It’s the time of year when the family starts to plan where they will vacation this year. Disney World, Gulf shores and New York sound exciting but what about traveling to another country for a change? It can be for anything such as the average family vacation or it could serve a deeper purpose if it was a missionary trip to help the underprivileged and impoverished of third world countries. Whatever the occasion, the best places to travel internationally according to Usnews.com are Greece, France, Australia, Spain, and Italy.

Another prime factor to consider is getting to experience the culture firsthand instead of through a screen such as experiencing traditional dances, pastimes, customs, or rituals. Another reason to travel internationally is aspects of a culture. For example, a person may travel abroad for a certain aspect of the nation’s culture such as its language, history, or cuisine, but another thing to keep in mind is you’re living, not visiting so make sure to try as many new things as you can.

From past experience I can tell you that although there may be a communication barrier between people, the peoples of other nations are what gives the experience its magic as you are interacting with new cultures and seeing them live for the first time along with making lifelong friends. Some benefits that can come from international travel according to skyrefund.com are Achieving peace of mind, becoming more creative, and becoming educated. But don’t just take it from me MCHS senior Maya Lee recalled her trip to South Korea as “Breathtaking and to die for.”  Another reason people feel compelled to travel to other nations is it’s hidden gems that lie either in the people, architecture, or nature so if you do plan on traveling internationally make sure you get a guide that will take you to any specific destination you have in mind that may be obscured by certain landmarks.

Traveling abroad will also expand your horizon on the outside world around you and see how politics and governments affect those of different nationalities so you can become a more involved and active member of the community when you return. To conclude there are many reasons to consider traveling internationally and if you are interested there are flyers around MCHS to sign up for an international traveling trip.