Travel to live – live to travel?

There are many ways in which an individual might benefit from travelling and the unique set of experiences that they acquire from it:

–Faith in ourselves (and in others):

Trying new things, engaging with new people, and adopting new norms while following a lifestyle we aren’t used to might feel like taking a risk and can be scary, perhaps seeming too big a step outside of one’s comfort zone at first sight. However, having the courage to take the first steps and not giving up is essential to success in all areas of life. If you face these new situations, if you operate under a different kind of stress but can still find a solution, it will boost your confidence and strengthen your character.  The benefits of this can be life-long.

So go and climb those ‘mountains’, try those traditional dishes out, learn new habits, just trust in your instincts and make new connections!

–Growing up – responsibility, independence, and adaptability:

Dealing with at times stressful, out-of-the-ordinary, and sometimes awkward situations represent real-life education and will develop your skills as well as your self-confidence. Coping and solving problems as they arise develops your resourcefulness and other critical attributes like creativity, adaptability, innovation, optimism, and open-mindedness (see also in our previous article). If things go seriously wrong, but you still manage to find a way to recover, you will have proven your survival skills – and you can be trusted in a crisis.

–Broadened horizons:

Travel exposes you to the real world, inhabited by real people, bringing new perspectives, preferences, and settings to the table. It can teach you humility: you meet lots of new things along your journey, and they all influence you in some way. The more you travel, the more you will communicate with local people, and the better you will absorb their culture. We start to understand and respect the traditions, manners, and beliefs of other people. Along the way, the small talk you engage in will develop your skills at handling conversations, listening, and being mindful of non-verbal cues, altogether enhancing your language and communication skills. Encounters like these lead to a heightened social awareness. As a vital part of the emotional intelligence it will not only help you become a nice person but potentially also a wise leader who can manage an international team and deal with all that it entails.

–A sense of humour:

As every trip can have its nightmares, frequent travellers learn how to handle these challenges and how not to get upset when something bad happens. In a lot of life situations, having the ability to smile even when under the biggest stress makes you more likely to find a solution for that problem and not get burnt out in the process.

–Charging up the batteries:

The kind of travelling discussed in this article is for pleasure as it thrills the heart and broadens our mind. Gaining health, happiness, joy, and finding a peace of mind are all critical motivations for travelling.  Whether their inspiration comes from gastronomy, culture, history, monuments, water sports or the locals, everyone ought to find their joy in travelling.

–Learning more about ourselves:

“Who am I and Who do I want to be?” are two questions youngsters usually seek answers to. Travelling can help us develop our character, to find our true nature and our place in the wider world. While journeying, you get to observe yourself acting, and the way you react to the challenges reveals a lot about who you really are. Even if you do not deliberately seek it out, you will find new interests and motivations as this valuable time makes you think about what is important in your life. Travelling is experiential learning; it teaches you concepts as they happen in an actual setting and assigns you problems to resolve with no textbooks or manuals to refer to.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Saint Augustine

As we can see, travelling can greatly influence our transformation into a better version of ourselves as being aware of the broader world around us and walking the streets more open-mindedly encourages us to improve for ourselves and others. For young people, travelling is way more than just fun; it is a way both to form social connections and discover other places and cultures, fostering personal and perhaps also career development. It’s one of the best modes of on-site learning as young people are adventurous and want to develop their knowledge while also having a brief escape from their everyday situations.

In the 21st century, soft skills are very much to the fore. Companies are looking for employees with abilities and skills like problem-solving, resourcefulness, creativity, adaptability, communication, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, confidence and even humour to help them make a difference in the world and realise their goals. Consequently, a real treasure lies in those discoveries, beliefs, and experiences that you collect on your travels which can enrich you in more ways than you can imagine.

Sources:

– Couper, G. (2013). Travels to oneself: A Psychological Analysis of How Study Abroad and Positive Regression Impact Personal Growth and Behaviour. Second International Conference on Emerging Research Paradigms in Business and Social Sciences (ERPBSS), Dubai, UAE. doi:10.13140/2.1.4768.8644.

– Gmelch, G. (1997). Crossing cultures: Student travel and personal development. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 21(4), pp. 475-490. doi:10.1016/S0147-1767(97)00021-7.

– Mestre, J. (n.d.). Study Abroad as a Character Development Opportunity. Character Clearinghouse Florida State University. Available at: https://characterclearinghouse.fsu.edu/article/study-abroad-character-development-opportunity. Accessed: 18.10.2021.