7 Reasons why you should travel internationally in your 20s

Congratulations- You made it to your 20s. Whether you are a junior in college trying to figure out the meaning of life, recent college grad with your first real job or in your late 20s still trying to figure out the meaning of life, travel is something you should be looking at. Not just traveling a few miles to visit your grandparents but perhaps international traveling. Here are 10 reasons why you should experience international travel during this impressionable time period.

1. Everything else will seem achievable

Kind of like when you were in college and had a 22 page thesis paper to write and afterwards you felt invincible? Well the same rush you got then, you will experience after your first international trip. There are so many stress factors and fears involved when some people travel internationally. It may be the fear of an unknown place or stress about how you will concur your first 12- hr flight. Once it's done you will realize it wasn't that bad! If you could handle your first solo trip to Africa you should be able to talk to your boss about a promotion!

2. You've made it across the stage

You worked hard the last few years- congrats! What reward would be better than taking time to visit a new place. Maybe you had class with a cool Parisian and it has sparked your interest in all things Paris! Take a few months and see the world before you make it into the real world.

3. Makes you well-rounded

Yes sure there are a lot of things you can do without ever leaving your hometown that could make you a well-rounded person. What fun would that be? International travel is a fun way to becoming that well-rounded individual everyone knows!

4. Not in your career yet

Depending on where you are in your journey through your 20s you may not be in your career yet. This is the perfect time to see the world. You don't have any work obligations that will interfere with you enjoying yourself.

5. No real adult obligations

We all know that the older you get the more "obligations" you acquire. International travel can be expensive, which makes it harder with the more obligations you have. You may get a house, buy a car, start a family-these are all some serious obligations! Not saying that once you acquire all of these fabulous things you can't travel. However, you should enjoy a little world traveling before fully committing to adulting.

6.The world is no longer a mystery (or scary)

Let's face it, often times you will read, see or hear things about places and think "Oh God, I'm never going there." Don't let the world (or media) determine where you will and will not go. Do your research. Take the trip. Explore other lands and learn more about the world so you can make an informed decision when it comes to world history, news culture etc.

7. Add character to your Resume/CV

You may have taken a break after college to apply to a professional program (medical/dental school, business program etc.), so a mission trip to Haiti or taking business classes abroad in Shanghai would make you a competitive applicant! Putting on your application that you spent a year or 2 in Barcelona improving your Spanish screams driven, motivated, cultured, and independent!

Of course there are a ton of reasons why anyone should travel abroad, but if you need a short list of reasons to convince your parents just give them ours! What are some other reasons 20somethings should travel abroad?

-JSD