While showing my dad a slideshow from my recent trip to Thailand, I asked if he’d ever be interested in taking a similar trip. “No,” he replied. “For one, why would anyone want to go to a country where they don’t speak English? Second, I haven’t even seen the Grand Canyon. I should do that first.”
Truth be told, I haven’t visited the Grand Canyon either. But when I entered Thailand, the customs agent didn’t refuse my entry on those grounds. As it turns out, visiting the Grand Canyon isn’t a prerequisite for travel overseas.
I understand what my dad is trying to say. His point is that there’s a lot to do and see domestically—and so there’s no reason to go beyond the borders of the United States.
He’s certainly not alone. Only about 30% of Americans have passports. Compare that to 60% of Canadians and 75% of Brits.
Here’s the thing. There is good reason to travel abroad. And it’s my personal opinion that—provided you have the means—international travel is something that every American needs to experience.
A few years ago, I threw a dart a map and decided to visit Argentina. Though I had visited my sister in England and had spent a summer in Canada, I knew that Argentina would be very different. I anticipated vast cultural differences and language barriers, but I was vastly unprepared for what I found.
Arriving in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires, I quickly fell into a state of culture shock. As a young 20-something without much understanding of the Spanish language, I found myself immersed in a very foreign and very scary world. I was surprised to see homeless children on the streets, packs of wild dogs roaming side alleys and constant protesters and rioters through the city’s downtown core.
I spent the first 5 days of my 2-month trip locked inside my apartment, crying. Within a day or two, I rescheduled my return flight for the end of the month—thereby cutting my trip short by 4 weeks.
But by the fifth day, I was sick and tired of feeling sorry for myself. Gradually, I ventured out. I connected with some Americans studying in Buenos Aires—and even met a few English-speaking locals. Over time, I picked up enough of the language to get by. I could order my food in a restaurant and barter with shopkeepers.
Moreover, I learned about the economic crisis that had plagued Argentina, and why there were so many homeless families on the street. I learned about the country’s politics and why protests were a daily occurrence.
Beyond broadening my own knowledge of the world, I was able to challenge stereotypes. Not just the stereotypes that I held of other people and other countries—but also stereotypes that Argentineans held of Americans. I wasn’t the ignorant, loud American that they expected.
By the end of my trip, I was even—dear I say—enjoying Argentina. While it was scary to travel to Buenos Aires alone, it was an incredible experience of personal growth.
Living in the United States, we get a very American-centric perspective of the world. It’s easy to forget that there’s so much else out there—and that there are important happenings beyond our border. And while the Grand Canyon is a great travel destination, it won’t provide that same perspective.
Yes, there’s a lot to do and see in the United States. But it’s no excuse to deny yourself the enlightening and incredible experience of world travel.
-Davey
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