Do you travel? Do you want to travel? Do you have any plans of traveling in the future? If yes, why? Why join the hype of traveling nowadays? Why spend your money on buying plane tickets when you can just buy the latest phones or other fancy material things instead? Why did you choose to go out and see the world instead of just sitting back and relaxing in the comforts of your own home? If you ever find yourself asking these questions or wondering why, welcome to our world.

People are different – different personalities, different point-of-views, different perspectives in life. But somehow, I found unity in traveling. Meeting new people, meeting the locals, actually learning their culture, understanding our differences and respecting their religion… everything. It made me open my eyes to a world beyond what I see everyday. And in a world where social media is the norm, have you ever wondered what the real reason is on why people travel? I have my own own reasons.

6 Ways Traveling Taught Me More About Life

6. I experienced new things.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

To experience the different things that the world has to offer, to experience new cultures… every country and place that I have been to has been a different experience. No place was ever the same.

Yongdap, Seoul, South Korea/ Namsan Tower Observatory, Seoul, South Korea

(WATCH: Let’s Talk a Walk Into the Beauty of Seoul in Spring)

To experience the interactions between different ethnicities and live for a few days out of my comfort zone. I have always wanted to see places that I had never been to and experience what it’s like to be a part of a different crowd. This year, I aimed to experience the 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter in different countries. And I am proud to say that I have done this.

5. I learned a lot.

Bali Bidadari Batik, Bali, Indonesia

(WATCH: Exploring Bali, Indonesia Plus What To Do and Where To Go)

Learning about the language, the culture and the history of a new place/country is fun! This helps me grow as a person. Since I graduated college, I consider the world as my new classroom. I learn from it. Every time that I go to a new place, I see something new. I see something different. I see the places that I once thought that I could only see through magazines and on the Internet.

I want to see the real deal rather than just read about them in magazines or watch them on television or on social media. Learning is infinite, which gives me the chance to never stop exploring new things in life.

4. I challenged myself.

Borobudur Temple, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

I travel with friends and family, but sometimes, I travel by myself. I do this to boost my confidence since I was a shy type back in school – so shy that I was even afraid to ride public transportation because I didn’t like asking strangers for directions, especially if they didn’t speak my language.

Unhyeongung Palace, Seoul, South Korea

I’ve always been afraid. Afraid to trust people that I don’t normally interact with. But when I started my adventures, I learned that connecting with the locals plays such a huge part in it. In the countless times that I have been lost in a foreign country, I found myself asking locals for help and this made me realize that not everything I believed was true.

I never thought of travelling alone and actually asking random strangers to take photos of me, but I did! I learned to challenge myself to be more sociable when in a foreign country. They may be strangers whose names and faces I will forget, but there will always be a positive and permanent connection whenever I visit a particular place because somewhere, someone helped a traveler like me.

3. I got to escape.

Plantation Bay, Cebu City, Philippines

(READ: 22 Fun Activities to Do at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa Mactan)

Having a corporate job can be quite stressful sometimes. As a regular employee, this is my outlet. Some people may refer to shopping, relaxing at home, watching movies, or just hanging out with family and friends as their way of escaping their jobs and releasing stress; but for me, traveling is my personal form of detox.

Isla Reta Beach Resort, Samal Island, Philippines

An escape from the corporate world, seeing the beach, being able to relax with no worries of having to do anything or thinking about deadlines, watching the sunset, appreciating every second of the day, and just having peace of mind under the sun… that’s just what I need once in a while.

Read on for more!