When I decided to study abroad, I was going through a seriously low point in my life. I’d just broken up with my boyfriend of four years, I had no idea what I wanted to do after college (which was rapidly approaching), and I was experiencing some of the most severe depressive episodes I’d ever had.
I felt trapped in my current routine, trapped in my college town, and I just had to get out, now.
So I started researching study abroad opportunities. I’d always wanted to study abroad, and it finally felt like the right time. Nothing was holding me down and I was desperate for an escape. Plus, I had some money saved up from working my various part-time jobs over the previous few years.
I didn’t even have a preference for what country or continent I wanted to go to, so when I found an opportunity that left in two months, I quickly applied, and two months later, I landed in Florence, Italy.
I never could have predicted how much I would grow from traveling and studying abroad.
While I’ll advocate for travel in any form, I believe the longer term “live like a local” approach is truly the way to go. I’ve personally developed much more adaptability, independence, and confidence than I otherwise might have through this mentality.
Here are some of the major benefits of travel for personal growth that I experienced:
Cultural Immersion & Adaptability
When I first got to Florence, one of the things that surprised me most was the walking. You were expected to walk everywhere in the cobbled city, at every hour of the day or night. I’d lived in different parts of Texas for most of my life, where they are very dependent on cars for transportation, so it was weirdly surprising to me to have to drag my suitcase across the uneven streets from the train station to my apartment.
Needless to say, this was just the first of many surprises and differences that I had to get used to while living abroad.
And while it may have been difficult or strange at first, I am so grateful to have been exposed to these cultural nuances! I can’t think of a cooler way to grow than by enhancing our intercultural empathy and building skills in adaptability.
I believe getting these different perspectives firsthand is a crucial part of growing up in today’s world and in exploring our own identities. I think it’s easier for us to consider who we are and who we want to become when we have more knowledge about other cultures and the world around us.
Independence & Confidence
Traveling abroad is scary. It’s a completely new place with new people — and it’s exciting, but also terrifying and unfamiliar. We might have anxieties about the act of traveling itself, potential experiences, or any number of other things.
I was so scared to go on this trip. It was my first solo abroad and I had so many what-ifs going through my head. But after doing it for dozens of other trips, I learned that the only way to build that confidence and ability to function independently is to actually do it.
You have to learn as you go, and as you’re exposed to new experiences, you file everything away in your brain for the next time — and when next time comes around, you’re that much more confident and ready to go.
If you let it, this confidence will start to bleed over into other aspects of your life too. Check out this dope article in the Harvard Business Review about a few of these benefits.
Exposing yourself to the unknown is a big preaching point for me, and if you’re looking to develop more autonomy and self-confidence, I truly believe that travel is a big step you can take to get there.
Creativity & Self-Discovery
Being immersed in the Italian culture, architecture, and history did wonders for my writing. New experiences open up avenues for new ideas, which boosts creativity!
I found myself writing a lot of journal entries about my experiences, getting my thoughts down in real time. Then, after I’d returned home, I went back through the pages and was able to start poems based on my remembered feelings and experiences.
Additionally, through these reflections on my surroundings and observations, I was able to gain some insight into myself when looking back on these entries. It’s interesting to retrospectively read your own unfiltered stream-of-consciousness brain-vomit as a way of objectively analyzing your own thought processes.
I mean, not only the people you meet, the experiences you have, and your unfamiliar surroundings will help you grow as an individual, but the potential creativity and writing you do as a result of these experiences may be even more valuable in your personal growth.
Travel truly has the power to promote personal growth and self-discovery. My experience studying abroad in Italy not only enhanced my adaptability and independence but also significantly influenced my creativity and writing.
At the end of my trip, and indeed many others since then, I left with a feeling of accomplishment — not a complete sense of purpose, but definitely a feeling that this was part of who I wanted to be. Experienced, resilient, empathetic.
I started to understand some of my own values, the traits that my ideal self would possess — and now I can take active steps and make intentional choices to bring me closer to that ideal self.
Don’t miss any insights or updates! Sign up for the Action Seekers newsletter:
Currently an MFA student in creative writing at Emerson College, Ashley is dedicated to exploring the world and herself, sharing her journey of self-discovery and growth with young women everywhere. She aims to inspire and empower others to embrace their unique paths, leveraging travel and writing as powerful tools for personal transformation.
