Travelling Provides Satisfaction and Open Mindfulness

“We live in a world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India.

From time to time, we all need a break allowing us to adventure, get out of our comfort zones, and face the unknown. Many people will take advantage of the hot weather in other countries and relax on a beach all day long with a drink in hand. Others may decide to escape the hot climate and vacation someplace where snow is evident.  In the midst of these vacations, people often rely on the convenience of resorts and stay within the confines of common tourist attractions rather than immersing themselves completely into the culture of their destination. As one says, “To travel is to live.” Therefore, it is extremely important when travelling to identify new learning opportunities, immerse yourself into the culture in all its entirety, and most importantly, gain a whole new perspective on life.

Travelling is so much more than taking a simple vacation. It is the continuous educational experiences that are shared between yourself and the people you engage with. Travelling is the perfect way to connect with new people, learn about the history of the country and exchange personal values and opinions. By venturing off into a distant country, your whole world gets flipped upside down, especially if you’re not one for flying on an airplane! This may be the sudden effect of culture shock settling beneath your skin due to the fact that what surrounds you has struck a new chord. There is so much to learn in the world and travelling allows us to discover new things and be adventurous. Correspondingly, we must always challenge ourselves to taste exciting new food and attempt to successfully speak new languages. It is definitely vital to break the barrier between your world and the locals’ because ultimately, by sharing personal experiences, unique life lessons are learned. Most importantly, by immersing ourselves into a different culture we are transformed and gain a profound awareness of other countries.

Travelling also allows us to break free of our comfort zone and adventure. Many people fall into a routine and are scared to travel because they rely on the safety of their home. However, it is very important to be exploratory and courageous because there are many learning opportunities. Adventuring off into the unknown, facing your fear of meeting new people, trying textured foods, or even not understanding a word the person next to you just said is a thrill and a unique learning experience. Travelling, solo or with a group, is naturally a great confidence booster and thus gives us compassion and responsibility.

Another benefit to travelling around the world is that we often discover ourselves. Every adventure we seek is a challenge that is meant to broaden our horizons. Through travelling, we often change our views on life, mainly because the environment is much different from our own and we experience things that truly open our eyes. By exploring another country, we not only experience the food, people and unique values that encompass the country, but we also get a broad look into the daily lives of the people. Regardless of which country you travel to, you will always come home with a new outlook on life. Travelling is a great way for everyone to reflect on themselves and to develop interest in helping within their community.

Often when people come home from travelling, they are inspired to create change and make room for improvement. In underprivileged countries, travellers develop a sense of awareness, realize how lucky they are and almost always minimize their food waste to improve their lifestyle. Exploring another country allows people to understand these concepts and open their eyes so they can comprehend what’s occurring in that country and try to provide assistance in any way possible. Generally, people are more giving when a disaster occurs, donating their time, money and support for those in need. Travelling to underdeveloped countries helps you to understand that there are people in need of support every day. Therefore, by roaming across the world, we gain a new perspective on life and become greatly appreciative for the opportunities that we’re given in Canada.

Altogether, travelling provides numerous educational experiences and opportunities for the future. Travellers grow a passion to learn about the historic information within the country, try new delicacies and completely immerse themselves in the beliefs and values of the people. It is extremely empowering to surround yourself with new people and will enlighten your views on life. By adventuring around the world, people build confidence within themselves and are encouraged to experiment with new things. Although, facing our fears is not a simple task, travelling allows us to do this more freely. Significantly, by travelling, we learn to appreciate the items we possess and the people we love and meet along the way.

Written By Tessa R. Adamski