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Travelling to anywhere in the world is filled
with opportunities to learn. Outside the classroom,
lessons really come to life, leaving students
inspired and ready to make more progress upon
returning home. Ten of the top benefits of travel
include: |
1. Broadened
understanding of other cultures
There’s nothing like going somewhere
totally different from home. Tasting exotic foods,
seeing unusual architecture and meeting new people
encourages an understanding of other cultures and
is, simply, thrilling. This reason in itself is
enough to go away. But there are more… |
2. Increased confidence
Some time out of the daily routine,
be it for a week-long holiday with the family, a
stint of travelling for teenagers or a weekend to a
nearby country, will build confidence, as it means
taking in new surroundings, speaking to new people
and encouraging exploration. A first trip away for
young adults will have them returning more confident
in their own abilities, and more responsible for
their own actions – an essential part of growing up. |
3. Work opportunities
Many dream of moving away from home
and seeking a different life on a new continent.
Exploring is the best way to achieve an open mind to
these possibilities. Get a job (visa permitting), be
it a summer holiday job or more serious
work experience while abroad and work
opportunities could be broadened forever. |
4.
Meeting people
Friendships formed
abroad can last for years as memories of happy
times are shared. Having friends around the
world to call on for future trips, to practice
language skills with, or to have over to meet
friends at home is a great asset |
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5.
Language skills
Travelling to other countries means
opportunities to learn, develop or polish
language skills of any standard. While the
experience of day-to-day travel will allow
vocabulary practice, the areas may be limited.
In France, for instance, visitors may not get
beyond asking for a postcard and stamps,
ordering a coffee, a baguette, or food from a
menu (when it is not, rather embarrassingly,
provided in English).
Study French in France in a more formal way,
and language skills could improve quickly. Going
to a
French language school also means you’ll
have more opportunities to practise new skills
outside the classroom. |
6. Using ingenuity
Travelling requires organisation,
planning and, very often, collaboration. A
situation where a budget is low and may not last
until the end of the trip forces co-travellers
to work as a team to resolve the situation.
These scenarios can develop throughout a trip
and have myriad applications across other areas
of life. |
7. Giving inspiration
While the same old walk to school
or work is an inevitable part of life, a trip
abroad can give some breathing space to
re-evaluate and find new inspiration, whether
it’s for more learning, a career move or further
trips. |
8. Navigational skills
Trying to find a recommended site
in an unfamiliar city, with poor map-reading
skills, is a time when the theoretical skills
learnt in the geography classroom really come
into practice. Returning home with a better
sense of direction has got to be beneficial. |
9. History
brought to life
Visit the
Colosseum in Rome and the
gladiators come to life. Similarly,
the sight of the spectacular
pyramids will inspire even the most
history-averse learner to find out
more, which they will never forget. |
10.
Understanding science in the
environment
Going to
the Amazon rainforest, seeing
animals in their natural habitat –
travel allows you to see the
ecosystem in real life, something
which a trip to the zoo can never
do. |
| As these reasons show, travel
educates outside the classroom to
enhance existing learning and life
experience in some unexpected ways. |
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