It’s been 22 years since I left school and embarked on the adult adventures. What I didn’t realise at the time was the irony of being a scholar, and while it was a time where I absorbed, learnt and discovered so much, it was also the largest amount of time spent confined to one space with the same people, day in and out. School has many upsides, but when it comes to learning the real-life lessons, the classroom is not where I believe it will happen.
When I was 15, I was privileged enough to travel as a German scholar and later, when in university, I traveled as a French student. It was here that I engaged with people in a real-life environment and learnt that, while there was sometimes a language barrier, our needs and wants at that time were so similar. Having just returned from my “10-year-anniversary-fourtyearyoungbirthday-trip” with my husband, I can say that the needs and wants are still the same but can also add the following learnings:
- Patience
Coming from a big city, the fast-paced lifestyle is inevitably entrenched in me. Waiting for anything – food at a restaurant, lines for the restroom, even waiting for people to email me back – drives me crazy. The biggest lesson I’ve learned through my travels is that it’s okay to wait and have lag time, and if something happens to go wrong, to be patient when seeking help. Though it seems that way, traveling isn’t as luxurious as advertised, nor as glamorous as they appear on Instagram. Your flight gets delayed, you catch a stomach bug, your bus is late, you get on the wrong train, the weather will minimise outdoor activities – it happens on every trip, and trust me, it builds character. If everything ran smoothly, the adventure wouldn’t exist. Patience is truly a virtue and you’ll learn to tackle the circumstances as they come, which will make you appreciate the experience even more.
- Talk the talk
Having to use a foreign language to get food and go places – is one of the best ways to learn. It will help you to make new friends, explore a different culture and enjoy your trip to the fullest. So, no matter where you go, always learn a few words: locals know the best restaurants, bars and shortcuts, after all.
- Be grateful
You will be in the priceless position of experiencing things again for the first time – something that gets harder the older you get. Being in a new environment helps you appreciate the little things that make life so exciting and memories so unforgettable. Traveling reminds you to walk through life not only with open eyes and ears but, most of all, with an open mind.
- Material things don’t matter
When you travel the world, you’ll soon realise how little it takes to make you happy, and not just because carrying luggage is a pain in the back. Traveling is a great way to declutter your life, both mentally and physically.
- Discovery History
By exploring other parts of the world (or even hidden gem locations in your own country), you’ll play the part of an adventurer and discover all new artifacts of knowledge. Pore through indigenous texts, embrace fascinating styles of art, stand beneath overlooked landmarks, and study the events that shaped nations. Understanding another cultural history is the best way to understand its politics, motivations, and social habits. Take your travel slowly so you can really marinate in the world around you. It may be the only way to learn about it authentically.
- Find beauty in the small things
Returning from a trip, a study abroad experience, or a weekend away feels rejuvenating. New perspective is gained. A home cooked meal will mean so much more to you because you missed it for so long. The person who smiled at you on the street becomes your best friend. Seeing a statue or monument in your hometown will remind you of the one you saw abroad. It’s really the small things that give us joy in life, and they’re usually free. Traveling is one way to learn this.
While we all live different lives in different places, there are commonalities that bond us. I have met people of the same age that live in huts on grass islands in Mafate, apartments in New York and hostels in Oberammergau. Our lives are so completely different, but also the same with our wishes for: family, friends, health, happiness, opportunity and freedom.
Perhaps one of the hardest lessons or realities is that not all of us will achieve those desires, while some will without significant effort. Circumstance will dictate, and it doesn’t always feel fair. Striving to become a better version of ourselves, travelling can teach you so much about yourself and other people. You become more appreciative of what surrounds you, finding a new respect for nature and the history of foreign places and people.
Often, once you start travelling, you don’t want to stop. A quest to learn and experience more will make you richer for it, teaching and guiding you to become a stronger, wiser and more capable person. You will develop a sense of responsibility in terms of what you bring and represent in the world. There is not a school in the world that can teach this and generate the same outcome. A Chinese proverb states that “He who returns from a journey is not the same as he who left.” There is immense truth in this and I would encourage everyone to travel and challenge yourself. There is no loss in stretching and exceeding boundaries. This will only bring benefit to your life and your overall outlook. As entrepreneurs, travelling will help develop such valuable skills that will translate so well in business. Decision-making will improve, so will budgeting. You will learn, probably the hard way, how to become more flexible and relaxed. Engaging with foreigners will show you how to talk to people that are vastly different to you, a lesson that is key in business. You will try new things, broaden your horizons and explore your surroundings.
A new sense of self-belief is inevitable, as you learn to rely more on yourself. Using a map may not be a given, you will live on the edge and forge ahead without much of a plan, managing the stumbling blocks and challenges as you happen upon them. All of this makes for life changing results and alters your life course. So, if you haven’t yet, consider taking a leap into the unknown, you will be amazed at the outcome (and the ice cream).
