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Traveling is something I hold close and dear to my heart. I’d like to think traveling is the reason why I am the person I am today and why I want to succeed in life. I have learned so much about what I want in life solely from traveling. It is so important to learn about different cultures and learn how to be accepting and understanding. In this post, I am going to cover every single reason why you should travel in your 20s and hope that I can persuade you to book your next trip as soon as possible!!
We’ve gotten the question our entire lives. What do you want to be when you grow up? What are your goals 5 years from now? What are you plans after college? If I got a dollar for every time someone asked me a future question, I’d be a millionaire by now.
As a 20 year old, I seriously do not know what the future holds for me and that’s ok. Traveling for me opened my eyes to a boatload of different careers and pathways. I finally understood that it’s ok to not know exactly what you want to be and most people don’t. Traveling provides you with experiences that allow you to figure out what you want in life, whether its career wise or living standards. Travelling allows you to explore a ton of different experiences and talk to fellow travelers about their stories and pathways.
Getting the opportunity to travel and learn about different cultures is definitely something everyone should do in their 20s. Being born and raised in the USA unknowingly made me extremely closed minded. Yes, I went on vacations to other states but the culture is relatively the same across the states.
Traveling to different countries forces you to communicate with different cultures, which is something that needs patience. It forces you to be understanding about why people are the way the are. You finally understand why people value what they do.
One of my favorite things you learn while traveling is being comfortable with being uncomfortable. Before my 20s, I lived my entire life in a pretty comfortable state. I grew up in the same house and went to school with some of the same people all the way until college. The moment you decide to start traveling forces you to be okay with being uncomfortable. Booking my first solo trip was probably one of the most nerve-wrecking things I’ve ever done, but was extremely rewarding at the end of the entire experience.
Being comfortable with being uncomfortable is a huge reason why you should travel in your 20s. It allows you to explore your strengths and work on your weaknesses, all while learning about yourself. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable teaches you a new way of being flexible and how some of your best experiences are unplanned.
There is literally no con that comes from making new friends. As I learned as a student, networking is seriously a contact sport. Having connections all around the world is so beneficial in the long run no matter what career you end up choosing. I met people from countries I had never known existed and still keep in contact with them.
Having international friendships allows you to find a new travel buddy or a friend that has the same life goals as you do. In the end, you realize people are more alike than they are different and that is truly one of the most beautiful things.
Before really figuring out what you want to do in life you’ll need to figure out your why. Why do you want to be successful? Why do you want to make a ton of money? What is your purpose throughout life? Why is it important?
Figuring out your why to all these different questions forces you to think about your career choice and if its really feasible in order to cater to your why. Traveling for me allowed me to figure out why I want to be successful. My why is to be successful enough that I can live a life where I do things for myself. I know money does not equal happiness, but having money gives you access to living a happy life instead of working a 9-5.
I want to live a life where I can travel where I want to, when I want to. Why? Because traveling truly makes me happy and allows me to be my best self. Figuring out your why is so important and why you should travel in your 20s in order to discover your why.
And there you have it, everything I learned from traveling in my 20s and why you should travel in your 20s. Traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. Mostly because you get to eat amazing food, make new friends, and learn so much about yourself. I hope this post encourages you to hop on the next flight out of town because you’ll be one step closer to overcoming all of your fears. Until then, see ya in the next post.
Xoxo, Angelique – Ang Around The Globe
Check out some of my favorite tools and companies I actually use when I travel.
Need a Bank Account for Life Abroad? Wise is the best option for travelers, study abroad students and expats. I use it as my everyday checking account since it lets me hold and spend in multiple currencies without getting hit with a bad exchange rate every time I cross a border.
Want to Travel for Free & Skip the Foreign Transaction Fees? I put my spending on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card and let the points cover flights and hotels I'd otherwise be paying for out of pocket. I've been able to use the points I earn on this card to pay for flights, hotels and meals all around the world!
Please Don't Forget Travel Insurance! Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never go on a trip without it. My two favorites are:
Need a Flight? I personally love using Google Flights to track prices and compare dates before I commit, the flexible date view alone has saved me a lot of money. Skyscanner is another great search engine to find cheap flights because it searches sites and airlines around the globe, so you know no cheap deal is being left on the table.
Getting Around Southeast Asia? Book your buses, trains, and ferries with 12Go Asia. One search shows you every route and price, so you're not digging through ten different local booking sites.
Need a Place to Stay? Book your hotel with Expedia, where I start looking, especially when I want to bundle flights and stays together. Hotels.com is my backup when I want to compare prices or I'm chasing their rewards program for a free night.
On a Tighter Budget? Hostelworld is where I go for hostels. It has the largest inventory out there, and you can search for dorm beds or private rooms depending on what you're after!
Want a Free Way to Travel? Try TrustedHousesitters! You look after someone's home and pets while they're away, and in exchange you get free accommodation (minus the subscription fee). It's a great option if you're traveling long term and want to cut costs. I personally use this as a host and a sitter, and it's truly great!
Need Inspiration or Just Want to See What's Out There? Go Guides is a solid resource for destination guides, must-see landmarks, local markets, best beaches, and things to do, browsable by place or by theme. It's a good stop whether you already know where you're headed or you're still looking for your next destination.
Check out my full packing gear guide for everything I bring on international trips, or browse my favorite travel finds on Amazon for quick links to it all.
Check out my full resource page for every company I use when I travel. I list them all in one place so you can go from planning to booked without digging through old blog posts!
Hey there, I'm Angelique!
I'm a Filipina-American, Chicago native living abroad and running my online design agency from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Over a decade of traveling in, and yes, I still pinch myself. With family split between the US, UK, and SE Asia, travel has always been part of my story. This blog is where I share the honest side of living and traveling abroad, the places I explore, my best study abroad tips from personal experience, and the little hacks that make this life actually work. Glad you're here, friend!
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