Travel Doesn't Change You, It Reveals You...

Seeing your friends when they come back from travelling is always a splendid surprise but what really happened them when they left home… Going to other places and cultures can really strip back the old layers you have built up over time. You get accustomed to living a certain way in your hometown and think its ‘normal’ then when you go somewhere else you get shocked. Next thing you know the lights get cut off and your daily routines and familiar faces disappear, all of a sudden your in this crazy world, something like out the movies. Travel doesn’t change you, it shows you what were dealing with. 

The comfort zone

Waking up everyday doing the same thing over and over again is the real killer. You wake up go to your job, see the same faces, come home and do it all again. You get sucked into an endless cycle, like being thrown in a washing machine. Before you know it you look like Hagrid out of harry potter. You become numb to life its self. The human body responds best to stimulation and new environments. Travel really changes this for you. 

Different language 

Instead of talking your native language your forced to not only learn some foreign words but say them in a way which is understandable to people who have been speaking this their whole life.

Different culture 

Seeing how people from around the world move is a unique way to open your mind. It forces you to make some changes within yourself. 

Different food

Trying new cuisines can really lend perspective on the food you eat back home. Maybe you like some new foods and maybe you dont. 

You get thrown in the deep in, even small things become uncomfortable, like ordering food, navigating around and even talking to hotel staff. These things can and will show you whats been hiding underneath this whole time. The person you really are..

Fear becomes impossible to avoid

When you travel alone, you get thrown in the deep end. Forced to face your fears because your survival somewhat depends on it. You are no longer in the safety net of your hometown. No familiar faces, no automatic routine to fall back on. You are forced to think differently, your brain really opens up. 

Fear of looking stupid

Nothing worse than being labeled as a fool. The real and ever present fear of looking like an idiot In front of a bunch of strangers from another country and possibly being labeled as that ‘annoying’ foreigner. 

Fear of getting lost

Not sure which road to go down even though google maps says goes right.. Ending up in some dodgy location where you may get eaten by tigers or natives 😉 is a very real and ever present fear.

Fear of not fitting in

Everyone yearns to be accepted because it is apart of human nature, like monkeys in a zoo so to speak. When abroad the fear of rejection by the local folk is a very daunting one. One that may keep you on your toes. 

Fear of failing

If you weren’t scared of failing were you really there? Will something go terribly wrong… The ultimate fear of fears. 

After some time of facing your fears you become much more comfortable in the uncomfortable. Your brain and being finds new ways to adapt (ultimately because you have to) and you grow new parts of yourself. Confidence stops being something you fake and it becomes something very real…

Solitude changes your perspective 

Theres a strange feeling that comes with being alone in another country. You have time to sit back and reflect. It gives you time to notice things more. Time to look at the goings on in the world. Your thoughts become louder, your habits become clearer and your priorities become obvious.. Back home distractions are endless & infinite. Friends/ family calling, work, neighbours and too much noise. You start asking the bigger questions. 

What do i actually want..?

Who am i?

What do i want out of life? 

Travelling gave me space to think clearly for the first time in years. Time to unwind and download. I really had to come to terms with who i was and what i wanted out of this life. 

You learn adaptability fast

Travel teaches you how to adapt to your surroundings, how to manoeuvre the intricate webs of life. When the chips are down its easy to loose hope and give up fast. The first signs of chaos can make you feel like throwing in the towel. Especially when busses are missed, schedules change and things are out of place. People love things to be in order and perfect all the time but unfortunately when you’re on the road it doesnt always end up that way. You get forced to make changes and bring out the real fighting spirit. 

Final conclusion 

Travelling isnt just about seeing all the fancy places, temples and restaurants, beaches and parks, its about who you become along the way. The changes you make within yourself that allow grow and testament. Travel didn’t just create a new version of me it show me parts that i had buried beneath the surface. Parts i never knew existed. 

The fear

The confidence 

The  weaknesses 

The resilience 

Some people never make it out of their hometown and therefore will never really learn or grow to much, only the person who takes risks is truly free.