We travel to change, not of place, but ideas

As Hippolyte Taine, the French philosopher said: “We travel to change, not of place, but ideas”.

When I was a child my father asked me at what age I wanted to speak different languages. He kind of took for granted I was going to travel abroad… It turns out that traveling is indeed one of my passions. Today, I want to share my point of view about traveling and why it is so fulfilling.

You will live unique adventures

Traveling is a great way to immerse yourself in the cultural diversity that exists in our world. You will get to know diverse traditions of different ethnic groups.

You can learn new abilities

New opprotunities will arise to explore new interests. Traveling also looks good on a resume, because it demonstrates independent thinking.

You can learn other languages

Traveling is a good reason to learn languages. You can be sure that ocals will always appreciate your efforts.

It strengthens the skill to empathize with others

Traveling teaches us how to practice tolerance and respect for others’ beliefs and traditions.

Furthermore, travelers who have the habit of being observant; asking questions; being open minded, curious and respectful; find traveling is enriching.

You will get to know yourself better

The farther you go, the more you find out about yourself. Traveling pushes you out of your comfort zone to figure out what you are comfortable with and what you are capable of.

You learn how to overcome new challenges

The experience helps you overcome language barriers, as well as working through issues that arise. It teaches you how to survive, and it builds self-satisfaction. You gain a unique kind of confidence.

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of the familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is your own, except the essentials: air, sleep, dreams, sea, and the sky – all things tending towards the eternal, or what we imagine of it.” The Italian poet Cesare Pavese beautifully, yet honestly, spoke of traveling as such.

It helps you appreciate what you have

Getting away from what you are used to in life allows you to put the world into perspective and can give you a greater appreciation for home and important things in life.

I´ve learned to enjoy being at the top of the Sugar Loaf in Rio de Janeiro or having dinner in Madrid with a musician of the Spanish royal court, as much as eating grilled fish with bare hands on a popular beach in Mexico or playing in the ocean with a car tire inner tube.

It stimulates your curiosity

Traveling gives you the beautiful opportunity to experience things for the first time. That curiosity is powerful because it is the core of innovation and promotes learning.

Traveling awakens your senses

Remind your senses of all the beauty the world has to offer: Exciting foods, unique sounds, the characteristic smell of every city.

It gives you the chance to connect with people from across the globe

When you travel, I invite you to fully experience different cultures. Get to know local people, not only see landscapes and take a picture in front of a famous building.

It is a wonderful way to create lifetime memories

You will make unique memories that you will treasure for life. You will never regret traveling.

Travel allows you to experience the world first-hand

You can read about different cultures, but nothing will give you the same knowledge and experience as actually immersing yourself in that culture.

Traveling gives you the opportunity to soak up the indescribable feelings that come with standing amidst places of natural beauty and gathering with interesting people from around the world.

It expands your horizons

Traveling gives you life experience in an intensive manner. It broadens your mind in a profound and permanent way. After being exposed to new cultures, your way of seeing the world will be changed forever and you will never be the same.

At a certain point, I started feeling guilty for the money I was spending on traveling. My father taught me a great lesson. He told me to enjoy it, because traveling is one of the best investments you can make in life. After all, travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, and what you gain, you can never lose.

Tolerance, perspective, gratitude, sense of accomplishment, the ability to enjoy the little things in life; these are some examples of how travel has enriched my life. And for that, I feel blessed.