Whether you're going to a different state across the country for a week, or to a another continent for a year, the intentions you have for making this trip shouldn't be all too different.

When traveling, your goal shouldn't be to escape from the life you live or the person you are, but to grow in the richness of that life and person.

Sure, it is nice to think a change of scenery can make everything better, and temporarily, it can, but sooner or later the troubles you experienced at home will come creeping up in this new place. You can't run from your problems; you can only gain new perspective on them. This can be frustrating because human nature loves instant gratification, but when it comes to finding yourself abroad, patience truly is a virtue.

I often have people tell me when things in their life are going awry, that they wish they were in my situation, as I live thousands of miles from home for school. It is often fantasized that with this distant, comes some sort of clarity, or a lack of problems, due to the fact I'm away. In some sense, this is true, I have found more room to grow and become independent because I am no longer at home, but in many ways, it is much more complex than it seems. You have to be even more mentally prepared when you're in an unfamiliar place to deal with your problems because now, you mainly have yourself to rely on when fixing them. Even though I live this extremely privileged life in the most beautiful of places, everything I've ever struggled with, I've experienced to a greater degree out here. That's because I am not distracted by the comforts of home, and you won't be either once your trip begins. The grass isn't always greener, as they say.

Traveling to new and foreign land can be a mind-blowingly powerful experience. But, this can only be the case if you leave with an open heart full of gratitude for the life you're already living. Remember this life has given you the opportunity to see the world, and everything you want a break from, you'll return to with new and authentic enthusiasm because of this experience. You can't run away from yourself; you can only cultivate who you are and learn to embrace it.