![]() I've said before that studying abroad in New Zealand helped me become a more laid-back person. But, when you follow the rules to the letter all the time, you often leave little room for spontaneity. With a heavy conscious, a penchant for good grades, and a cop for a father, the rules were always important to me. I'm now the first person to suggest to friends that we check out the new Greek or Middle-Eastern place in town, or the first to volunteer to give a strange concoction a taste. And becoming a more adventurous eater abroad has also made me a more adventurous one at home. I've eaten everything from puffin to seaweed and drank things from Brennivin to Ayran on my travels. Whereas even in college I would never dream of ordering Chinese food or going out for a curry, today I'm much more likely to choose to eat foreign foods when given the option - especially when I'm traveling. I did branch out with my eating habits as I got older, but I really didn't start getting interested in food until I started traveling. I wouldn't try strange vegetables, and I wouldn't even drink anything that didn't look familiar. ![]() I didn't like sauce on my pasta or anything other than cheese on my pizza. I'm talking about broader ways traveling around the world has made me more adventurous in all aspects of my life. When trying to sum up the ways in which travel has significantly changed me, I kept coming back to one point:Īnd we're not just talking about bungy jumping or polar plunging, either (though I've done those things, too). We travel, essentially, because we are in search of some form of change. We travel to learn to share to experience to challenge ourselves. The reason behind all of it, however, remains startlingly the same. The premise of the Grand Tour is still alive today, as evidenced by gap year travelers, students studying abroad, and even backpackers on extended round-the-world trips.Īnd, because the price and style of travel has changed so much between the 1700s and now, people travel in many different ways and to many other places besides. This was back in the 1700s, folks, before the advent of modern transportation, tourist services, and Lonely Planet guidebooks.Īnd yet the value of travel was recognized even then. This trip - often referred to as the “Grand Tour” - usually involved a tutor and visits to all of the culturally and historically significant places in Europe. Once upon a time, back when travel was not something accessible to most people, the wealthy and elite young men of Britain would take off around Europe for a year or two as part of an educational rite of passage. Whether that betterment comes in the form of increased cultural awareness or just a nice tan, it's always there just the same. To explore new places, meet new people, try new foods… The exact motivations may be varied, but, whether we realize it or not, we all travel for one basic reason: to better ourselves in some way. There are many reasons that people choose to travel. Also, some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission. Be sure to check local restrictions and be willing to adhere to any and all safety regulations before planning a trip to any of the places you may read about on this site. Travel looks very different right now depending on where you're from and where you're going.
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