Aryn Week 1: Why Traveling and Seeing Other Cultures Is Import

    When it comes to traveling and seeing new places, many parents may not think it’s a necessity. Most of the time, parents think it's a waste of time, money, and energy that could be used for more reasonable and ‘rational’ things. However, seeing new cultures, firsthand, can be more beneficial than just reading about them in textbooks. In middle school, we read about the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece. However, studies show that experiencing things rather than reading can be more beneficial for our long term memory. Nevertheless, not everyone is able to just get on a flight and fly to Athens to see the Acropolis. However, if you are accessible to that, learning about other religions, cultures, and beliefs, can broaden your knowledge and your perspective on how you live life. One does not need to fly all over the world to see other cultures and places. For example, this is why many schools go on field trips to museums. Learning about other heritages other than your own opens a new door to be a part of a community other than your own. Traveling also gives a person cultural awareness and acceptance, which can help you break down cultural barriers while interacting with people of different backgrounds. Alongside seeing these cultures, you will also meet new people which will help you grow as a person. Meeting new people, many of whom you won’t see eye to eye with, will help you develop conflict resolution skills that you can take home with you, and use constantly. Furthermore, you will learn how to adapt quickly and keep an open mind in new circumstances. For these reasons, I think it is clear that one must try to expand outside of their comfort zone and learn about other cultures and traditions.