Traveling can become an important aspect in anyone’s life—whether it’s traveling to work every day or traveling for a vacation. However, when studying abroad, traveling is a nerve wracking task and a must at the same time.
Now, while these two descriptions for traveling as a student are contradictory, planning an independent trip helps you learn not only about a new culture, but also about yourself. With this being said, here are the top reasons for why traveling is important, especially while abroad:
- Location, Location, Location
Imagine a map of America. Alright, now if you do that with Europe, there will be one main difference—there are so many countries that make up Europe, whereas America is one big country. It is so much easier to travel internationally when countries are so close together. A plane ticket to Italy costs a lot less from England rather than from anywhere in America, so take advantage of this!
- Culture
The great adventure of traveling to a new place is that the culture is different no matter where you go. The travel doesn’t even have to be international, it can be a simple train ride out of the city. Regardless of how far you decide to venture, eventually you’ll start to realize how cultured you’ve become and how much you have learned. By the end of your trip, you’ll be a walking encyclopedia!
- You Get To Bring Out Your Inner Travel Agent
Traveling on your own can be pretty stressful. You face questions that have never come up before—like what sites have the best flights, how to get to the airports, and what activities to plan for each trip. Chances are, you’ve never had to plan trips so often and so close together, and it can seem a bit overwhelming. But, after a few weekends of travel, airports all seem to blend together and language barrier or not, you’ll be able to conquer any city.
- You Become A Pro At Packing Light
Flying? Only travel size everything. Taking a train? There’s still not a lot of space for big luggage. Because of this, you’ll be lucky to take a carry-on bag, and of course there needs to be room for souvenirs! Being so conscious of space makes a person think about what they will really need for a weekend trip, which is surprisingly not a lot.
- You Develop Your Communication Skills
This mainly has to do with language barriers, but cultural barriers can play a part in communication skills as well. Say, for example, you are in a foreign country where you don’t know the language—it may seem a bit scary, but it’s not the end of the world. Context clues are a huge help, and every so often Google Translate can make a world of difference. But, whether it’s a foreign language or just a strange and strong accent, expressions like a smile are universal.
- The Endless Photo-Op’s
As the saying goes, did it even happen if you didn’t take a picture? The answer is debatable, but whether or not a photo was taken of all the fun activities and every beautiful city you were in, everyone loves a good photo.
- Amazing Stories To Tell Anyone Who Will Listen
A lot of stories from those who have gone abroad start with, “this one time, when I was studying abroad…” and usually end with a really cool story that most of the time causes a little bit of jealousy. The best part is, you already know that is how you are going to be when you get home. But hey, who can blame you? If you hiked a volcano, you deserve to tell the world!
- A Lifetime Of Memories In A Few Short Months
Living in a foreign city is, for most people, a once in a lifetime opportunity. That’s why it is so important to make memories, whether it be during class or during a night out. And, as cliché as it may sound, this experience abroad is a time to enjoy all of life’s moments, both big and small.
