TRAVELING IS EDUCATION

“Going into unfamiliar territory will not destroy your old, comfortable world. Rather, it will expand your world, your vision, your knowledge and possibilities…and make your world bigger and more interesting” I love that quote because it expresses the importance on traveling in just a few words. Traveling is important. But not everyone can afford it because it takes money, time and courage.

The best education a child can ever receive is the opportunity to travel and experience a different culture. This will enable him break down any sense of ethnocentrism he might have developed as a result of being confined to his comfort zone. Most of what we read or watch on TV about other cultures or places do not really depict reality. It is like looking at the world through a window which is not the same as being there.

I used to think everything begins and ends in Lagos until I got the opportunity to visit other states only to be amazed at how big Nigeria is, not to mention our rich cultural diversity. Traveling broadens one’s horizon. The experience is usually an eye-opener for the person who travels and the places he visits. People who have never heard about your culture totally depend on you to tell them everything while at the same time learning about theirs. As a result of your interaction with them, you gain insight and understanding and this increases your cultural sensitivity and tolerance towards others, you even realize that the people are not so different from you.

Traveling is not escapism. People who travel to run away from problems only return with increased anxiety that is detriment to their health. However, a change of scenery is good, even psychologist recommends it. The experience clears your mind and transforms you in a way that you are better equipped with new ideas on how to solve the problems. It helps your discover yourself while discovering the world.

The local and international travel experiences I have has humbled me. That is another thing traveling does. It tests you, challenges your social norms and forces you to think differently about issues of life- it alters your worldview for good and sometimes leaves you silence for a while because you think more deeply and not judge things one face value. Traveling is one of the best things that can happen to anyone. It does not matter how far you travel from home- to the next village or abroad, it does not matter how you travel- by road, sea or air, the experience knocks you out, reshapes you and expand your horizon. When last did you travel? Get out of your comfort zone, experience real education that goes beyond the four walls of a classroom and redefine your identity. Like my friend say “the world is too round to sit in a corner!”. May you travel safe always.