Traveling teaches you...

Traveling teaches you patience. It teaches you compassion and understanding. You may be thinking, 'I already possess those traits' but when you travel you realize you only possess an iota. Now, I'm not talking about going on vacation for a couple of weeks. I'm talking about immersing yourself in the culture and spirit of a place. Taking a ride on a bus that was probably built in the 70's that goes up a mountain hill slower than you can jog there.

Traveling lets you experience things you would have never experienced before. Pointing to a place on a map or using your best pronunciation at the station to locate the driver that's headed in the direction you want to go. When you find him, asking him how much it will cost to get to XYZ city is not as easy as simply asking. He points to his watch to show you the time the bus leaves. You shake your head and pull out the calculator on your phone and he finally realizes you are asking for the fare and not time. You type in an amount you think is fair for the journey and come to an agreement, or not.

We could have jogged faster than this thing could get up a hill, but it was a great experience.

Traveling is patience. It's waiting around for the next bus, train, car to pull over and pick you up. It's wandering around a city without any idea which direction to head. It's asking the same questions over and over until you find someone who understands you and can help you. We have it so easy in the land of opportunity and people just don't realize how easy they have it until they travel, and I mean really travel. Traveling teaches you compassion and opens your eyes to what is really going on in the world around you and not just what they are showing you on TV. Traveling teaches you to be on guard and trust your instincts. Months on end having to figure out where you're going next or having to be on guard to keep from being ripped off. You get angry when you're being ripped off - 'that guy charged me 5 when I know 4 is fair.' But when converted, it boils down to less than a dollar and sometimes you have to learn to let it go.

Traveling teaches you acceptance and understanding. You realize you may not always get the quiet you need or the organization you desire. You learn that every culture has a different way of doing things and if you don't adapt, refuse to adapt - you will break. You will burn out and want to go home to the convenience of your transportation system, your internet, your ac and heating, your grocery store, your bed, your life as you know it. Traveling IS NOT EASY. You can't simply go anywhere you want and see everything you want. It takes time and effort and planning, and even when you take the time and effort to plan, things typically work out differently than you expect.

I think the many surprises of traveling is what keeps the traveler interested. It's a challenge to make your way in a country where people speak little or no English. It's a sense of accomplishment when you've reached where you intended to go and found a decent place to stay when you get there. It's amazing to speak with a person who has lived through all the strife a war torn country can throw at them and emerged stronger and capable of wanting to share their story. Long-term traveling is not for everyone. But, if you give it a chance and get past the road blocks in your path, you'll be so happy with what you find at the end of that road less traveled.