Leave it all Behind

Ever dreamed of going abroad for a year to work and travel there ?

Yeah, me too.

I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.

These days everyone knows someone who is going/went abroad to another country for a longer time to work and travel. You see their pictures on Facebook about snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef, conquering mountain tops in the Canadian Rockies or bungee jumping in New Zealand.

And you think to yourself. I wish I could do all of that.

Well, you can, but you didn’t realise it yet.

It seems like everyone would sign up for an adventure abroad but only few of us succeed to do so. There seems to be always a reason that holds you back from making that first single step. I have no money, it’s not for me, what about my family, I shouldn’t quit my job,…

Here are eight reasons why you should take that first single step.

Investment

The first and most important reason is that you invest in yourself. A year abroad will make you push your boundaries constantly and you are blown out of your comfort zone pretty quickly.

It could be a first talk to someone in your hostel, the first time you have to drop off your resumé with a potential future employer or looking for a new place to live. Frightening ?

Maybe at first. But you’ll have to make that single step eventually. And the first one is the hardest. The actual decision to leave and start over in a place full of strangers. Some of those strangers will soon become good friends.

See new horizons

Although the view of the farmlands from your backyard or the view from the train on your morning commute may seem a beautiful thing to observe, there is so much more beyond those familiar horizons. The world is a big place and you may want to explore a good part of it in your life. Exploring new countries and continents make us more open minded about other cultures and their beliefs.

Meet new people

During your adventure there will be numerous people you will meet. Some will be only there for a couple minutes, hours or days while others will last a lifetime. Remember that every encounter may make a great impact on you. Maybe not only right away, but in time. So be grateful for every person who walks into your life. They matter.

Learn new languages

Even if it’s only hello, goodbye, the meal is really good, I lost my socks or where can I buy toilet paper… Remembering simple phrases in foreign languages not only helps you with getting around, you also get a good laugh mispronouncing the language at first and a great deal of respect from the locals if you make the effort.

Being in a foreign country

The world is a damn big place ! To know you won’t ever see every place in this world sounds frustrating – Or to know you will probably won’t ever see 90 percent of the places you visited again makes it hard to leave sometimes. So travel as much as possible and fill in those gaps on your travel map.

Good on resume

Working in an international environment and traveling abroad is definitely an asset on your resumé. Once you return to your home country and apply for a job this should be well mentioned. It shows proof you are independent and you are always up for the necessary challenges.

Decompress from material stuff

When I worked in the Canadian Rockies I was basically closed off from the outside world. I worked at a lodge up in the mountains with 40 other people. We lived in the cabins behind the lodge and had basically no internet to communicate. The first day I got a little anxious about it but the next day I already loved being away from social media. It’s like you open your eyes and inhale the fresh mountain air differently. You actually have full one conversations with people and you go for walks with them around the lake instead of staring at a screen and be blindfolded for all what’s around you.

Memento

And at the end of your journey you may go home with a thinner wallet but your backpack will be filled with mementos and your heart with be full with memories of a lifetime.

Although the road the freedom doesn’t come without its inevitable bumps – it’s definitely one hell of a fantastic ride !

So don’t hesitate to go on an adventure and take that plunge.

I promise you won’t regret it.