Traveling is a common fantasy. When we studied second conditionals, almost all of my students answered the warm-up question with: “if I had unlimited money, I would travel around the world.” Now, maybe they just weren’t confident about conjugating their result clause. And that’s my fault. But it’s more likely that the desire to travel is pretty much universal. Or, at least talking about it is.
We often think about dropping it all to teach English in Latin America, study Italian in Florence or become an au pair in the French countryside. But for the majority of the population teaching English abroad remains a fantasy. Bills, work, relationships and a conventional fear of the unknown prevent many prospective travelers from getting up and going. We keep telling ourselves that it’s not the right timing. That somehow it will become easier down the road.
But uprooting and moving abroad will always be a bit unnerving. You’ll always have to sell your Toyota or walk away from your desk job or ask your mom to water your Chia Pets. The timing will never be perfect. But you also won’t regret going. Teaching English in Guatemala undoubtedly changed my perspective on the world for the better.
So if teaching abroad is a yellowing item on your untouched bucket list, let me tell you why I’m so glad I went. Traveling and teaching in a foreign country opens your mind and shows you a bit more of yourself at the same time. Keep reading for all the lessons I’ve learned and the reasons why we should stop procrastinating and start making plans to see more of the world in 2021.
Oftentimes People Have Your Best Interest in Mind
In the United States especially, we are raised to be wary of anyone we don’t know. In elementary school we watch videos in which petrified children frozen in the 70s scream “stranger danger.” And when we go to high school, we upgrade to carrying around pink cans of pepper spray on our keychains. I’m not suggesting that being cautious is a bad quality, particularly if you plan to travel alone. But the more I travel the more I realize that a lot of people are simply nice.
There is no doubt that seeing more of the globe has changed my outlook on people in general. American culture tends to prioritize personal safety and that’s not bad in itself. But being vigilant when you’re walking home alone at night doesn’t have to translate into “people are bad.” Be careful when you need to be but in your day-to-day life don’t be scared to become acquainted with new people. It’s been my experience while traveling that the vast majority of people on this planet are inherently good.
If you sat through all of those stranger danger assemblies too, you might be skeptical. But whether you take after Hobbes or Rousseau, giving strangers a chance during your travels is likely to lead to a lot of unforeseen opportunities. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been put up for the night by people I don’t know. Whether it’s a middle class family in England, a family of weavers in Peru or just a friendly farmer from northern Pennsylvania, I’m consistently blown away by the kindness of strangers.
I’ve been offered couches, floors and even comfortable beds with breakfast and coffee in the morning. Nothing was ever asked of me in return other than a couch to sleep on should the tables be turned in the future. The number of kindhearted, phenomenal people I’ve met far surpasses the contrary. And I have yet to find a better feeling than standing in front of a class of Guatemalan children who are bursting with laughter over an English knock-knock joke. Have a little faith in humanity and life might bring you some pretty wonderful people.
You Should Always Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Now, just because I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my travels doesn’t mean that bad people don’t exist or that terrible things don’t happen. It is still necessary to be vigilant in certain situations. But traveling also tends to teach us how to avoid those shady situations everyone kept warning us about back home. When your wellbeing rests entirely in your own hands, you learn to read the warning signs in any language.
It is senseless to waste time worrying. But as solo travelers we have to notice the man lurking outside the ATM or have the judgment not to take a free drink from the stranger patiently waiting at the bar. Being aware of your surroundings and applying plain old common sense will go a long way towards keeping you out of trouble abroad. Or at home for that matter. Exercise a healthy sense of caution and trust your gut. You’re the one that got yourself half-way across the world in the first place!
It’s Okay to Shut Up Sometimes
You can learn a lot when you listen more and talk less. And making my way around the world has definitely made me a better listener. It’s no secret that Americans like to talk about their own accomplishments. We are unfortunately branded as loud and obnoxious by a large portion of the outside world. But socializing doesn’t need to be a competitive practice. When traveling abroad and meeting new people, you might find that simply sitting and listening can be far more illuminating than doing all of the talking.
Rather than hearing yourself recount that one time again when you came in first at a track meet, you could learn something about a region of the world you’ve never even seen. Sipping on a beer and listening to someone from a different background explain their upbringing is fascinating. It’s a large part of the reason we’re traveling: to challenge our own perspectives. Even listening to my students explain their daily routines in basic English was rewarding. When you’re living in another country, even everyday chores don’t seem so simple anymore.
Learn to Live Simply
When your entire life has to fit in one suitcase, your curling iron and your hardcover copy of Infinite Jest suddenly seem less essential. A big part of traveling is learning what you can and can’t take with you. Condensing my belongings has been an excellent lesson in living simply. Teaching English abroad taught me what I can live without. Even when I had money to spare, I got in the habit of asking myself what I really needed before any little purchase.
America is known for its consumerist culture. And seeing people who live happily with a lot less was a perspective check. Living in Guatemala as well as traveling in general has shown me valuable things about myself in relation to the world. I appreciate people and places more and am learning how to make the most of my everyday life. I already know that travel changed my worldview but what is traveling going to do for you?