I previously published this post about two years ago but revisited and updated it. This week we are heading off on a cruise of the South Pacific. It will be only for 7 days but I’m so looking forward to travelling again.
I love travelling and discovering new places. My husband and I have been very fortunate to be able to take an annual overseas holiday over the last few years and it has always been a period of growth for both of us. We love discovering new things and meeting new people.
From my travels I’ve realized that I have changed with each trip, so I’ve compiled a list of how travel can change a person.
9 Ways Travel Changes You
1. We Learn How Others Live
Travelling is an education. When travelling to another country you become educated on how other people live. Sometimes it makes you appreciate your life and your home. It is especially a rewarding experience to travel to places where the culture is so totally different to your own. Basic things such as the geography, how the economy works, the currency and how it converts to your own currency, everyday life are all learning experiences.
2. We are taken out of our Comfort Zone
Travelling can be challenging and take you out of your comfort zone. Learning to navigate around strange places, using public transport or even a map can be challenging. We have many experiences where we have been lost and have been able to laugh later once we were safely back at our ‘base camp’. I remember being in La Spezia in Italy and asking several times for directions. The people could not have been more helpful although everyone gave us a different answer! I am much more adventurous now than I was even 10 years ago.
3. We learn the art of Communication
We learn from others whether we can speak the language or not. If you are in a country where your native tongue is not the same, you learn to communicate in other ways. It pushes you to communicate and you realize that all humans are basically the same and a SMILE can go a very long way to replacing conversation. China was a perfect example for us and it was one of our best trips. Trying to communicate that my husband needed medication for a headache, sore throat and cough became more like a game of charades, however we managed to get what we wanted in the end.
4. We Learn Patience
Delayed flights, lost baggage or perhaps being in a place where the word ‘hurry’ is not in the vocabulary can certainly be a test of your patience. Even being with the one you love 24/7 for a long holiday can have its moments (although fortunately for us they are rare). Situations like this teach you to just relax and let it go. You learn to have the attitude of ‘What is the Worst that Can Happen’. When you chill out the holiday has started and you begin to enjoy every moment – frustrating or not!
5. We learn to be more Open Minded
Travelling certainly opens your eyes and mind. You live in your comfort zone at home and when you travel you realize that not everywhere or everyone is the same. Different ideas and way of life teach you to be more tolerant and open minded. Sometimes you discover that the way you think is not necessarily the right way and you become more accepting to a change in mindset.
6. We have New Food Experiences
I love trying different foods and travel can provide many occasions to taste the delicases of the country. Foods which you may not have at home can be a wonderful new experience. Of course, there are some foods that perhaps I just don’t think I could try but mostly it adds to the adventure. I love travelling to visit my husband’s cousins in Italy. Italians love their food and each meal is an event. Sunday lunch begins at 2pm and finishes about 8pm, then we find ourselves eating gelato in Naples at 2am and the streets are crowded with families.
7. Travel Creates Lasting Memories
Each adventure becomes a lasting memory although sometimes it is too easy to fall back into the hectic lifestyle and forget about your experiences. I usually try to make a photo book and love looking through them. The memories come flooding back and for a moment in time you are reliving your experience. I love talking to other travelers and hearing about their adventures.
8. Travel Enriches Your Life
Travel certainly enriches your life. You learn that there is a big world out there which is waiting to be discovered and you are a very small part of that world.
9. You learn gratitude and appreciation
I’ve learned more about being grateful and appreciating my home by experiencing the lives of others. However, i’ve also learned that people who have so little can still be grateful and happy with their lives. I’ve learned we don’t need as many possessions as we think we do.
'“One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” ― Henry Miller 'Click To TweetHave you been fortunate enough to travel to another country? I’d love to hear your stories.
If you can’t travel to another country why not try a Staycation and learn about where you live! Read my blog on How to have a Staycation and enjoy your home town it can still be an adventure.
Do you love to travel? I’d love to hear your travel stories.
Let’s Keep Sizzling!
What a wonderful blog! I discovered it by accident. I love the idea of blogging in retirement. I too, love to travel. I think I could just live on a beach and watch the water forever!
Oh I’m so glad you discovered me Barbara and that you enjoyed my blog! I love the beach especially walking along morning or late afternoon. Hope you will continue to follow my blogs. Have a great weekend!
We went to Italy with our two teens last thanksgiving and this year headed to Ireland! Love traveling!!! We all have the travel bug. Want to build blog into biz so when kids are grown we can live in Europe spots for like a month out of year.
Oh what a wonderful item for your bucket list! Italy is my favourite place (maybe because my husband was born there) but I also love Europe in general – so much more history than where I live in Australia. Although we have the beautiful outback. We are heading to India for the first time this year so will be out of our comfort zone. You are certainly giving your children a wonderful education taking them travelling. Thanks for the comment.
