the local language a bit by saying a phrase or two.
Getting into foreign situations and having the ability to adapt well to them builds confidence greatly and you realize that you can do things no matter what the country or what the language is. Your newfound confidence can go a long way, even when you come back to the homeland.
2. You can immerse yourself in a new culture
With that, your cultural sensitivity will increase as you experience other people's way of life. Having a sense of what different cultures are like is extremely important and vital within the world today as it continues to globalize. You also learn to have more of an open mind as you see other people's way of life around the globe.
You realize that not everyone is alike, and though you may do things differently, it's OK because neither person is right or wrong, it simply based on their culture. For example, it is common for French and Spanish people to take long lunches (over two hours), whereas that is nearly unheard of here in the United States. It's just how they prefer to do things over in those countries, and let's be honest, you probably wish you could take a two-hour lunch break as well.
3. You get to go outside of your comfort zone
It's easy to want to stay inside of your comfort zone, hence the word "comfort," but don't. It's good to get out of it every once in a while. You might even be able to expand your comfort zone a bit once you take a leap and get out of it for a bit.
You'll also learn a lot once you are outside of your comfort zone and thrown into some uncomfortable and unfamiliar situations. You learn to overcome the discomfort and adapt to your surroundings and situations. Exploring outside of your comfort zone helps you grow as a person.
4. You gain new experiences and a sense of adventure
Nowadays, it's easy to want to spend all your money on materialistic items, but what do you truly get out of those? When you spend your money on travel, you gain experiences and memories that last a lifetime. You gain a new sense of adventure, as well. Those experiences can not be duplicated or made in a factory because they are unique to the individual. They are what you make of them, so you better make them great and make them unforgettable.
Maybe you've got a little bit of inspiration to plan your next trip, or maybe I've persuaded you to look into traveling abroad. It's an experience of a lifetime and is extremely valuable for the future as you learn new things about yourself and other cultures.
