8 Lessons You Learn From Traveling the World

If you’ve never travelled much, it can be awe-inspiring to talk with someone that does. They have a wisdom and understanding of the world that you can’t gain from camping at the local lake or staying at a condo in Virginia Beach.

Traveling gives you a more complete picture of the world. If personal growth is valuable to you, international travel can accelerate your development.

Shift your perspective through these observations:

1. Materialism is overrated.

When you travel abroad, it’s not easy to bring your gun collection, Tesla Model S Plaid, and fine silverware with you. You quickly find that you can do just fine without all of the things you seem to love so much back home.

You also see other people living perfectly happy lives with very little in the way of possessions.

2. Different cultures have different priorities.

While our society values fame, fortune, possessions, and other forms of material success, many other societies have little concern for this sort of thing.

• When abroad, you’ll notice that other countries can value things like friendship, family, culture, adventure, or comfort.
• Not to say that one is inherently better than the other, but differences do exist. You might find you like the idea of an afternoon siesta or fishing for your own dinner.

3. There are a lot of people in the world that don’t have the basics.

We take many things for granted. There are people that walk 10-plus miles each day just for water. You can see people living with dirt floors or catching fish with a manmade fishing rod. It’s easy to forget how much of the world lives differently. 

4. Friends can be found anywhere.

You don’t have to limit your friends to those people you see 2-4 times a week. It’s possible to create and maintain meaningful friendships across the globe. It’s easy to stay in touch these days with all the technology available such as Zoom, Facetime, or Whatsapp.

• People in many parts of the world are far less guarded than they are at home. Their front doors stay unlocked and bicycles are left outside untouched. Of course, some are more guarded and protective. That's everywhere.

5. You learn to be flexible.

Many things are less reliable than in the western world. From bus schedules to electricity, it’s not uncommon to have your plans disrupted on a daily basis. You will learn to be more flexible and creative. You can even bring that new skill home with you in business for example.

6. You waste a lot of time.

When you’re traveling, you won’t want to spend your time staring at your smartphone or watching Netflix. You’ll want to be out living and experiencing the local scene. You’ll realize how much time you waste back home doing things that provide little value to you.

7. Being able to travel is a privilege.

Traveling can be a spectacular thing. You’ll also find people on your journey that travel a lot more than you do. Hearing the personal stories of strangers is an honor. Connecting with someone for hours that feels like minutes is like time traveling. Few places work even close to the hours and weeks we do. There are also people that have never travelled outside their town due to lack of money or even inspiration. Their lifestyle is all they know.

8. People are all the same.

While cultures can differ considerably, many things are the same. People love their children regardless of what country they’re in. Everyone is striving to be happy and to find meaning in their life. The important things are the same wherever you go. We are all One, yet culturally and independently different. 

Your perspective of the world will change if you get out of the country and visit someplace new or off the beaten path. Different people and societies can teach you a lot about the world and yourself.

Yes, it can be expensive to travel internationally, but it’s worth the expense. Begin saving today for a trip that can be fun and might change your life. 

Explore your world.

Safe travels,

Path