The Reasons I Love to Travel

Over the past few months, we have done a lot of traveling and I’ve had people ask me why we travel so much. Travel is so exciting to me and it is like being in a real life classroom. In this “classroom,” I am learning something new every day! When I see children on my travels, I marvel how lucky they are to be able to learn firsthand knowledge about other people, places, customs, religions and so much more. I think this knowledge helps children learn to be more tolerant of things that are different than what they are used to. It helps them see life from different perspectives. This is a great way for children to learn communication skills which not only include talking but listening patiently to others.

When I was a child, my parents couldn’t afford to travel much because of time and money. My father worked six days a week and my mother didn’t work. Now that I can afford to travel and have the time, the world is an exciting place.

I love to meet new people! Whether we are on a cruise ship or a road trip, we have been lucky enough to meet new people from all walks of life. I have become friends with many and kept in touch with those that have crossed paths with me.

I learn new things every day. In conversations with others, there is someone who will tell me something that I didn’t know. Everyone has different experiences and may have traveled some place I haven’t been so I love for them to share what they would recommend if I ever visit the same place.

I learn a lot about different cultures. Many times we will meet people from other countries and I’m fascinated to learn about the way of life in other countries. This is so much better than reading about it or watching a movie. Traveling is a good way to learn different customs. We may have eat some meals with people from other countries and have great conversations about foods and eating styles. On one cruise we had dinner every night with a family from the UK and they were fascinated how we cut food with our fork in the left hand and then switched to the right in order to eat. They said they got in trouble for doing that when growing up and I got in trouble for not doing that when I was growing up.

It is a great way to learn about the different money used in each country. It is also a great way to use math skills to find out the exchange rate and then translate local prices into prices that I am used to seeing.

Do you travel? What do you like about traveling? Please share.

Original picture by Pat Hensley