By Cajetan Chinaemerem

Gbojom blog online


Reasons Why Traveling Abroad is Important in life

On the surface, travel is about seeing new places and giving a bit back at the same time. But underneath it is so much more, opening your horizons to experience completely different cultures, cuisines and landscapes. While photos are proof that you went and saw, it’s the transformation that takes place within that is often the strongest evidence of why travel is important.

Some argue that it’s an indulgent expense, spending money to travel that could be spent saving for a home loan or “building for the future”, but travel addicts would debate a strong case against this. It’s not about ticking off the bucket list and being able to recount all the countries you’ve visited, but the way travel impacts you as a person, your interactions with others and your humanity towards the rest of the world.

So if you need a little help convincing yourself or others why traveling is a worthy pursuit, here are ten reasons why it’s important.

 

Top 10 Reasons to Travel Abroad

 


1. It gets you out of your comfort zone

Taste a food you never thought you’d like, immerse yourself in a different culture, and spend time in a place where English is not the first language — getting outside of your comfort zone is fun!

You’re not religious? Explore Western Europe’s, Asia's gorgeous cathedrals and learn about their rich history. Afraid of heights? Maybe now’s the time to conquer your fear by visiting Burn khalifa the world's tallest building located in Dubai united Arab Emirate,

When you step outside your comfort zone, you are not only expanding your perspective of the outside world but also learn a little more about yourself too.

 


2. Learn to Be Independent

Taking a solo trip overseas can sound terrifying for those who have spent their lives by the side of parents, best friends or a significant other — which is exactly why you should take a solo trip, now.

Throwing yourself into a different country or culture encourages you to think on your feet, and is super empowering! Nothing builds confidence like learning to navigate on your own and making your own decisions overseas, whether they be what attractions to explore during the day or where to eat dinner.

Having no one else to rely on — and no one else relying on you is strangely freeing and such an awesome experience in your adult years.

 

3. Helps you re-discover yourself


While you travel, the need to interact with various kinds of people liberates you from your ego and also throws up interesting challenges on you. In the process, you discover you are capable for doing much more than you believed you can. While you travel, the experiences that you gain help you become more open to life.

It has often been observed that people who have traveled a lot in life become more adaptable to changes besides their capability to overcome problems and hardships become more pronounced.

 

4. Learn a New Language

No matter how many semesters of Arabic's you took in college  nothing compares to first-hand immersion when it comes to getting serious about learning a new language.

The wonderful thing about learning a language in a native setting is that it takes little to no effort on your part. Putting yourself smack in the center of a foreign language-speaking country — especially rural areas where English is less common — is by far the best and easiest way to become fluent in a second or third language.

 

5. Meet People You Otherwise Wouldn’t

Even if you live in the most diverse of cities, you won’t experience the hospitality and friendliness so much of the world offers to travelers passing through their towns!

You’ll find commonalities with the unlikeliest of friends, share meals with neighbors, or be offered a place to stay by strangers you meet on the train. I’ve found staying in hostels to be one of the easiest ways to meet fellow travelers, but even starting up conversation with the waiters at local cafés can lead to a lifelong friend and contact abroad!

 

6. Travel creates everlasting memories


When traveling with family or friends, do not forget to capture the memories. Carry a video camera and shoot your fun filled moments. Later in life, you can cherish sweet memories with your near and dear ones. Besides, the experiences that you gain also become exciting stories for people to listen.

 

7. You get great business ideas


If you are looking to be an entrepreneur and want to do something unique and different, traveling to different countries can enlighten you with a host of business ideas. The most obvious business opportunities that you can spot are a possibility of trade. If you have a strong observation and a deep understanding about people’s liking, you may be able to analyze if there is some product in your homeland that you can probably introduce to people in that country.

You may as well borrow business ideas from your travel destination country and try and implement them in your country. Over centuries, we have been seeing this happening. People who travel and have seen the other part of the world, are smarter entrepreneurs.


8. Travel is Educational


Every second you spend in a different country is a second you spend learning about another way of life. Whether it’s how the natives dress, eat, interact, or make a living, seeing that your own way of living is not the only way of living is quite humbling.

 

9. Get Healthier

It only takes a single online search to find all of the scientific studies proving travel relieves stress, promotes physical activity and improves mental health. Burnout is normal, and there’s a reason most employers offer paid vacation days!

No need to feel selfish for taking a week off and jetting off on a getaway — take responsibility for your own health, enjoy some sunshine and the great outdoors, and drink a glass of water or two in between the wine and margaritas.

 

10. You’ll make friends from across the globe


One of the best things about travel is undoubtedly the friendships and connections you make with people from across the globe. You might be surprised at just how close you can come to people within a matter of hours if you’re thrown together by circumstance in a country that is home to neither of you. Volunteer placements are a great way to establish firm friendships as you work towards a common goal, not only with other travelers, but also the local community. The interactions you’ll have will provide an incredible local insight into cultural traditions, beliefs and way of life on a communal level – something that you just can’t experience on TV or in a text book.

Bonus!

1. It looks great on your resume

Taking a Gap Year or time out to travel and volunteer always looks good on a resume, and employers see it as a sign of maturity and worldly experience that will make you a better employee. Most understand that travel improves confidence and independent thinking, and they are secretly hoping that you’ll step into your new professional role having seen some of the world and (perhaps) having kicked the travel bug a little!Here are some of the ways going global can help you take your career to the next level

2. You’ll experience places you never imagined existed

If you’ve ever been awe-struck by a photograph of a landscape somewhere exotic, then just imagine how you would feel standing within it! Travel gives you the opportunity to trek, bike, raft and drive through incredible landscapes, uncovering places you never believed existed, and not only view them with your own eyes, but soak up the indescribable feelings that come with standing amidst places of natural beauty. You can scan travel brochures and the internet for photos of the most beautiful places across the world, but nothing equals actually experiencing them first hand.