For someone who swore she'd never go anywhere that she couldn't plug in her straightener to staying in a hostile with no A/C or hot water, this experience was truly life-changing.
Everyone reading this probably has places they dream to travel and somewhere on some list they have the intentions of eventually making those dreams come true. It's time to make those dreams a reality.
Save. Plan. Go. Now.
From dreadlocks and hair braids to sun-kissed skin and henna tattoos, your 20's are the perfect age to travel. We are smart "enough", most of the time, to successfully make it to our destination but carefree enough to take risks that lead to unforgettable memories.
So here are 13 reasons why traveling in your 20's is one of the best things you could ever do for yourself.
1. Because, why not?
Honestly, in your 20's you don't have any significant ties. This is one of the only times in your life that you won't have P.T.O meetings or a job that will fall apart if you leave. Your most significant tie is most likely a significant other or 4-legged friend and depending on the location you can bring either or both.
2. Your view on the world will be completely altered.
Through no fault of your own staying in one area gives you a significantly sheltered view on the world. The idea of what somewhere is like in your head can be completely different than how it actually is. After being immersed in the culture your views can be drastically changed.
3. You're only young once.
Take advantage of the time where living in your bathing suit and eating three servings of french fries is still a good idea.
Once again the only time in your life you will still be attractive after doing so.
What are showers? If I ate the fruit in the Sangria that still counts right?
There is no shame in drinking more beer than water and eating a diet strictly consisting of french fries because the thing you ordered may or may not be staring at you.
You are young enough to drink with the locals and still be ready to go the next morning.
"No ragrets" "Not even one letter?"
4. Survival Mode
By a strictly survival instinct you are forced to go out of your comfort zone and, as a result, learn what you are capable of. Things you never thought you were capable of doing all the sudden you find yourself accomplishing.
"I can make it through the airport in under 60 secs." you think as you race onto the plane after they called your name on the loud speaker in the airport
5. Beer pong has no language barrier.
You meet people from all over the world. At any time you can be amongst people who all speak different languages. Anywhere from Germany, to Turkey, to France, to Thailand we couldn't have a conversation but we drunkenly battled our way to beer pong champions.
Another perk of being in your 20's: It's still socially acceptable to bond over beer pong and tequila shots. That's not how you make friends?
6. (For lack of a better way of putting it) When shit hit's the ceiling.
Stages of panic like:
Living a life where I make a million to-do lists in my Lilly planner and function on a "relatively" organized schedule with a certain level of predictability I don't have to go with the flow very often. So until you are dropped off in the middle of a country where no one speaks your language and you have to find a hotel for that night because plans got screwed up do you really know what being out of your element means and how quickly your standards of what is "acceptable" completely change!
No A/C? No heated water? Oh, the bed is on the floor? I'll take it!
7. Pura vida
Unplug and let go.
To our demise millennials are infamous for being glued to and unable to function without our technology.
I went to a city where people rode bikes instead of driving cars, they didn't know what Uber was and flip phones were as technologically advanced as it got.
With an international plan that I didn't realize gave me no data and wifi that was sketchy at best I was forced to absorb what was going on around me. I never realized how much I was missing. I learned to eat the native food, enjoy the native traditions, and embrace the customs of the people.
I'm talking I stepped into the Caribbean version of Andy Griffith.
8. Respect for other cultures.
You gain a respect for other cultures. Through first-hand experience, you learn more than you ever could reading about it in a textbook. Instead of just learning what these people do you get to learn why and how they do it.
9. Things that can't be taught.
So I'm basically saying, we are all stupid and by life hitting us in the face, we get less stupid faster.
"I don't learn lessons the hard way once" It takes a few times.
We should have learned after every vendor in the market claimed their aunt, uncle, cousin or distant relative handmade the items that were clearly being sold in every stall. Needless to say, we had never felt stupider than when we were walking through the airport on our way back and saw everything we bought in the market being sold right there in the airport.
Liars.
10. You learn responsibility.
You go from this:
to this:
From the time I almost dropped my passport off the bridge, to when I left my credit card in the machine to the time I forgot to recheck my luggage at baggage claim and had to beg for help, my 20 something know-it-all self was quickly humbled. Whether you are running through the airport to catch your flight, or keeping up with the multitude of papers required to get back into the country to then navigating your way through customs you are quickly forced to grow up and figure it out.
11. Ballin' on a budget.
You learn to budget your money because once you take that first trip and you do it right, you'll be dying to take another. (and maybe be able to afford the A/C next time)
12. Lifelong friendships.
Whether it's the people you travel with or the friends you make while on the trip, you create life long connections all over the world.
Your travel partners will turn into your future bridal party.
13. Because no good story ever started with "This morning at yoga..."
"Remember that time..."
Well, 20-somethings probably remember the gist of the story.
From the time when you accidentally broke the bed to when you woke up on the beach, to when you lugged your 5 suitcases up the 5 flights of stairs because you couldn't find the elevator to waking up with a mastiff drooling on you, you will never again be short a conversation starter.
Those pics that you see on google that you assume are photo shopped because they are so beautiful, I now have seen those in real life. They are on my phone. #nofilter
Most importantly as a 20 something you are still questioning your identity. Let's be honest as a 20 something you are still questioning everything. From who you are, to what you are doing, to why you are doing it and what you eventually want to be doing. These experiences can be crucial in those defining moments of your life.
All in all, if you decide you love somewhere enough you can always just miss your flight home, right?
