Traveling the world has its benefits. You can learn through travel things that would have been impossible to experience if you just stayed in one place throughout your lifetime. You will be exposed to new cultures, beliefs, practices, and people. Sharing these experiences can help in your growth as a person with increased awareness and open-mindedness.
Here are the travel lessons you will encounter as you continue exploring new places:
1. The World is a Scary Place, but You Must be Firm and Brave
It can be scary to travel to unknown places, but it can also be fun to explore unchartered territories and experience new things you have not felt before. There is nothing to be scared of because you are not the first to travel to new places.
Living in fear and doubt will get you nowhere. Life is too short to stay in one place and wonder what would have happened if you had a bit of courage to decide to go. Remember that you are as capable as those who got there before you.
Through travel, you will learn that while there are frightening places and situations to be wary of, the vast majority of the world is full of friendly, helpful, and kind people that you can befriend.
Instead of being afraid of things you have never encountered, look at them as travel lessons to help you grow into a better person. When you get out of your comfort zone, will you experience growth and know more about yourself.
Be adventurous, but always watch for your safety. While it is okay to challenge yourself and push limits, know that there are risks involved in every action you take.
If you are into risky activities like rock climbing, paragliding, and skydiving, it is best to have travel insurance before participating in such events. Visitor insurance can provide you with a safety net in case the worst happens during your adventure.
2. Guidebooks Can Only Do So Much
Travel guides are helpful to give you an overview of what you can expect from your destination. You will learn about modes of transport, the places to visit, the food to eat, and the kind of environment. But it is by meeting locals and wandering around the area, and letting your feet take you where you feel like going and you will truly experience the joy of traveling to new locations.
As you go to more places, one of the travel lessons that will stick with you is never to limit yourself with what the guidebooks say. It is always more exciting and satisfying to craft your adventure, build your itinerary, and explore areas on your terms.
There are no right or wrong ways of traveling. As long as you are happy with the journey, it is an excellent experience with many travel lessons along the way.
3. Take Your Time to Explore and Wander Around
When you ask experienced explorers about the lessons they learned from traveling, many of them will tell you to take things slow. This lesson is not easy to digest, especially if you only have a few days in your leisure time to spend. It is common practice to pack as many activities and go to as many places as possible during the trip.
However, doing too many things within a short period will leave you exhausted. Instead of enjoying your time away from work, you will end up stressed because you feel pressured to complete the scheduled activities for the day. When you get back to your daily life, you will probably remember your vacation as a blur because of how fast you had to do things.
Soak in as many travel lessons as you can. Travel is all about quality, so there is no need to rush things. The more you explore a location, the more meaningful and memorable the experience will be.
4. Be Patient and Flexible
You have your schedule ready, and you have a plan for each day. However, hiccups and inconveniences may happen, forcing you to delay some of the arranged activities or even miss out on others. Cancellations can be frustrating, but there is nothing you can do to change the situation.
Your flight getting canceled, lousy weather preventing you from going out, the bus arriving late by an hour from its schedule – not everything will go as smooth as planned.
One of the lessons you will learn through travel is to go with the flow and be flexible. Allotting room for spontaneity and not stressing too much about things that could go wrong can make your adventure more enjoyable.
5. Pack Light, So You Can Worry Less
You may probably be used to packing luggage with your whole wardrobe. You want to be prepared, which is understandable because you do not know what kind of weather you will face during your trip. But as you become more experienced, one of the lessons you will learn from frequent travels is that you can survive even if you pack lightly.
Limit bringing disposables that you can buy at your destination. Avoid getting fancy clothes if you are not attending any event that requires you to wear as such. As always, do not wear or bring expensive gadgets or accessories that you will not often use during your trip. By packing light, you will worry less about losing precious things. This will give you more time to focus on the travel lessons you will pick up on your trip.
Limit bringing disposables that you can buy at your destination. Avoid getting fancy clothes if you are not attending any event that requires you to wear as such. As always, do not wear or bring expensive gadgets or accessories that you will not often use during your trip.
By packing light, you will worry less about losing precious things. This will give you more time to focus on the travel lessons you will pick up on your trip.
6. Interact with Locals and Learn New Things
Immersing in the place's culture is the best way to earn free travel lessons that will make you a better person. You will be exposed to cultures, practices, and beliefs possibly different from yours, and this will help you understand more about the world. By talking with locals, you will get a more in-depth insight into their way of living.
Force yourself to communicate in the local language. Simple phrases and basic greetings are not only helpful in navigating your way through unfamiliar territory but also necessary to show respect as a visitor. Locals will appreciate your effort to communicate in their language, and you will also learn a new skill at the same time. The experience and lessons learned from traveling will make you more open-minded and accepting of the differences between people. Respect and understanding are the most incredible travel lessons you will acquire that you cannot get from simply reading books and guides.
Force yourself to communicate in the local language. Simple phrases and basic greetings are not only helpful in navigating your way through unfamiliar territory but also necessary to show respect as a visitor. Locals will appreciate your effort to communicate in their language, and you will also learn a new skill at the same time.
The experience and lessons learned from traveling will make you more open-minded and accepting of the differences between people. Respect and understanding are the most incredible travel lessons you will acquire that you cannot get from simply reading books and guides.
7. Stay Protected with Travel Insurance
New backpackers and veteran travelers alike must not leave their homes without being insured. Travel insurance can save you from trouble in case something goes wrong along your journey.
Losing your luggage at the airport, having your trip canceled midway, being hospitalized abroad while you are on vacation, or getting into an accident during your travel overseas can all be covered by comprehensive travel insurance. Things like these that you cannot control can happen, and your best protection against them is being insured.
You do not want to wait for any of these to happen and become travel lessons before you start considering getting insured. It is too late to wish you had travel insurance with you when you are already in an uncomfortable situation during your trip.
You might try to be frugal by skipping travel insurance, thinking the chance you will make a claim is minimal. But shelling out a few extra bucks is way better than footing a $10,000 hospital bill when you get into an accident overseas. It is always worth getting travel insurance before you venture on a trip because your life and finances may depend on it.
Looking for the Best Travel Insurance Plan
Travel lessons can come from unexpected places and times, and you will be surprised by how things come together. But in the same way, unpredictable circumstances might occur that can have a significant impact on your health and finances. To protect you from unanticipated situations like accidents, theft, and cancellations during your travel, it is highly recommended to get international travel insurance.
Written by Joe Cronin, President, International Citizens Insurance