For my fellow homebodies out there, trust me when I say I know the feeling of "home is where the heart is". Being a person who lived and grew up in the same suburban town their whole life, I have been accustomed to seeing familiar faces and places every day. The need to leave my home town never seemed appealing to me- but that was when I did not realize what I was missing out on.

For my entire life, my dad and sister have always been the most passionate travelers I know. If it weren't for their avid excitement to explore the world, I never would have gotten the opportunity to see it for myself. As a toddler, I would throw fits at my dad for making me go on family vacations, unable to appreciate the beauty of each part of the world we had seen. Years later, I began to grow a large appreciation for traveling and the benefits that come with it. Getting pushed out of my comfort zone resulted in some of the best experiences and memories various countries have to offer.

From riding an elephant in Asia to witnessing a wildebeest migration a few feet away from me in Africa, I consider myself unbelievably lucky to have experienced once in a lifetime opportunities such as these. Do not even get me started on Europe because I could go on and on about how artsy it is- hence the infinite number of insta worthy pictures that can be taken there. The best part of visiting different countries in different continents is not being able to compare them to each other, as each country, or rather each city, has its own unique charm.

I can proudly say I have visited 35 countries in my life so far, with just about 160 to go! It sounds unreasonable, I know, but my life goal is to cover as many as possible. After vacationing every six months or so, the thrill of seeking new adventures and soaking in new sceneries has definitely rubbed off on me. As I get older each year, my appreciation for seeing new places grows along with me. I have now turned into a person who jumps at the chance to travel during any school break I get.

Here are 7 things I have realized about the benefits of traveling and how they have impacted me:

1. I am so glad I took that one AP European history class sophomore year of high school (I definitely put this skill to use in every museum I visited in Russia)

2. My taste buds thank me every time I try new, foreign food.

3. I think I have finally mastered the art to defeating jet lag. Hint: it's called melatonin.

4. I would have missed out on about 84% of the world if I had not stepped out of North America

5. Being a tourist taught me the lesson of being responsible for your wallet (that's right, there are pickpocketers!)

6. Don't be stuck behind your camera. While a picture says a thousand words, a memory captures a million more. Watching the sunrise in Angkor Wat or in the middle of the Saharan desert in Morocco was an unreal experience and I let myself just live in the moment instead of fumbling with my phone to take a picture.

7. Human connection isn't about people you know or people who speak the same language as you. Sometimes the nicest people I met have been unable to speak English, live in a small mud hut in the middle of Peru or have three small children and live on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. Don't rely on language as the sole form of communicating with others!

So, pack a bag, pick a destination and set yourself free. Allow yourself to become immersed in a new culture, a new language, a new environment. Home may be where the heart is, but your soul will be craving for more.

You're only a passport stamp away...