One of my favorite things about traveling, is realizing that there is no such thing as “normal”. Growing up, you’re introduced to a “normal” lifestyle, a “normal” routine, a “normal” outfit, a “normal” meal for breakfast; but what does “normal” actually mean? While a “normal” breakfast in America would be a salt and carb loaded bacon, egg & cheese on a bagel the size of your face, a “normal” breakfast in France may be a baguette with butter, and a “normal” breakfast in Turkey could be a plate of cheese, olives, fruit, bread, honey and jam. The word “normal” seems to lose its meaning when traveling.
Traveling has truly made me come to realize that there’s no such thing as “normal”. Along with this, it has also taught me a few other things. Traveling has taught me how to…
Talk to People
Traveling forces you to talk to people. It almost makes it easier to talk to strangers and meet new people, because, let’s face it, if you embarrass yourself, you’ll probably never see that person again. I’ve been forced out of my comfort zone many times while traveling, whether it’s meeting up with someone I’ve only met on Facebook, or striking up a conversation with a total stranger at the bar. Talking to “strangers” is the easiest way to create new friendships (whether you’re traveling or not)!
Try New Foods
If there’s one thing I love more than traveling, it’s food, any type of food. Whenever I travel somewhere new, I make a goal to try the food that place is most famous for. (This may just be an excuse to eat, but hey, it’s a great excuse). Before traveling, there were certain foods I would have never tried. I thought they were “weird” or “gross”, but in reality, they were just “different”; different from what I was use to, “different” from my “normal”. Putting my “normal” standards aside, I’ll pretty much try anything these days.
Live With Less
Traveling has truly taught me that less is more. I’ve learned how to travel for a few weeks at a time, with just what I can carry on my back (if you’re anything like me, you just wear the same five outfits every week anyway). You begin to realize that you don’t need much in life; it’s not the tangent things that make your travels, but the sights and the stories you have to take back home. While you may miss your pillow-top queen mattress, your dual-headed shower, and your fancy espresso machine from back home, don’t worry, you CAN and WILL survive without them.
Deal With Fear
Traveling can be scary. You may feel alone at times and scared of the unknown, but that’s how traveling has helped me become a stronger person. You tend to learn a lot more about yourself in times of fear. I think the biggest fear of our generation is being alone. With technology these days, we’re never fully “alone”, we’re always connected to the rest of society in some way. You could never leave the house, and still somehow know everything going on in the world, and what your friends are up to every second of every day. Now THAT’S scary. You may be without your friends and family for a while, or EVEN WORSE, you may be without WIFI for a while, but taking a break and reconnecting with yourself can help you realize that you can deal with a lot on your own.
Overcome Anxiety
Some people may call me crazy for this one, but, traveling has helped me with my anxiety more than anything else I’ve ever tried. Many people think that traveling is stressful and hectic, but for me, it’s relaxing. It almost feels as if it’s all a dream and makes me forget about real life for a while. It lets me take a break and recollect myself before being thrown back into this hectic, stressful thing we call “life”.
Say Yes
If there is one thing traveling has taught me, it’s to say “yes”, yes to everything (well, almost everything, I trust that you can use your instincts on this one). You miss out on a lot of opportunities if you say “no” or “maybe” and overthink the question too much. Some of my best memories come from days and nights that people have asked me to do things, and instead of overthinking it, I just said, “yes”.
Traveling has changed who I am as a person in many ways; I’ve explored new territories, tried new foods, met new people, immersed myself in new cultures, and ultimately, realized there is no such thing as “normal”. It has made me a better person and shaped me into who I am today. I can honestly say, traveling has positively changed my entire outlook on life.