Ever since I went on a trip to Italy and Spain my sophomore year in high school, I knew that I wanted to travel more. I loved exploring places that I have never gone before and learning about the history of the sites that I would see along the way. I was blessed to get the opportunity to go back to Europe to explore the world even more. I went to London for a month and traveled along Ireland for two weeks. The experiences and memories that were made are ones that are unforgettable. It is so important that we get the chance to travel at least once in our lives to a new and exciting place. Here are some reasons why I feel that it is important to travel:

It allows you to make new experiences and memories.

How can you really experience life when you are forever completing your daily routines? Take the opportunity to step away from the stress of daily life and go to the place that you have always wanted to go. You only live once, so why not do it now? I guarantee that you will have experiences and make memories that you will look back on and won’t forget. Now you have a story to tell for your friends and family of how you saw the Vatican or went on the London Eye. The pictures you take will be ones that will capture all the inspiring and beautiful moments that occur throughout your trip.

You can learn about the world and different cultures.

By traveling, you will also begin to think differently about the world. You realize how different other people’s lives are compared to your own. You have the chance to step into their world and learn about their culture. You might find other people’s cultures to be exciting and embrace the fun.

You can meet new people.

It is always fascinating to meet people outside of your friend groups or family members. Imagine meeting people from a different state or country. You might be surprised by the people that you meet along your trip. My trip to Ireland consisted of a tour group with people from all over the world including citizens from the US, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand. It was an exciting experience to socialize with these people and learn about their stories.

It allows you to try new things.

Are you a picky eater? Well now it’s time to break this by trying new and exciting foods when you travel. Try foods that you have never tried before or find interesting. You might be surprised at what foods you do enjoy! Traveling to new places is all about trying things that you might not normally do. Get the chance to live a little. Not many people get the chance to kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland upside down!

It can bring your family together.

From someone who has a close family to begin with, I found that my trip to Ireland with my family only brought us even closer. By traveling with your family, you get the chance to really spend time with them outside of the hectic and busy life at home. You can make lasting memories that your family will be reminiscing about for a long time. They will definitely want to look over the photo albums over and over again!

Facing fears.

When you travel, you get this feeling like you can take on the world. You have the chance to step outside of your comfort zone and you are put into situations or experiences that you have never been in before. When you accomplish or have done something you have never done before, you feel that you can achieve more and more. You feel like you want to see more of the world and your goals become bigger.

Self-discovery.

Traveling is the perfect time to reflect on who you are as a person. Your strengths and weaknesses tend to come out when you are put in new situations or in places you have never been before. You may discover that you are more shy or confident than you thought you were. You may get a better feel of how you should behave around other people that you never really grasped when you were at home. Traveling opens you up to a self-discovery that will help you grow.