No one can really tell you what you’ll learn in a year of traveling.
Traveling is an adventure. A grand one. And, like all adventures, they take you from all that you’ve known. I remember the day I found myself sitting on the edge of Mount Arbel in Tiberias, Israel. All that could be heard was the faint sound of a rooster announcing the morning. Everything spoke of a peaceful tranquility. As I sat there, my mind wandered seven months back to the day when I left home.
I remember it clearly. There I was, standing in the airport. Everything was a blur. I felt like I was eight again, standing at the edge of the diving board, scared to jump. People were running past me with their luggage dragging along. And there I stood. A little hesitant, a little sad, a little excited. But mostly, curious. What would my adventures hold? What would I learn; what would I take away at the end of the year?
Well, I traveled a year and lived to tell of it! Here's what I learned – and some tips for if you’ve got the traveling bug and want to go exploring too!
1.) Live in the moment. So many places to go, so many people to see. But right now? You are here, in this moment. Beauty is awaiting exploration! Stop thinking about the schedule for the next day, for just a moment. Look up from your phone. See that sunset? It's waiting to be chased. That trail? It’s waiting to be trekked. Go do it, right now. You won't regret it, I promise.
2.) Find a group of people to travel throughout the year with.
After all, what makes life memorable is not the scenery around you. It's that one time when you got lost on the subway in New York for three hours trying to find a bagel shop. And that time when you explored the streets of Tiberias, Israel, and fell UP the steps laughing because the stairs to the hill seemed endless. It's when you sat together around the fire at the campsite and sang into the night with the stars as your audience. Those are priceless memories. The people you take into the unknown with you are the people you cherish the most at the end. They make the exhausting nights exciting and hilarious. They see the good, the bad, and ugly. But they stay anyways. They are the ones that talk you into climbing just one more mountain. Without them, most of those adventures would never have happened.
3.) After a year of traveling, I have one very important rule to share with all you ladies: DO NOT wear high-heels, ever, when going to explore a city. Ever. Trust me on this one. You think you’ll just go explore a shop or two and then sit down for coffee. Wanderlust is real. Hours later, the two shops turn into fifty. Just don’t!
4.) Wake up early to see the sunrise. Go by yourself. Grab a journal and pen. Enjoy the beauty. Write down a description of the wonder around you. Think about life. Write down the hard questions you have, and journal it out!
5.) Even if you’re not an outdoors person, try hiking – just once! I was never an outdoorsy sort of girl, but my group went hiking on the Appalachian Trail for five days. It was the hardest thing I have ever done – physically and mentally. But it’s one of my biggest achievements, too. Sure, hiking up the mountains were hard. Really hard. But getting to the top? Nothing beats the tranquility and awe of feeling like you’re standing on top of the world. I never felt as small as I did on those mountaintops. To think, I am not as great as I am! To see, to realize – there truly is something greater than me out there. And He created these mountains. He made me, too. And cherishes me more than these bigger than life creations. Wow. Still to this day that realization amazes me.
6.) Listen to people’s stories. I did this when I went to NYC, and let me tell you, nothing was better than this. So many people just want to be loved and listened to. So many people need to hear that there is hope for their broken lives. And all you have to do is listen and encourage. Ask them to tell you a life lesson they’ve learned. Then, just let it go from there. Show them by listening that their life really does matter. You never know. It may just change their life. And I guarantee it will change yours.
7.) Try the local coffee shops. They’re better than Starbucks any day.
8.) Cherish the moment. You won’t always be traveling. You won’t always be with these people. Life changes quickly. And don’t delete any pictures from your trips! Even the blurry ones. They’ll be something you look back on later!
I’m so thankful that I got a year to travel. I don’t regret one time where I said yes to exploring some place new. And I know you won’t either. Because we have to adventure to know where we should truly be.
