They say that travel changes you. When you choose to indulge in your wanderlust and see the world, you will rarely ever return as the same person. More likely, you’ll come home as a more confident, independent, self-aware human. A better human. So what is it about travel that’s so life-changing?
After traveling meaningfully, you’ll never be the same.
There is something incredible about opening your eyes to how other parts of the world live, speak, eat, and work. It shifts your perspective in a whole new way when you visit new countries and learn about new cultures. And yet, some of the biggest life lessons learned from traveling are gained not only through the places you go, but how you handle your travel experiences—the travel mishaps and cultural blunders.
Every aspect of travel is a learning experience, and lessons learned from traveling can’t be learned anywhere else.
What does traveling teach you?
There is truly nothing more memorable in life than travel. It’s one of the few things we can do over and over in life while constantly discovering something new. Every travel experience is different—we’re exposed to different people, different ways of life, different food, languages, and cultural experiences.
Once we get a taste, we want more and more because there is nothing like the personal growth, expansion, and adventure that come with wandering through foreign lands.
Travel has the power to both delight us and challenge us. And it’s through both that we learn. What travel teaches you is that it doesn’t matter where you go—it only matters that you give yourself the opportunity to leave the places you know and let wanderlust take you by the hands and start to dance.
When you do, the life lessons learned from traveling can completely alter your path.
15 life lessons learned from traveling
Traveling is one of life’s greatest teachers.
So what does traveling teach you? These are some of the most important lessons learned from traveling the world.
1. Be humble.
No matter who you are, how many years you’ve been on this Earth, or what you’ve done with your life thus far, you will never know everything there is to know. There is always more to discover, more to learn.
What travel teaches you is that you’re not so big in the grand scheme of the world—you are no more important than any other person and there is always room for growth. Travel truly humbles you.
2. You are never alone.
You’ll be amazed how easy it is to bond with other travelers.
Loneliness is a universal feeling; all humans have a desire to fit in, to belong, to have a tribe. One of the most important life lessons learned from traveling is that you are never alone in your feelings of loneliness, and at the same time, you are never truly alone.
Travel brings people together. Even when you’re traveling solo, all you have to do is smile at a stranger and ask a question to spark conversation. Before you know it, you’ll have friends to join you for dinner or tag along with you to the next city.
3. The friends you make abroad are friends for life.
There’s no stronger connection made than between two people who are out of their comfort zones, having the experience of a lifetime, in the same moment in time. While it’s easy to make friends while traveling, the friendships made are also solid ones.
Travel allows you to get to know people in their most vulnerable states, creating bonds that are difficult to break. The friends you make while traveling are often friends you will keep for life and will open doors to further travel opportunities.
4. Do the things that scare you.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” When we leap outside of our comfort zones, we have the ability to continuously learn, expand, and shift our perspectives.
Travel allows you the opportunity to constantly do things that scare you, whether that’s eating fried crickets or jumping out of a plane at 14,000 feet in the sky. Every one of these experiences teaches you something about yourself that you never knew before and allows you to push your boundaries.
5. Getting “lost” is relative.
Letting yourself wander can lead to some of the best moments.
One of the best parts of traveling is getting lost in a new place—wandering aimlessly down cobbled streets with no map, taking the train to the end of the line and exploring somewhere new, following your gut instead of your iPhone to show you hidden treasures.
What travel teaches you is that getting “lost” is relative. And in fact, when you find yourself somewhere unexpected, this is where the real adventure happens.
6. Go with the flow.
No matter how much you plan while traveling, it’s inevitable that at some point you’ll throw your plans out the window. Things won’t always go your way when traveling; sometimes that will look like a canceled flight, and other times it will look like falling in love with a new city and canceling that flight yourself.
To quote another great, John Lennon reflects that “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” So forget the plans and let go of the schedule because travel teaches you to be impulsive and go with the flow.
7. Experiences far outweigh things.
When you’re living out of a backpack, sleeping under the stars, or spending hours on slow moving trains, you’ll find that you actually need very little to keep you happy. One of the most valuable life lessons learned from traveling is to place value on experiences over material things.
You don’t need fancy cars, a flashy wardrobe, or king-sized beds to bring you joy. In fact, the new experiences, exotic street foods, and late night conversations with new friends are what you’ll remember most while traveling.
8. Patience is the greatest virtue.
Be prepared to be unprepared.
