Ever since I can remember traveling has been one of my biggest passions. I was fortunate to grow up in a family that traveled frequently, and the passion that I saw my parents had for traveling quickly turned into something we all shared. As I grew older my passion grew deeper and it led me all over the world on all types of trips. While it's so amazing to see beautiful places, I think traveling can really change people in many different ways, which is why I love it so much.

Traveling opens peoples eyes to the world around them. For a lot of people, especially if you've grown up in the United States, it's easy to see yourself at the center of the world. Traveling makes you realize how small your situation is, not in a bad way, but in a refreshing way. When I went to Haiti on a mission trip my eyes were truly opened, and it really changed my view of the world and my own life.

Traveling leads you to discover things about yourself. Traveling can be tough and stressful, just as much as it can be fun and adventurous. It's difficult to always be patient in situations where you don't know the language or the culture, but the difficult situations really teach you lessons. You learn to take the good out of every situation no matter how tough they may be, and you learn that the situation does not control you, you control it, even if it may not seem like it at the moment.

Traveling teaches you about how amazing the world you're living in, is. It's so easy these days to look at the world and see only hate. There are terrorists and people shooting up schools, and children dying from cancer. But traveling, and experiencing other cultures and people, and their kindness, makes you realize that no matter how much hate there is in the world, there will always be more love.

Traveling makes you appreciate your home. Before I went on exchange to Spain I really didn't appreciate living in the United States like I should have. I guess I was ignorant to how amazing my country is (Spain is amazing too!)

These are only some of the few lessons I have learned from traveling. You grow and learn, and through adventures become a truly better version of yourself.