I remember when I was in high school one of our prof asked our class "What is your ultimate dream?". Most of my classmates answered "To travel the World" and proceeded to enumerate the places that they want to visit someday. As we all know traveling isn't really a profession. It's expensive and in most cases stressful. 30% of the time is spent waiting for something; a flight, a bus ride and standing in line for tourist attractions. Traveling would also mean getting out of our comfort zone; It's hard to maintain a routine we usually practice at home while keeping track of other things such as following the itinerary, keeping our passport, IDs and money safe; basically trying to avoid mishap to happen. Traveling is a disaster waiting to happen but why do people still want to do it?
I have always been fascinated with the thought of traveling and exploring the world. I got bitten by the travel bug at an early age; My dad loves to travel, he would show me and my siblings pictures and videos he recorded through VHS while telling us stories of the amazing things he experienced. Hearing his stories developed my curiosity to explore. I was so excited to be introduced to a different world and immerse myself into an entirely different culture but it wasn't until I was in 5th grade that I finally had the chance to travel abroad. My parents took me on my first trip to Hong Kong. Arriving in an unfamiliar culture I find wonderment in everything, from the smallest details to the largest. I finally understood what my dad has been telling me for many years. After that, my family and I have been traveling almost every year. But is it the same with most people?
According to an article entitled "Why Do People Travel?" from www.whydopeople.com, there are many reasons one can think of when asked questions such as these. One of the most common reasons why people choose to travel is to get away from their current situations and locations, either for a quick vacation or as a means of finding one’s self. Other answers you get when you ask “why do people travel?” include to enjoy new experiences, to learn and experience new languages, new food, and new cultures.
Compared to previous decades, people travel more nowadays because the economies are better and the advancements in transportation make it easier to do so. If family members do not reside in the same country or are probably working abroad, other family members would want to visit them and would do so as frequently as their resources would allow. Visiting families and friends in different states or countries are probably the most important reasons for taking time off to travel.
Another important reason that people provide when asked “why do people travel?” is that they are in search of a new job. Some people travel to the major cities to pursue their dream jobs. People from the rural areas often move to the urbanized areas to have better chances of getting high-paying job offers.
Traveling to experience a whole new culture is also a popular answer to the question about traveling. The chance to be exposed to new sights, different people and varied experiences can give people the chance to challenge themselves and to find out new things about themselves. The reality show called “Amazing Race,” for example, shows how people can learn much not only about the places they travel to but also about their personal limitations.
Traveling can teach us things that we'll never learn in a classroom. According to an insight in an article entitled "Educational Benefits of Traveling" from www.traveltips.USAtoday.com, "You can read about history in a book, or you can actually experience it." Aside from visiting historical places, some even offer reenactments of significant periods in their history. I was given the privilege to experience these and I've always felt like it has given me an edge compared to most people.
My dad would always say that a person doesn't need a lot of money to travel, he just need the desire to explore. Traveling is an escape, he said, an excuse to deviate from life's plans because sometimes we get too familiar with our surroundings that we fail to see the beauty of it.
Traveling is not a spending, it's an investment. Gary Arndt, a famous blogger who sold all of his properties to travel, claimed that he has done and learned more on the last 7 years than he has in his lifetime. According to an article entitled "10 reasons why you should travel" from www.mindbodygreen.com, travel is important because it fundamentally transforms
us. This experience of waking up to the power of your own transformation fires you up to “be the change you want to see in the world,” as Ghandi puts it.
So, why do people travel? The reasons can vary but whatever your reason for packing your bags and jumping on the next train away from here, don’t forget to enjoy.
