Traveling to Learn

Ashley Guava | Writer

We always hear the phrase “you should travel!” But why?

Some say the best part of traveling might be the sights, all the planned activities, or great food. I argue the best part of traveling is what you learn from the experience.

I joined to help my friend with their next move: Pennsylvania to North Carolina. I was excited to visit a state I haven't visited before and see the differences. Locals embraced slower living, and, with the nice weather, it was rare to not see people out and about. All around me were plants to appreciate that I wouldn’t see growing normally in Pennsylvania, and the beach was a short drive away.

People were much more open or willing to have a short chat with strangers. I met interesting shop owners and heard about their travels; one had lived in Tanzania for a while and came back to open a shop supporting Tanzanian artisans.

Traveling reveals the different ways people live and mirror it back to our own lives. One thing I learned was more self awareness. My routine changed while I was there and I found myself naturally following the pace of slower living the locals had.

I gained a new motivation to seek out and visit more places locally. My friend and I found hidden gems simply exploring the town, it made me think of what I could find at home, too. A final takeaway is that we don’t need to travel far to have these kinds of experiences.