Why move abroad or travel for awhile?

Thinking about making a move?

Curiosity can be the appeal of traveling abroad, the opportunity to venture outside your comfort zone and into a world of adventure.

Have you ever wanted to travel, explore new cities, and get to know new people? Have you felt the urge to get out of your regular routine and explore the unknown?  Daydreaming about tasting exotic foods, hearing and speaking another language, and memorizing the places of nature.

So Why Travel in the first place?

Personal Growth

Although maybe not what you first might think of, it can be what drives you deep inside. Considering that there is more than you are living in your daily routine.  Realizing you want to experience different cultures.  

Older generations could say it is a time to “find yourself.”  But what if you are not really lost?  

It could be seen as a risk, seen as taking a huge jump into the unknown. In reality, not letting others’ fear influence you is freeing.  There are overwhelming emotions when you are boarding the airplane and thinking, “Finally, I can relax,” and “What I am doing?” mixed together, but you know deep down, it can feel just really right.

Being forced outside of your comfort zone leads to personal growth.  Overcoming the obstacles of simple tasks, such as pushing yourself to communicate when you cannot understand the person in front of you, eating foods you have never heard of, adapting to new climates and weather, organizing how to get from one place to another, and lastly, just being with yourself.

Wherever you go, you go with yourself.  Travel changes your perspective on life and can give you a greater appreciation for what you have or where you come from.  But in the end, where you are may change, but you may not.  

If you are a complainer and hate work, your job, your neighborhood, etc., you may also will complain about something on the beautiful beach where you are lying.  If you are upbeat, you will probably be ecstatic no matter where you are.  Only we can change this inside ourselves; the condition won’t always do it for us.

Adventure

Adventure can mean different things to different people.  While some enjoy bungee jumping off a bridge, others would rather figure out how to get to a museum they have always wanted to go to.  Any type of travel is adventurous as you leave your comfort zone and do something out of your daily routine.  

Whatever level of adventure you seek, there is a trip for you!  You can go to a country that speaks the same or a different language, a place where you will dedicate to nature, or a populous city.  The options are endless as I mentioned here.

Work or Volunteering

If you work remotely, traveling abroad is easier than ever before.  There are visas for Digital Nomads that allow you to have the freedom to be in a country and stay for a longer period of time.

Some people move abroad for a job.  It can be an exciting time professionally, and the whole experience of living in a new culture is added to that.  Work environments vary. It is a great way to learn even more.

Volunteering is also an option.  You can travel abroad by volunteering in cultural exchange organizations.  There are many opportunities to do this, and you can decide the time frame.

Curiosity about Other Cultures

There is so much to the word “culture.”  The people, customs, language, food, traditions, and just what is exactly their style of life.  

Curiosity can drive you to go deeper into yourself, and curiosity can guide you to want to learn more about other people, situations, places, etc.  It is a trait that keeps you active!

When traveling, it is good to be a sponge.  Absorb all that you can.  Just by traveling somewhere different, you can see and learn so much more.  Whether you spend the day at a cafe with a table on the sidewalk and people watch, or you take a tour to get to know the best restaurants, or you go to a yoga class, or you accept an invitation to someone’s house for dinner, these experiences on different levels will show you more about the culture.  

While being curious, it is best to be respectful too, though.  Don’t ask questions that are intrusive or considered offensive.  Some topics might be better off limits, and it is best to know these ahead of time when researching that country.

Languages

Whatever song people sing while speaking can be music to the ears.  Many languages or dialects in a language have different intonations and rhythms.  

Even if you don’t speak the language, it is easy to pick up a few phrases before your trip.  Any attempt to speak in the language of the country that you travel to shows some respect.

And nowadays, thanks to translating apps, it is easier than ever to find some way to communicate.  

It is never too late to pick up another language.  It is known that it is good for the brain to stay active too! Check out some tips here.

Food

You don't have to be a foodie to love dishes from different cultures.  So many unique plates will make you wonder why you have never tried them!  

When you get to another country, you can find the traditional dishes and what is prepared for holidays and special events.  Of course, you can always find the food you are accustomed to, but this is an excellent opportunity to let your palette explore the options!

Scenery

When you first see the snowed-covered peak of the majestic volcano, the vibrant colors of the Coral Reef, or follow the winding roads through the rolling hills filled with many kinds of fruit trees, you can be taken aback by the breathtaking views.  

When you live somewhere, you are just used to the scenery, and sometimes forget how amazing it is.  Photos cannot do them justice, but these memories will always bring you joy!

The People

People are what make a culture.  Understanding the history of culture gives you an insight into why people are the way they are.  Sharing a moment with someone you have apparently nothing in common with, but the common ground is that everyone is human, everyone has a smile, and has lived so much in their lives.  That is what brings us all together.

Being open to meeting people (although cautious at times, too) and being in a different environment surrounded by people with different languages, customs, and ways of doing things, can be very humbling.  Making new friends and learning new traditions is the result of travel.

There you have it!

As you can see, the reasons to move abroad or travel abroad are abundant.  Whether you are interested in different cultures, you seek adventure, or work takes you to a foreign land, the possibilities and options are endless.  Even planning your trip is part of the process and opens your mind to more than you have ever imagined!