A really smart guy once wrote, “Not all those who wander are lost.”
Basically he meant that you should get on a plane and go somewhere. There’s a lot of world to see, and you’ll be a changed person once you set out to see it.
And if you need a little more convincing, here are 11 reasons to be a world explorer.
1. It’ll make you a good story-teller. We all know that one really cool old guy who tells the best stories about how he trekked across Europe at 17 and met the love of his life. That guy is awesome. You never know where you’ll end up, or what you’ll get yourself into when you travel, and that makes for a pretty good story.
2. The people. The best way to get the most out of a place is to talk to the locals, and most of the time, they’re really interesting, and will have something to teach you. Those that you meet on your travels are some of the best people you’ll come across.
Also…cute foreign boys.
3. The food. Do you really need any other reason?
4. The adventure is good for you. Whether it’s snorkeling in Hawaii or zip-lining through the rainforest in Costa Rica, the adventure will make you feel alive (also scared to death), and you’ll see the world in a new way.
5. You open yourself up to new opportunities. Who knows who or what you’re going to run into while traveling. We come across people in the most unexpected ways, and new opportunities present themselves in the strangest places.
6. You’ll learn valuable life skills. Immersing yourself into a new culture really keeps you on your toes. You develop a new set of street smart skills when suddenly everyone drives on the left-hand side of the road, or starts yelling at you in a foreign language.
7. You’ll get a real world education. We’ve spent the greater part of our life sitting in a classroom getting that text-book education, but traveling gives you what books can’t: experience. Observing the culture, the people and the history of the world hands on is one of the greatest educations you can ever give yourself. You just don’t know until you go.
8. You’ll learn to live in the moment. Being in an unfamiliar place is overwhelming in the sense that there’s so much to take in. Everything is new and exciting, so you try to soak it all up, because you know your time is short. You take nothing for granted, and live in the moment completely, so you don’t waste one minute.
9. You’ll see the world in a new light. It’s really easy—especially at this point in our lives—to get caught up in everything. Are mind is constantly on school and friends and what we’re going to do with the rest of our lives, because the future is scary. It’s hard to remember the bigger picture, and we forget that we are just one person in this big world. We lack perspective, but travel can change that. Once you leave all those small distractions behind and go someplace you’ve never been, they become totally irrelevant. You realize that there’s so much more going on in the world than what you’ve been concerning yourself with.
10. You’ll feel forever curious. Once you get a taste of what else is out there, you’ll always be hungry for more. Always curious, always thinking about the next adventure.
11. You might find yourself along the way. Exposing yourself to different culture and new experiences allows you to grow as a person, with a greater appreciation for others and for the world. Trying new things and meeting new people changes you as a person. It teaches you responsibility and independence. When you go home, you’ll be able to approach situations and people in a whole new way.
So whether you hop on a plane to go eat spaghetti in Italy, or go climb the Great Wall of China, travelling will lead you to a fuller life. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things is what life should be about. We’re not meant to stay in one place forever—that’s why we have feet. The world awaits!