Some people think those who travel have time on their hands or are rich, but the desire to travel is mainly birthed out of curiosity. It doesn’t matter if you travel to a different city in the same state, as long as you engage in tourist activities, there is always something to learn.
Below are 9 reasons travelling is the best form of education you can give yourself.
1. You Learn About Other Cultures
Nigeria is blessed with over 400 languages and various cultures, which means in every state you visit, people do things differently. For instance, if you like egusi pepper soup as a Deltan, when you travel to the East, you’ll learn how to prepare the white soup. Or if you enjoy tying gele as a westerner, when you travel to the north, you will learn how to tie a turban. Travelling lets you see the different ways things are done in other places.
2. You Learn About History
In almost every state is a museum, an art gallery or a hub brimming with the history of artefacts, places and people. This is the reason people organise city tours, to show you the town and tell you stories of its history. E.g. in Lagos and Calabar, you get to visit slave museums that show you the actual chains Africans were enslaved with. You get to see artworks and craft practices that have been passed from generation to generation. We may not have enough books detailing our history but we live with it every day.
3. You Learn About Nature
Thank God for forest conservations, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, we now experience nature unbridled. Sure, the Zoos have animals, but there are some species of animals you can only see when you travel to specific states. The same goes for plants and trees.
4. You Learn To Try New Things
This year, some tourists got to watch the basket weaving process in the heart of Lagos, others got to go on a boat cruise at Epe, the outskirts of Lagos. If your city doesn’t have a beach, you can kayak on the calm river in your area or travel to a state where Kayaking is a thing and try it. You also get to try a new cuisine, jump into a tye and dye pit or go hiking or take leisure walks in a picturesque environment with the one you love. You get to learn things your normal busy schedule won’t allow you to do.
5. You Gain New Social Skills
On the journey to your destination, you get to meet new people and on tours; you get to network with strangers and become friends. You get along with people and when asked about what you do, you get to perfect your ‘elevator pitch’
6. You Learn To Be Independent
For solo travellers, you get to be truly independent. Travelling at your own time, deciding what activities to get involved with and how to plan your time. For those who venture into backpacking, group or otherwise, you practise being in Nature without total dependence on electronic gadgets.
7. You Might Learn a New Language
No matter how brief your time in a place is, you will pick up a few words in the mother tongue of that place. It could be a greeting like Migwo or Na go di, or a word like Mobole, Bia, etc. The longer you stay, the more words you are likely to learn. Travelling makes you experience things you never thought you needed to know.
8. You Might Learn Something New About The World Today
Urbanisation has changed the lifestyle of the average Nigerians. There are a lot of things that have now become a part of our reality like beach clean up, voluntourism, recycling, etc. You discover that you can live on less and impact the environment for all humanity. When you travel, you find out more of what’s going on in the world today.
9. You Learn Life Lessons Along The Way
Travelling opens you up to situations that cause you to change not only your perspective but also your behaviour. This is one of the coolest benefits of travelling which has been discussed in a previous article. Travelling converts a myopic minded person into a more tolerant person as the glimpse the vastness of the world around them. It is the main reason everyone should travel, to become a better human being.
You might also like:
- How to Tick Off Your Travel Bucket List Faster on a Budget
- Travel: Planning the Perfect Itinerary
- Essential Travel Hacks for Frequent Fliers
- The Benefits of Travelling in a Group