Mishaps are inevitable while traveling. Whether that comes to you through a missed connecting flight, a train strike leaving you stranded in a foreign city, or a miscommunication while struggling with a new language, travel teaches you not to sweat the small stuff.
In the spirit of going with the flow, travel will teach you to deal with anything that’s thrown your way with patience.
9. There’s nothing more beautiful than Mama Earth.
Natural beauty around the world will take your breath away and leave you in awe, from snow-capped mountains to deep blue oceans to lush green rainforests and exotic wildlife, and everything in between.
You’ll also undoubtedly witness the heart break in earth’s ecosystem, the fragility of melting glaciers and dying coral reefs, the beaches and hiking trails covered in plastic waste. Both will give you a greater appreciation for the magic of Mama Earth and how precious her resources are.
10. Appreciate life’s simple pleasures.
Some of the best moments in travel could be sitting around a campfire telling stories with your travel mates, sharing a home cooked meal with locals, or having a hot shower after a day of wandering until your feet are caked in dirt.
These things don’t require elaborate plans or spending a lot of money. It’s one of the simplest life lessons learned from traveling—to be present with the people around you and indulge in your senses.
11. Just smile.
As a traveler, how could you ever run out of reasons to smile?
With over 7,000 languages spoken throughout the world, it’s incredible that there is one universal language: a smile. No matter who you are, where you’re from, or what language you speak, travel teaches you that smiling is the same everywhere.
It displays friendliness, gratitude, and helps you connect with those around you. When in doubt, offer a smile…and don’t be afraid to smile more often!
12. Think outside the box.
Travel opens your mind in more ways than one. When dealing with the inevitable mishaps that come with every travel experience (whether that is losing your luggage, getting sick with food poisoning, or struggling with the language), travel teaches you to deal with all kinds of situations by thinking outside the box.
You’ll become more innovative, adaptable, and gain problem-solving skills that will help you deal with anything life throws your way.
13. We are all the same.
Through travel, you have the ability to experience different cultures and see how other parts of the world live and operate. Yet what travel teaches you is that we’re not all that different. Humans all over the world appreciate connection and family above all else. And there is comfort knowing that no matter how or where we live our lives, we all have core values in common.
14. You can do ANYTHING.
Travel changes you. It makes you more confident and independent. It offers a freedom you can’t find anywhere else. It teaches you how to problem solve, make friends even in the loneliest times, navigate language barriers, and get through hard things. All in all, it teaches you that you are powerful and gives you the courage to do anything you set your mind to.
15. There’s no place like home.
The flight home is almost always a bittersweet moment.
Travel offers a completely new perspective on home. It may help you appreciate what you left behind and help you dig stronger roots to where you’re from. For others, it may reveal that you belong elsewhere and help you plant roots where you truly belong. No matter the outcome, travel teaches you there’s no place like home.
3 ways to start traveling
Are you ready to change your life? Here are some of the top programs to get you out of your comfort zone.
1. GVI
- Why it’s great: GVI is one of the top volunteer programs in the world, with opportunities to travel, learn, and volunteer with sustainable development projects across many countries. This program partners with international organizations all over the world, so you’ll have the ability to work alongside locals to make a difference, whether you want to volunteer at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, in marine conservation in Seychelles, or conduct wildlife research in Costa Rica.
- Read GVI reviews
2. Intern Abroad HQ
- Why it’s great: If you’ve ever dreamed of gaining valuable work experience abroad, Intern Abroad HQ could be your answer. This program helps students, graduates, and young professionals jumpstart their dream careers through coordinating global custom internships. It’s one of the world’s largest international internship organizations and can open doors to work experience in every corner of the world and in every career path, from psychology to finance to advertising to teaching.
- Read Intern Abroad HQ reviews
3. International TEFL Academy
- Why it’s great: International TEFL Academy could be the first step in your career as a global citizen. This program offers TEFL certifications both online and in-country to help you gain the knowledge and experience to start teaching English abroad. Whether you want to make a little money to fund your travels or open the door to working across multiple continents, International TEFL Academy is committed to getting you abroad and immersed in local culture, all while funding your travel and making an impact.
- Read International TEFL Academy reviews
Get connected with 5 meaningful travel programs for FREE
Your life will feel full after traveling!
Traveling allows so much to gain and nothing to lose.
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or have yet to leave your hometown, there’s no doubt that traveling is the experience you need to make your life fuller. If you’re ready to learn, grow, and transform into a new and better version of yourself, let yourself catch the travel bug. It will teach you endless lessons about who you are as a person and what life is all about.
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