行万里路:旅行教会你的十件事
爱思英语编者按:如果我未曾旅行,就不会是现在的我。 I wouldn't be the person I am today if I never traveled. Growing up, my mom was a teacher, so I've been instilled with a great love for school. I recognize its importance and value, and even now in college I try to take something away from every class I have to take, regardless of how boring I may find it. With that being said, I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if I never traveled. Traveling has given me tons of great lessons, but there are ten that I know I'll never forget. 1. How to appreciate and learn from another culture Learning about other cultures in school is one thing, but actually experiencing a culture is completely different. Whether you're visiting art museums, looking at grand architectural landmarks, or even just stopping for a coffee break in a happening café, traveling exposes you to people and lifestyles that are completely different than anything you've probably encountered back at home. 2. Patience 3. The importance of unplugging from social media I think I can speak for most people in my generation when I say social media takes up a lot of my time. So for me, when I travel I love the fact that I'm often cut off from any Internet. After coming back home, I always realize that a life behind a screen can never compare to a life being lived fully. 4. How to live in the moment In college, we often spend most of our time worrying about the future. What classes should I take next semester, will I get a job after graduation. Travelling, however, makes us all stop and just enjoy the moment. The difference between experiencing every second of your life instead of dwelling on things out of your control is palpable and it's a lesson that's one of the most important to take back home. 5. We are not so different Regardless of culture, skin color, geographical location, or language, everyone in the world strives for the same things. We all want to be safe, we all want to be successful, we all want to live lives that we can look back on and be proud of. Once you travel, you realize that the entire globe is all striving towards the same goal: happiness. 6. The world isn't as scary as you've been lead to believe If you watch the news as much as I do, it's hard to not start thinking that the entire world is a scary, dangerous place. Granted, it's important when travelling to keep your wits about you and take special precautions, but in general, the average country is just as safe as the one you live in now. Danger is always out there, but you have just as likely of a chance of having something bad happen to you in the perceived safety of your home as you do abroad, so why let your fear inhibit you? 7. You're a lot more capable than you ever thought you could be People always say that travel is a transformative experience, and I think that all stems from realizing that you are capable of far more than you ever could have imagined. As an introverted bookworm, it seems nearly impossible that I've done some of the things I've done. Whether I was making friends with complete strangers, or even efficiently planning a vacation, when I look back on my travels, I feel a sense of pride akin to finishing a marathon. Travel truly changes you, but in the absolute best way imaginable. 8. There's no place like home Travelling abroad is a deeply rewarding experience, and I don't think I've ever disliked a place I've been to. Traveling to other places reminds me that the USA is absolutely awesome. When you live here, it gets easy to overlook some of the amenities you've grown up with, but once you spend a few weeks any place outside of the United States, it's hard not to realize just how fortunate you are to be an American. 9. Day to day problems aren't really "problems" It's easy to get caught up in your own little world, where small things like a bad haircut or spilling coffee on your favorite shirt are life-shattering, but once you travel you realize that your problems really aren't that much of a problem. Seeing how the rest of the world lives first-hand in comparison to you makes you realize that you are beyond lucky to live the life you lead. 10. Stay humble Our whole lives we've been told just how important and one-of-a-kind we are. Once you travel you realize that's kind of bogus. The world is a giant place, and we each just make up a tiny part of it. You, as complex as your life may be, are just background noise to the person sitting next to you on the subway. This sounds depressing, but it really serves as a great reminder to stay humble and not sweat the small stuff. |