lessons learned in traveling – repost

Are you seeing a pattern here? We have been on vacation this past week and it reminded me of a post I did last year about the lessons learned from traveling. The same feelings and emotions came back to me again – as they do every time I travel. Having my family with me too is such a blessing. We also went away this past summer with my whole family and again, the lessons and importance of time together came rushing back. I wanted to share this post again with you in case some of you missed it. But also, it was a good second read for me so maybe it will resonate with you too. I hope you enjoy it and get to travel soon too.

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I didn’t want to come home. We were in paradise and the thought of coming back to the frigid temperatures, snow banks that touched the street signs, and just the routine of the dreary winter days was haunting me. So much so that the pictures of home that I saw on facebook and the occasional news channels looked almost foreign to me. But it had to happen.

We spent 7 amazing days on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts and a few extra days in Charlotte, NC in route. It was a family vacation – just me, the hubby and kids. Quality time. Big time.

Living in the Northeast, the winter months can be very long. I honestly think I get the winter blues and truly believe in the vitamin D, sun depravation thing. This time of year I get grumpy, edgy and patience is thin {all the other months I’m just a delight}. Plus I’m pale and I feel the effects from all the holiday comfort foods. yuk.

So needlesstosay, a Caribbean vacation was just what I – we all – needed. I’m not writing this post as a “look what we did” message. I got so much more out of this change of scenery that I wanted to share it with you. And maybe encourage you to change your scenery a bit to help with any unhappiness, grumpiness, rut – whatever you want to call it – that you might be experiencing. Or maybe it’s just me?? I don’t think traveling 1800 miles is necessary to achieve this change of attitude. But, yes the sun and warmth did help.

In addition to it being fun, we can learn so many things when we travel. I was fortunate to travel a lot when I was younger and probably didn’t appreciate it as much at the time but looking back, it has completely changed my knowledge base. It has given me a different perspective on life and although I don’t consider myself “worldly” I am proud of my traveling and nothing can replace it or the first-hand knowledge I experienced. No books, classroom, or movie – no matter how educational – can come close. Here are some of the skills I think we can all learn with a little travel and a change of scenery. Not to mention the change of attitude that comes along with it.

FIRST. geography.

You’ll obviously learn about where you’re going but you’ll also learn what else is around you. What it took to get you there and why. The weather, the terrain – all great lessons in geography.

SECOND. finance.

Whether you’re spending a lot or a little, money management seems to be a big vacation issue. And how to spend your money wisely. Our vacation really improved our math skills.

THIRD. time management.

What are we going to do today? Tonight? For lunch? Is there an activity we want to do? What time does it start? Can we fit it in?

FOURTH. creative thinking.

You could be traveling to the mountains, a bustling city, a friend’s welcoming home, or a tropical island – whatever the location, a change of scenery can do wonders for the creative part of our minds. We look at things differently. We notice things. We take pictures. We appreciate the beauty and differences around us that we might be missing at home. Traveling forces us out of your normal routine and to truly “create” our experiences.

FIFTH. sociology.

We learned so much about people. The good, the bad and the ugly – and by ugly I mean rude. Luckily we encountered more good {nice} people than rude. It’s also an opportunity to learn a lot about those you’re traveling with. Huge learning opportunity.

SIXTH. sales.

The art of negotiation. When you travel with people you need to consider everyone’s wishes. And since everyone usually wants to do, eat, and see different things, here’s where the sales and negotiation skills can kick in.

SEVENTH. politics.

We were fortunate to be in another country and they had their Prime Minister election while we were there. Same as our Presidential election – so it was a big deal. Plus, their current Prime Minister had been in office for 20 years. whaat? No term limits. And the people of St. Kitts were very passionate about the election and were willing to talk about it, the candidates and the different government rules. Very informative. But even if you’re staying local, it’s still a chance to learn how other towns, states or communities operate.

EIGHTH. psychology.

Dealing with the feelings and emotions that come with traveling. The ups, the downs, and for me, the coming home.

 

We all learned so much on our beautiful trip. It wasn’t perfect, not everything went exactly according to plan – if we even had one – and the kids bugged and tormented each other at times. But it was the time we took to spend together – trying new things and experiencing a new place – that made it perfect. And on top of that I think we all came back with a slightly new perspective on life. Can’t beat that.