Mark Twain traveled the world at a time when doing so was no small feat, long before airplanes, quick connections or airport lounges. Yet his words still hold true: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” He similarly said, “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
I’ve been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit myself. In the summer of 2023, my best friend and I finally took a trip we had been planning for two years, a backpacking trip through Europe, visiting about 18 countries in two months. The experience changed how I see the world.
I encourage everyone to travel when they get the chance. Talk to people outside your usual circles. Too often, we judge entire countries based on the actions of their governments. But the everyday people there often have the same concerns and frustrations with their leaders that we do.
The truth is, no matter where you go, most folks just want to enjoy a great meal with friends, take care of their families and live without fear. When governments clash or tensions rise, it’s those working families who bear the real cost, whether that is bombs, or sanctions.
Travel offers perspective that few other experiences can. It challenges assumptions and reminds us that most people, no matter their country, want many of the same things we do. It’s hard to advocate the destruction of a country you met so many pleasant people in and pleasant people live in every community in the world. Twain was staunch in his anti-war opinions and he credits that largely to the humanizing experiences he had abroad.
If you don’t have one, get a passport, even if you don’t have plans to travel. I think sometimes that bureaucratic hurdle discourages many from even considering the possibility.
