Five Things Travel Will Teach You

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I’ve found that travel is the greatest educator. I cannot go somewhere without learning something new; maybe it’s a fact about the place or a life lesson. Here are five things I have learned on my journeys so far. 

1. You are better at winging it than you think you are. Travel doesn’t always go the way you plan so it’s important to be willing to go with the flow. I remember my mom and I road tripping through West Virginia during what apparently was a huge festival weekend. Literally every hotel was booked so we had to wing it and detour to a totally different location. It ended up being so beautiful and we had such a fun time apple picking and drinking chai lattes. 
2. You don’t need “stuff” to make you happy. When you travel you realize you can live out of a tiny bag and wear the same three shirts and pair of jeans. So, do you really need twelve pairs hanging in your closet? How many of those do you actually wear? There is absolutely beauty in collecting things while traveling but I could easily live without those things if it meant I could travel somewhere else. 
3. You are so blessed to have the life you have. It’s hard to go to places where children are begging you for food and pencils to do their homework. Children who walk miles to get anywhere and don’t have clean, running water. Travel makes you realize just how petty it seems when you start complaining about maybe not having service somewhere or someone messing up your latte. Instead, I’m happy to have clean drinking water, an amazing family and a safe home. 
4. Happiness comes as much from the journey as it does the destination. Some of my favorite memories from traveling with family was when we got lost or just pulled off at a random exit to see what was there. It always ended in some pretty amazing experiences and views. Of course we always arrived where we were supposed to but when I look back it was the process of getting there that  I really remember. 
5. People are truly amazing and kind. I remember traveling in Africa and asking my guide how many languages he spoke. He chuckled and responded five and a half; he was currently studying Chinese. He was the most humble man on the planet, would give his worst enemy the shirt off his back and was extremely educated! Yet, here I was struggling to learn Spanish, which is still a work in progress for me. There are so many people just like this man all over the world and I love to meet them when I travel. 

This is of course just a short list of the things travel can teach you. We would love to hear what life lessons you have picked up along your journey. Perhaps your words will give someone the courage they need to make the jump and take their very first adventure :) ​​