"Traveling changes you as a person" is a phrase I often heard from my more worldly family and friends. Now that I've had the opportunity to travel, I better understand what they meant. Here are a few ways in which traveling changes you:
Traveling makes you more cultured. Exposure to cultures other than your own makes you more tolerant and understanding of others. It also forces you to question the moralities of your own culture, which is challenging but can be highly rewarding.
America is no longer the center of your world. I catch myself wondering if online news articles are discussing events in America or elsewhere; previously I just assumed they did. While it was arguably a safe assumption to make, I became aware of an assumption I didn't even realize I held.
Focus on similarities instead of differences. You stop caring about small bullshit and start perceiving all humans as connected. Who cares about politics or prom when everyone is just struggling to survive? You value each individual life on a more real level now that you've directly interacted more frequently with increasingly diverse people.
Gratitude. I am seriously privileged to have this opportunity. I appreciate my own fortune and focus on being happy with what I have, not having what makes me happy.
Humility. There's no benefit in comparing myself against others, because my worth isn't determined by the size of my neighbor's house - it's how you treat people that matters.
I realize that I've shared a lot of platitudes here that aren't necessarily unique or original. The takeaway here is to push yourself outside your comfort zone in order to grow as a person.
LA natives are already especially aware of the melting pot we live in - take advantage of this opportunity! Stray outside of Beverly Hills, get to know your neighbors, make an attempt at learning more about other cultures. Invest time learning about others to learn about yourself in the process.
"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer."
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