Hello, now I can’t remember where I saaw your name, but I had to find out about Sizzlingtowardssixty!
I’ve been to the Bahamas, when I was 15. I’m so glad I had the experience!
Then, to England when my oldest daughter graduated from High School, in a cathedral!! That was so exciting! (But I hated that all their bathrooms were so small. I’m not.)
Well I’m glad you decided to find out Melinda! Welcome! Oh the Bahamas at 15 would have been exciting! I love England and its history. You are right Europe does have different showers and baths! Look out for my next travel blogs and thanks for your comment.
How fun these trips sound! I haven’t been out of the country, but even within the U.S., things can be very different depending on what part of the region you are in. I love to learn all about the place we are visiting and try to do as the locals do when I can. Thanks for the inspiration and the tips!
Even within your own city you can discover things from a tourist point of view. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and it has inspired you. Have a lovely day!
I love traveling. I wish I could afford it more frequently. Getting to know other places and people is a very enriching experience.
Awesome post, Sue!
Yes travelling is a wonderful experience and I am fortunate enough to be able to do it regularly. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for your positive comment.
A wonderful post Sue, and all your points are just so true. Years back as a family we flew from Sydney to Pennsylvania US. In New Zealand we were told our visas were not in order that we may be sent home when we reach Hawaii. Then engine trouble, fuel dumping for an emergency landing in Fiji amid fire engines. This unscheduled stopover threw the remainder of our connections out. Visas sorted out we went from LA to New York. In New York we did not understand tipping. A nice man just took our luggage and carried it for us, we thought how nice people are here. We had no clue that we were meant to tip him. Despite us thanking him profusely our luggage was delayed several days. Boarding our connection from New York we found our tickets for that leg were missing. They were located back in LA, removed by mistake. The dramas continued right through to our destination, enough to say it was fun. And when we look back, amazing.
Oh dear you did have a dramatic holiday and can probably laugh about it now although at the time it would have been frustrating. Hence you learn your patience when travelling LOL. Thanks for your story and comments it shows travel is not always smooth.
I went to South Korea for two weeks last year, and it was just amazing. Everything was similar, but different. Everyone was so friendly, the food was so good, and it wasn’t expensive. It was my first time out of the U.S. The only downside was the 23 hours of travel time! While it was hard having my husband living abroad (Army), getting to visit South Korea and have my own tour guide was an experience I’m very thankful I got to have.
We’re planning a European trip for sometime possibly next summer or the one after. I can’t wait.
#debbieinshape
Yes we stopped in at Busan in South Korea. How exciting with your first time out of the US. Our problem living in Australia is that we are quite far away from US and Europe. You will have a ball in Europe so much history so just keep working towards it. It would be hard with your husband away but keep your eye on the goal of travel and that will give you something to look forward to.
Sue, this is such a great post and is very motivating to get people to engage in more leisure and travel. This is exactly the post that I would love to see on my new Link up “The Leisure Link” starting this Sunday. http://terriwebsterschrandt.com/the-leisure-link-link-up/
See you there!
Terri
I’d love to be part of the link up so will look out for it!
I just love traveling with my husband and the rest of my family. I love how you get to have contact with people that you might not necessary meet in your own world. We’ve had some really great contacts with people who we’ll probably never see again. Thanks for sharing this at the #AnythingGoes Link Party!
Yes I’d rather travel than go out to dinner each week. I save towards a trip each year and you are right – you meet people that you connect with and perhaps will not meet again but enjoy their company at the time.
I love to travel. We just got back from a trip to Montreal. I don’t speak or read French. I expected more road signs and things to be in English. We got a parking ticket because we could not read the sign. Still, it was good to be challenged, to see and hear something new and different. We are hoping to go to Europe next year- after I get a new knee so I can get around better!
We were in Quebec in November and loved it. I practiced some of my high school French and loved the history of the place. Good luck with the knee operation and I’m sure you will love Europe. That is something you can aim for while recovering.
This is great. We should all travel, it great and fun to learn how others live. We had an outing tonight and drove a different route home. It was neat to see the growth of some areas and the changes that go on around us that we don’t seem to notice .
I love travelling and I am fortunate to be able to do so. It is easy to just stay in your own comfort zone. AS you say even driving through other areas can be a surprise. Thanks for your comment. Look forward to more of your posts.
