As you grow older, the world you’re exposed to expands. Starting from the time you’re a baby, when your bedroom is your whole world, to adulthood, when the world is at your fingertips. With modern travel options, there aren’t any excuses as to why you shouldn’t travel abroad to experience different cultures and complete a crash course in life.
Learn a Language
Learning a new language from scratch is a difficult but fulfilling challenge. It can open lines of communication to people who you wouldn’t have been able to talk with otherwise. The best way to learn a new language is through immersion. Travelling to a new country gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new language and accelerate the language acquisition process.
Image by Matthew Burpee via Flickr
Gain Perspective
If you’ve only lived in one place for most of your life, you’ll be in for a real culture shock if you visit many countries around the world. Each culture and country has different levels of quality of life, priorities, and societal expectations. Something you consider basic and necessary is a luxury in other parts of the world. Traveling is one of the best ways to understand the array of situations that people live in and to develop a greater understanding of humans and the world.
Biergarten, Germany
Image by Werner Kunz via Flickr
Galicnik Wedding, Macedonia
Image by Marjan Lazarevski via Flickr
Invest in Your Youth
Warsaw, Poland
One significant challenge to young adults is the pressure to jump right into the workforce or go to college. This shouldn’t stop you from pursuing travel. In fact, you can work and learn from just about any other country in the world. Most colleges and universities offer abroad programs in which you can spend part or all of your studies in a foreign country. However, don’t limit yourself to that option. You can also complete a WSU online degree or online program from other well-known schools no matter what location you’re in. If you’d rather work, you can often visit a country and look for work just like you would in your hometown.
Traveling around the Globe
Image by martinak15 via Flickr
Improve Job Prospects
Image by Mish Sukharev via Flickr
Another concern of many would-be travelers is that it’ll take time away from networking and possibly landing a job right out of school. What you should also consider is that traveling will make you more attractive to many potential employers. You’ll have real world experience with different countries, will possibly speak multiple languages, and will understand how different cultures function better than anyone who never travelled. Business is becoming more global over time and understanding foreign markets is an asset. Many jobs that appreciate traveling experience may afford you the opportunity to travel for work.
Taupo, New Zealand
Image by der.Tobsen.87 via Flickr
Traveling isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve ever had the desire to go abroad and expand your horizons, there are many options and reasons to do so. Whether you’re new to the adult world or looking to make a big change in your life, traveling is the best option to learn about yourself and the things you’re interested in.
Manhattanhenge, NY
Image by Ed Yourdon via Flickr