Let Travel Make You Uncomfortable
Occasionally stepping outside of our comfort zones turns our vacations into valuable learning experiences
In Mission: Wanderlust, I write and podcast about our family’s travel adventures and the things that we have learned along the way.
We looked at the map of Rome and the Spanish Steps rising from the sidewalk in front of us. The first time we found the steps, a thrill washed over us. The second time we “found” the steps that evening, we started questioning our map reading skills. By the third time we found ourselves in front of the iconic steps, we began to worry that we would never find our hostel ever again and would be stuck sleeping on the streets of Rome.
It wasn’t the last time during that college travel experience that we would find ourselves out of our comfort zone.
When I traveled with two college classmates to the European continent as three 20-year-olds on a pre-semester abroad adventure, we had no idea what we were doing. In an age before cell phones with calling cards and internet cafes as our only connection to home, we had to depend on each other, our guidebooks, and the occasional kindness of strangers. There were the two German-speaking Mormon missionaries from Texas who helped us find the right train in Munich. There was the mid-20-something English-speaking Italian who translated for us so that we could avoid being thrown off of a fast-moving train on our way to Florence. And there was the Canadian who chatted with us in our questionable hostel in Paris.
The experience of our lives challenged what we thought we knew and transformed the way we looked at ourselves as Americans and the world we inhabit. It occasionally made us uncomfortable, and that made it all the more valuable.
Human beings do not like being uncomfortable. We want some certainty about what is around the corner. We don’t like surprises. And all of this is especially true when we are traveling and on vacation. Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than having to change plans because of some unforeseen disaster: sickness, weather, natural disaster, vehicular breakdown, etc.
Our family has our own share of places we return to when we want to relive experiences or relax. We have favorite state parks where we return over and over for camping or even day exploration. My parents and in-laws, who live right around the corner from each other, haven’t moved during our entire adulthood, so a return “home” means visiting all of the same haunts of our adolescence. We’ve made repeat visits to Mammoth Cave and Big Bend and even Disney because they offer something familiar and something new each time.
But there is also something beneficial about occasional travel that makes us uncomfortable. New places can offer us different food, a different pace, and different climate. It can introduce us to new people and cultures that expand our understanding. Even travel throughout the United States can do this if we drive or fly far enough. We are a large and diverse country. Driving a couple of hundred miles can suddenly place us in a completely different culture.
Embracing discomfort while traveling isn’t about accepting misery but instead seeking something new and different. It’s about taking risks and learning along the way. When we choose to see discomfort as part of the adventure and remember that others might be uncomfortable in our neighborhood, city, or even state, it helps us develop a deeper empathy for people who appear unlike us. Considering the diversity of the United States, this doesn’t just refer to skin color or even socio-economic status. Our diversity goes beyond simple appearances.
The next time you plan a trip, consider new experiences. It could be a new region, new foods, or even a new mode of transportation. You will probably gain far more than you think possible.
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