Travel is a wonderful experience, and evolves as we do. Travelling as a student back-packer has been very different to travelling with a young family! Now my kids are teens we’re more adventurous again! It’s the best feeling taking the whole family on a hike or an adventure and discovering new horizons together! Thanks for a great post #FridayReflections
Exactly right Lisa! It will be different again when you are older and the children aren’t travelling with you. What a wonderful experience for them though. Thanks for commenting
I’m so jealous of you getting to eat pasta in Italy, yum! Yes travel teaches us so much, I really enjoyed this post, there is so much I want to experience. I haven’t been overseas much, I have been to New Zealand, Vanuatu and Thailand, but want to go so many places, especially Italy. Thanks for linking up.
Well you’ve made a good start. I love New Zealand it is a beautiful country especially the South Island, I’ve only been to Bangkok in Thailand so more to discover there and yet to visit Vanauatu. Happy travelling!
Getting out of comfort zone. Yes! Need to do that more. I’m definitely clicking over to your staycation post. Those are mostly what I have time for these days, but hope to venture out and beyond again one day.
Oh I hope you enjoy the staycation post Julie! Thanks for stopping by to comment.
I have only been to the Bahamas our of the country, but still I do feel so very blessed to experience this I my honeymoon a do hope someday to do more traveling outside of the country still yet. Thanks so much for linking this up with us tonight 😉
Hi Janine thanks for stopping by. I haven’t been to the Bahamas but they always sound exotic to me. Any type of travel is a learning experience even in your own country. Thanks for the opportunity to link up.
I didn’t get to travel all that much as a kid (and definitely not very far from home), but have had the opportunity to do so with my husband as an adult. I love it!!! I completely agree with everything on your list and that’s why we are trying to give our daughters as many travel experiences as we can.
I’m like you Lisa. My parents didn’t even own a car so holidays were not a part of my childhood. I love travelling and have always encouraged my children to travel. My daughter and her husband moved to London for a year which was so hard as we are very close but it was such an exciting time in their lives and a wonderful experience. Your daughters are lucky that you are giving them these experiences. Thank you for stopping by to comment – enjoy your weekend!
Fabulous post! I loved the trip I took to the Caribbean, I loved the shopping at the little outdoor markets. I hope to be able to travel more, someday. Have an amazing week!
Hi Stacey so glad you enjoyed the post and welcome. I’ve never been to the Caribbean but it always sounds exotic to me. I’m sure you will travel again you just need to put it on the list. Thanks for the comment and hope to hear from you again.
Great post, Sue. Travel definitely does change you.
I especially loved your China photos. My husband and I lived in Beijing for 14 years…and learned so much during our time there!
Oh that must have been such a learning experience Donna. I did find China a very pleasant surprise and would love to return. However, there is so much world to see isn’t there? I’m pleased you enjoyed the post and reminiscing of your time in China x
It was always important to my grandparents to have me travel with them…to show me a world outside my own. Teach me to think beyond my borders and understand empathy beyond my family unit.
What fabulous grandparents you had! Such wonderful experiences and memories for you to share. x
All of this is so true! I’ve been a traveler for decades and never get tired of that up front excitement. In fact, I feel it now as we prepare for several weeks in France next month.
Oh how exciting for you Carol – a new business and a holiday in France. We leave for a week long cruise on Friday and I can’t wait then we are off to Spain and Italy in October. Life is certainly wonderful.
How wonderful to have been able to travel so much. I love your blog. Have a great day!
Oh you made my day Shirley! I’m so pleased you enjoy the blog. I have been very lucky to have been able to travel as much as we have and I still have a bucket list a mile long LOL:)
Traveling is the best. I wish I could do it all the time because of all the reasons you listed.
We are lucky to have the freedom to travel aren’t we Rebecca. Have a great day x
Travelling certainly makes me appreciate how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing country. I love seeing new things and different cultures – and how OLD Europe is, but you can’t beat Australia for safety, sunshine, and feeling the comfort of home.
It certainly does make you appreciate home doesn’t it Leanne (and your own bed)
I have traveled to a foreign countries, gee, I need to write about it, huh? Thank you Sue for attending the #WednesdayAIMLinkParty. I shared your post on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Yes I would love to read about your travels!
To travel is to live is our family motto Sue!! Your post is great and gives really good reasons to travel. Enjoy your cruise!!
Oh I love your family motto Deb! Glad you enjoyed the post and I can’t wait until tomorrow when we sail away! Have a great weekend. xx
I have never been a traveler and these days my anxiety keeps me well within my comfort zone but I can see where this list is just wonderful for those who do travel. I have taken a couple of small trips in the last year and have recently decided that discovering my little piece of the world is a good place to start working on getting out there. For some reason, I think if I learn to deal with the anxiety close to home, I can venture further out. I’d sure love to enjoy and appreciate some of the growths on your list! Visiting from the AIM link party.
I think that discovering your own backyard is an excellent place to start Pam. We probably spend too much time discovering other places when our own home has much to offer. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy!