I wouldn't be the person I am today if I never traveled.

如果我未曾旅行，就不会是现在的我。

Growing up, my mom was a teacher, so I've been instilled¹ with a great love for school. I recognize its importance and value, and even now in college I try to take something away from every class I have to take, regardless of how boring I may find it. With that being said, I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if I never traveled. Traveling has given me tons of great lessons, but there are ten that I know I'll never forget.

妈妈是老师，所以我长大的过程中一直被灌输着要热爱学校。我承认它的重要性和价值，甚至现在上大学了我也努力在不得不上的课上学到点东西，不管这个课有多无聊。所以说，我知道如果我从未旅行过，就不会是现在的我。旅行给了我很多经验，但其中有十个是我知道自己将永生难忘的。

1. How to appreciate and learn from another culture

如何欣赏其他文化并从中学习

Learning about other cultures in school is one thing, but actually experiencing a culture is completely different. Whether you're visiting art museums, looking at grand architectural landmarks², or even just stopping for a coffee break in a happening café, traveling exposes you to people and lifestyles that are completely different than anything you've probably encountered back at home.

在学校了解其他文化是一回事，但真正体验一种文化完全是另一回事。无论你是参观艺术博物馆，还是看看宏伟的地标建筑，甚至只是在偶遇的咖啡馆停下来喝杯咖啡，旅行会使你见到和在家里遇到的完全不同的人和生活方式。

2. Patience

耐心

I have never taken a vacation where something doesn't go wrong. I've lost my luggage, gotten hopelessly confused with directions, and was even in an airport when a bomb went off. In general, life doesn't always go according to plan, even when you're on vacation. Learning how to deal with the curveballs traveling throws your way teaches you how to be a more patient person in your every day life.

我在旅行中也不是一帆风顺，我弄丢过行李，体验过弄不清楚方向时的绝望迷茫，甚至在机场遭遇过炸弹爆炸。通常计划没有变化快，甚至在度假时也是如此。学会如何处理旅行给你制造的难题会教你如何在日常生活中更有耐心。

3. The importance of unplugging from social media

暂时远离社交媒体的重要性

I think I can speak for most people in my generation when I say social media takes up a lot of my time. So for me, when I travel I love the fact that I'm often cut off from any Internet. After coming back home, I always realize that a life behind a screen can never compare to a life being lived fully.

我认为我可以代表大部分同龄人说社交媒体占据了我大部分的时间。所以对我而言，旅行时我很喜欢的一点就是，发现自己经常没法儿上网。回家之后，我总会意识到屏幕之后的生活永远比不上真实的生活。

4. How to live in the moment

如何活在当下

In college, we often spend most of our time worrying about the future. What classes should I take next semester, will I get a job after graduation. Travelling, however, makes us all stop and just enjoy the moment. The difference between experiencing every second of your life instead of dwelling³ on things out of your control is palpable and it's a lesson that's one of the most important to take back home.

在大学，我们常常花大部分时间担忧未来：我下学期该上什么课？毕业后能找到工作吗？然而旅行使我们都不再担忧，只享受当下。真正经历生活中的每一刻和细想那些无法控制的事情之间的区别显而易见，这也是你要带回家的最重要的经验之一。

5. We are not so different

我们没多大区别

Regardless of culture, skin color, geographical⁴ location, or language, everyone in the world strives for the same things. We all want to be safe, we all want to be successful, we all want to live lives that we can look back on and be proud of. Once you travel, you realize that the entire globe is all striving towards the same goal: happiness.

不考虑文化、肤色、地理位置或语言，世界上每个人都在追求同样的东西。我们都想拥有安全感，我们都想成功，我们都想过着回首时会觉着自豪的生活。一旦你出去旅行，就会意识到全世界都在朝着同一个目标努力：幸福。

6. The world isn't as scary as you've been lead to believe

世界并不像你被灌输的那样可怕

If you watch the news as much as I do, it's hard to not start thinking that the entire world is a scary, dangerous place. Granted, it's important when travelling to keep your wits about you and take special precautions, but in general, the average country is just as safe as the one you live in now. Danger is always out there, but you have just as likely of a chance of having something bad happen to you in the perceived safety of your home as you do abroad, so why let your fear inhibit⁵ you?

如果你和我看的新闻一样多，很难不开始觉得整个世界是一个可怕危险的地方。的确，旅行时机智一点、采取一些特别的预防措施很重要，但通常一般的国家都和你现在所居住的地方一样安全。危险总是存在，但你待在自以为安全的家里发生危险的可能性和在国外是一样的，所以为什么要被恐惧束缚呢？

7. You're a lot more capable than you ever thought you could be

你的能力会更强，超出自己的想象

People always say that travel is a transformative experience, and I think that all stems from realizing that you are capable of far more than you ever could have imagined. As an introverted bookworm, it seems nearly impossible that I've done some of the things I've done. Whether I was making friends with complete strangers, or even efficiently⁷ planning a vacation, when I look back on my travels, I feel a sense of pride akin⁶ to finishing a marathon. Travel truly changes you, but in the absolute best way imaginable.

人们总说旅行是一次改造人的经历，我认为所有这一切都源于你意识到自己远比曾经想象的更有能力。作为一个内向的书虫，我几乎不可能做成我完成的那些事。无论是和完全陌生的人交朋友，或者甚至是有效地计划一个假期，当我回首旅行经历时，都感觉像跑完马拉松一样自豪。旅行真的会改变你，但方式绝对是你能想到的最好的。

8. There's no place like home

没有像家一样的地方

Travelling abroad is a deeply rewarding experience, and I don't think I've ever disliked a place I've been to. Traveling to other places reminds me that the USA is absolutely awesome⁸. When you live here, it gets easy to overlook some of the amenities⁹ you've grown up with, but once you spend a few weeks any place outside of the United States, it's hard not to realize just how fortunate you are to be an American.

去国外旅行是非常有意义的经历，我认为自己从未讨厌去过的地方。去其他地方旅行提醒我美国绝对是棒极了。住在这儿，你很容易忽略掉伴随你成长的一些便利设施，但一旦你出国在任何地方待几星期，你想不庆幸自己是美国人都难。

9. Day to day problems aren't really "problems"

日常的问题真的都不是“问题”

It's easy to get caught up in your own little world, where small things like a bad haircut or spilling coffee on your favorite shirt are life-shattering, but once you travel you realize that your problems really aren't that much of a problem. Seeing how the rest of the world lives first-hand in comparison to you makes you realize that you are beyond lucky to live the life you lead.

你很容易陷入自己的小世界里，像头型剪得不好或咖啡洒在了最喜欢的衬衫上这样的小事都足以击垮你的生活，但一旦你出去旅行了，就会意识到你的问题真没那么严重。直接接触世界上其他人的生活，再对比自己，你就会意识到能过这样的生活真是超级幸运。

10. Stay humble¹⁰

保持谦卑

Our whole lives we've been told just how important and one-of-a-kind we are. Once you travel you realize that's kind of bogus. The world is a giant place, and we each just make up a tiny part of it. You, as complex as your life may be, are just background noise to the person sitting next to you on the subway. This sounds depressing, but it really serves as a great reminder¹¹ to stay humble and not sweat the small stuff.

我们一生都被灌输着自己多重要而且独一无二，一旦出去旅行你就意识到这都是瞎说。世界很大，我们每个人只是其中一小部分。你和你的生活一样复杂，但在地铁上对坐你身边的人来说却只是背景噪音。这听起来令人沮丧，但真的可以提醒你保持谦卑，不要为小事烦心