Why Travel Is Good for You
Daphne Miller has traveled quite a bit herself she lived abroad in Italy for four years and now lives in London but even after so many trips, there are still plenty of places left to visit. She’s also written two books about her travels, including “The Girl Who Fell From The Sky,” based on the true story of Marielle Macauley, a French woman who survived being shot down by rebels while serving as a humanitarian aid worker in Sierra Leone.
Why Travel is Good For You?
When we spoke by phone recently, she told me she believes that traveling is one of the best ways to improve yourself, both personally and professionally. Here are 15 reasons why she thinks that’s true.
- Travel opens up new worlds
“It’s like opening up a whole new world. You go somewhere completely different and everything is fresh. That’s part of the reason why it’s so great.”
- Travel changes how you think about the world
“We often forget that our view of the world is very limited because we live here. When you go somewhere else, you realize that everyone is exactly the same. Everyone has the same hopes and dreams and fears and concerns as you do.”
- Travel shows you what really matters
“If you don’t spend time doing those kinds of activities [when traveling], then you never get to see what actually makes the world tick.”
- Travel gives you perspective on your own reality
“For example, when I was living in Africa, I realized that most people were struggling with poverty. And when you come back home and you’re surrounded by wealth, it can easily put things into perspective.” - Travel teaches you patience
“You go somewhere where they speak a language that you understand, but you wait forever at baggage claim. You start to appreciate waiting in line.”
- Travel expands your sense of humor
“There are so many funny stories that happen when you travel. Like finding out that when you are walking along the street and someone says ‘hello,’ you should say ‘yes’ instead of ‘hello.’ Or ‘baggage!’ People always say ‘baggage.’ It’s hilarious.”
- Travel makes friends
Travel definitely makes friends. Whether it’s through other travelers or locals, I feel like everywhere I go, I make lots of friends.”
- Travel forces you to be flexible
“You leave behind all your preconceptions and opinions and beliefs and just try to figure things out for yourself.”
- Travel puts things into context
“People talk about their day-to-day problems, but when you’re traveling, you realize that these things aren’t going to affect everyone in the same way. If you have this problem, it doesn’t mean that you won’t ever solve it. It might take longer than you thought, but it’ll work itself out.”
- Travel Is an Excuse to Explore
“Sometimes you end up doing things you wouldn’t normally do, like exploring ruins or visiting museums. For example, I visited an archaeological site in Peru once. There were Inca mummies there! But I didn’t know anything about them before I went.” - Travel is a way to connect with nature
“Nature sounds amazing. It’s hard to describe it with words, but when you’re flying above the clouds looking down onto a volcano, it feels like you’re connecting with something bigger than you.”
- Travel is cheap
“Most countries have become much cheaper since I started traveling. In Latin America, you can buy food for $1 and drink for 20 cents. Even in Europe, prices are lower.”
- Travel builds confidence
“One thing I learned while traveling is that sometimes you just need to go ahead and try something. This isn’t necessarily brave. Sometimes you’re scared, but you just need to follow your gut instinct.”
- Travel will make you a stronger person
“In a lot of ways, traveling is like exercise. You have to push yourself outside your comfort zone. It’s tough. Especially in developing countries, you have to deal with situations you might not like.”
- Travel teaches you gratitude
“You tend to appreciate things that are easy to take for granted right away. Things like clean water, electricity, shelter. We often complain about money issues, but when you’re traveling, it becomes real.”