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Arsh Gill, Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

The possibilities are limitless in what one may gain from traveling to a new country. 

What even is the excitement of visiting a new country? The music? The art? The food? To each and every individual, traveling means something different. Traveling can be a job, a passion, a hobby, something dreadful or something thrilling. Upon landing in a new country, one often finds themself in awe of others, appreciating the little things that are overlooked and considered to be mundane in the eyes of a local. 

First and foremost, what I consider to be the most exciting when traveling to a new country is an awakening to foods that, more often than not, are unheard of or unavailable in one’s homeland. Going to new areas exposes a traveler to new cultural dishes and an opportunity to explore how specific dishes get made. As a consistent traveler to India myself, the most rewarding thing for me is understanding the history as to why specific dishes hold so much significance within the communities I visit. Food can often be a learning opportunity to understand the history of a country’s struggle, hardship or famine, but also its prosperity, celebrations and victories. 

Moreover, each country holds their own folds of diversity, waiting to be toured to unveil thrilling and precious cultures and traditions. Visiting a new country allows one to delve into new practices or traditions, and understand the meaning behind why sacred events or religious rituals are performed in different areas of the world. In doing so, one doesn’t necessarily need to practice or promote these practices themselves. The experience of just being there can create an understanding and respect between individuals, one that is important for learning, unity and continuance of different cultures. 

Traveling, specifically alone, can be quite scary. Stepping into a whole new territory, where the faces are unfamiliar and routes are confusing, with language barriers and scammers roaming around, can get a curious traveler into lots of trouble. Therefore, one of the greatest lessons visiting a new country has to offer is that it allows individuals to grow and adapt from vulnerability. By this I mean one can learn to be someone who can admit their faults, problem-solve, ask for help, put themselves into the shoes of a resident of that country and allow themselves to adjust and pave a path in an unknown area. This creates vast opportunities for creativity and boots self-awareness.

This also leads me into my next point, which is that traveling creates an expansion of connections around the world. When visiting a new place, you get the chance to meet new people and potentially make lifelong friends. When the situation arises, and trust me it will, where you get lost and need help or advice, or could simply use a recommendation for somewhere to eat, travelers often find themselves waving down someone nearby. In some instances, there can be an instant connection with these people who have come to your rescue.

In other cases, however, traveling allows for an exploration of self. After getting to experience all new sorts of food, culture, hardships and achievements, one can confidently say they had the opportunity to enhance their understanding of self. Delving into potentially new lifelong passions and hobbies allows you to make an even greater friend within yourself, a version of you that is stronger and happier, even more than the last! 

It’s easy to list surface-level ideas of what one can learn from being a foreigner in a country, but the opportunities are truly endless. The most valuable lessons or awakenings an individual can gain from travel are oftentimes kept within themselves and impact their lives in ways that are unrecognizable to the naked eye! 

Explore the world, fellow travelers . . . you never know what you may learn!

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