There are many lessons to be learned in life, and the learning process begins immediately you come out of your mother’s womb. Whether it is at school, at home or through experiences you go through, life will always be full of lessons and the curriculum will be delivered at different times and under different circumstances.
And there are certain lessons you can only get when you are in certain places or under very specific circumstances. If you are an avid traveler, then you know that traveling comes with a lot of teachings, some of which you will never find in any other place than on the dusty paths you walk down during your travels. Here is a look at some of those lessons, and if you have traveled for any time, I guess you will relate-:
The media is wrong about the world
Before you travel to a new destination, it is common to turn to the internet to search for more information about your destination so that you prepare well and know what to expect beforehand. It is sad to note that some of the things you will find being said about certain places are completely false, and if you were to believe them, you would end up staying home and never travel to any place. The media has a way of creating very scary pictures about the world, making it appear as if danger is lurking everywhere and you are likely to be affected the next minutes.
Travel to some of those countries described as a hotbed of terror or hell on earth and you will find a very different picture from what you had read. But this is not to say that the world is nothing but a bed of roses and this is what you will always experience with your travels. Of course, there is danger in some places and you should never ignore travel advisories, but sometimes the media exaggerates and distorts the truth on the ground.
The past of a country should be used as a measure of its future
Bad things happen around the world – wars, genocides, terror attacks, harsh cultural practices etc. and we can confidently say that there is no country on earth that has never a dark history. However, it is very wrong to use the past to judge countries and try to predict their future based on the dark experiences they might have in the past. Consequently, you should not be discouraged from visiting a destination simply because it had wars in the 1960s or it had a genocide two decades. Vietnam and Rwanda have all had very unpleasant pasts, but are now steaming with tourists due to the awesome history and the rich attractions they have.
There is nothing special about you
If there is one important lesson you will ever learn from traveling, then it is that we are all equal despite the language, race, skin color or the status of development of our countries. You will meet people you have never met or interact with in the past, and you will realize that everyone struggles for the same things in life. Everybody wants to be happy, have a family, make money, stay out of trouble and just enjoy life. This perspective will make you enjoy life more and love to travel more so that you can continue increasing your perspective to appreciate humanity more.
You are incredibly lucky to come from the country you come from
Whether you are from first world countries like America, Canada or the UK or you are from third world countries like Kenya, Zambia or Bangladesh, traveling will make you appreciate your origin because you will always be uniquely special in a number of ways. You will find that there is the thing you enjoy by the virtue of being the citizen of your country – things that other nationalities only yearn for. For example, if you are from the United States, you know how powerful the US passport is.
You don’t face a lot of restrictions when getting to into any country, and you can virtually take a trip to any part of the world in a moment’s notice. But if you are coming from countries like Kenya, you have to undergo a thorough vetting process before you can get visas to countries like the USA. Again, if you come from tropical countries, you will never have to worry about extreme weathers such as very cold winters and hot summers like those experienced in some parts of Europe and the US. These and many other subtle differences make you appreciate who you are, and that can happen only when you travel.
Travel documents are more important than the money you carry
Money is necessary when you travel, but travel documents are more important than the money. This is a lesson usually learned under very tough circumstances. You find that you were late with your visa application and not even the money you have can help you get past the immigration. It a bitter lesson I learned on my first trip to Canada when I ignored the need to fill in the Canada ETA form in good time. I had to wait and do everything as required. It was such a humbling experience, and one I could only get through traveling. If you are also headed to Canada, check out this link for information on the Canada ETA form.
Hotels are great even if you don’t like them
Accommodation will always be a huge concern when you travel because, at the end of an adventurous day, you will want somewhere to eat, and lay down to rest. Of course, there is a myriad of options available at your disposal, but you will soon realize just how hostels are a great invention, though not everyone loves them. They are affordable, located in central places, and they give you a chance to meet with other travelers and make friends which whom you can continue to have more fun with. If you have never traveled and spent in a hotel, you will never know how good it is to spend less yet still get quality sleep.
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