We all travel for different reasons. There are some who travel alone to the most beautiful places to visit in the US, for personal growth and self-discovery. And, there are others who hit the road to see life through a new pair of eyes. Of course, there are others who travel for the sake of gaining heaps of likes on their social media channels. I, meanwhile, travel because it’s a wondrous endless university that helps develop my intelligence. Ever since I got infected by the travel bug, it has been, so far, a fascinating and non-stop learning experience.
People, mostly, get their education through 4-cornered classrooms, universities and textbooks. And, there’s nothing wrong with these mediums. As a matter of fact, these traditional forms of education have produced some of greatest minds in human history. But, as far as I’m concerned, they are not as fun, fulfilling and eye-opening as traveling the world. As you see and travel the world, you’ll get to broaden your cultural, intellectual and spiritual education in ways you can never imagine. Travel, as your teacher and life coach, will surely never fail you.
Don’t believe me? Here’s how travel can be your teacher.
Travel enhances your social skills
Believe it or not, there are so many people nowadays who are so afraid of talking to others. And, yes, I was a wallflower who became anxious and got cold feet, every time I was forced to talk to strangers. Thankfully, travel has taught me how to overcome my phobia. After an epic solo trip across the world, my confidence level went up a notch, and my fear of talking to others faded away slowly. Afterwards, I found out that despite the endless negative news shown on mainstream media today, the world still has a lot of good Samaritans.
Travel will teach you how to improvise
Traveling is a test of your will, patience and fortitude. The truth is, traveling isn’t always butterflies and sunshine. Plans can go awry, and things can all of a sudden turn bleak. Rides showing up late, luggage gets damaged and lost boarding passes are just some of the unforeseen circumstances and hiccups along the way.
But, these challenges will teach you the art of improvisation, so you can survive and deal with these unfortunate events. And, eventually, it will unleash your inner inventor and survivor, as well as help you figure out tons of travel hacks that will make your trips more efficient and cheaper.
A history lesson
Want to learn more about the world’s past and history? Reading about The Colosseum and some of the historic attractions in Cebu is cool. But, it’s a different ball game, when you see these wonders in person. Truthfully, what we see in history textbooks is just a version and portion of what exactly happened at a particular time and place.
Travel, in a lot of ways, can illuminate the numerous perspectives of a place’s history. When you visit museums, palaces and galleries, you’re seeing the country’s entire history unfold right in front of you. Furthermore, traveling gives you an opportunity to meet and talk to people who might have knowledge and a firsthand experience of some of the country’s monumental events.
Learning about different dynasties, conflicts and changes can be so much easier, when you are exploring a country. And, after getting a deep insight of a country’s history and culture, you’ll easily understand its politics, motivations and habits.
Travel is a rewarding form of introspection
You won’t be the same again, after you go on a trip abroad. Stepping away from your daily grind can give you a better perspective of yourself and release you from the bubble that you’ve caged yourself in. In my book, nothing forces you to be more introspective than stepping out of your comfort zone and putting yourself in unfamiliar territories.
Learn foreign languages
English, nowadays, is widely spoken across the world, and it will mostly work for you, wherever you may be heading. Still, it’s essential for you to brush up on the native language of the place you are going to visit. Before you fly to a country where English isn’t the main language, learn the basics of their language through an audio guide or book.
And after you’ve built a foundation, stretch your new skills by chatting with actual native speakers in the place you’ve visiting. Not only will it help expand your cultural horizons, but conversing with them will also develop your speaking and listening capabilities.
Even if you’ve already studied a language, travel remains the best way to master it. When you travel, you’re not just testing your language capabilities in a real-world scenario, but you learn a few things as well like its slang, intonation and accent in the most practically way.
