I have just arrived in a country where I don’t know the language, where I have no family roots and where I find myself all alone. It may sound terrifying. But let me tell you a little secret: it is not.
When you travel abroad by yourself for whatever reason -exchange program, internship, volunteering, or simply as a tourist- a new and fascinating world will open up for you. A world you would have never been able to see if you had just stayed at home.
I present to you five reasons why you should travel alone:
1 – You will realize that people are people
People from a different country are not aliens. They are simply people like you who happened to be born in a another region. They have pretty much the same wishes and worries as people from your own country.
2 – 99,9% of people are good
I know that you see a lot of news on TV saying terrible things people do all the time. Your family may have spent a great time of your life telling you to not trust strangers.However, when you travel alone you will realize that people are just as good as you. Everyone is just living their lives, working, studying, and having a good time with their friends. Most people will be happy to help you and get to know you.
3 – Travelling is not as expensive as you think
Maybe in the past when you would need months to travel from one place to another, travelling could be expensive. Nowadays, the world is just so connected that it is perfectly possible to find cheap flights, accommodation for all budgets and cheap and quality food.
4 – You will get lost, but it’s fine!
I can’t even count how many times I didn’t know where I was going or how to find the right direction. Everything looks great on google maps, but sometimes your phone will die or your data will end. Just calm down, go to a store or stop someone in the street and ask! Or simply walk around and be curious!
5 – You will get used to it
Some people feel more homesick than others. But sooner than you think, the new country will feel just like home and you will find yourself helping others when they arrive. Sooner than you realize, it’s time to go back to your home country and you will miss your new country and the people there dearly. So, go make your dream of travelling abroad come true. It’s challenging, but not that hard!
