12 Life Lessons Learned From Traveling the World

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By Ryan Gargiulo

Ryan Gargiulo - Life Lessons

There’s something about traveling and living abroad that has me coming back for more, year after year. It’s exciting. It’s addicting. It’s an adrenaline rush that never seems to be enough, at least not yet. Interestingly enough, what was once a “once in a lifetime trip” for me has somehow turned into a trip that has lasted a lifetime. Well, at least it feels that way.

Travel is life changing. It’s beautiful, mind-boggling, eye opening, raw, and even nerve wracking at times. Travel tests your judgment, patience and your tolerance levels incessantly.

I’ve been tested and challenged numerous times throughout my worldly travels, yet I’m a firm believer that everything I have experienced along this journey of mine has made me a better person in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

So, what sort of lessons have I learned along the way, you might ask?

Well, here goes.

1. OPEN MINDEDNESS

In order to become open minded, you need to find yourself in situations that make you feel uncomfortable.

I’ve always thought of myself as someone who was open minded, even before I started traveling. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have been any more wrong. It wasn’t until I really started to travel outside of my homeland that I realized how close minded of a person I really was.

It’s only when you leave that cushy little comfort zone of yours that you start to open your mind and acknowledge other peoples viewpoints on life.

2. FOREIGN HOSPITALITY

The most mind blowing hospitality can be found in the places you’d least expect it. Of course, I can’t speak for every country in the world but I can sure speak for a few.

Let’s take Egypt for example. Would you ever guess that it would sit in the number one spot on my list of most hospitable places in the world? Yeah, that’s right. Egypt.

I’ve yet to experience better hospitality on my travels than I have during my three visits to the country. I mean, how many places are there left on Earth with people who invite strangers into their homes to join them for a cup of tea? As far as I know, not too many.

The hospitality that was shown to me during my time in Egypt is one of the many reasons why it remains as one of my top 5 favorite countries on the planet.

3. THE ART OF NONCONFORMITY

Go to school, meet your future partner, get married (then have sex), buy a house, get a dog, and have a baby or three. That’s all you need to do in order to lead a happy and successful life.

Well, at least that’s what we’re led to believe.

Conformists are brought up by conformists who were brought up by conformists. From generation to generation, it’s the same old sh*t. This is the way life has been and this is the way it’s going to continue to be. If you dare to stray off that path and start your own trail, you’re damn well on your own.

As a self-proclaimed nonconformist, I’m here to tell you that there are no rules in life for you to break, there are only rules for you to create.

Life is not just one long one-way street. As a matter of fact, there’s another road running parallel to it with a lot less traffic. On that road are millions of other nonconformists, who are in essence, just like you. They’re happy and successful — based upon their own definitions, not the definitions of generations past. They’ve been passing you by for years but you’ve never seemed to acknowledge them. Is it because they took the road less traveled or have you just never realized the road existed?

My advice is to take the road less traveled at least once in your life, preferably before your mid-twenties while you’re still young and you lack the major responsibilities that come along with life as we know it. Although, that being said, it’s never too late. At the end of the day, what’s the worst that can happen? You don’t like it? No problem, just hit the next exit knowing that you gave it a shot.

Being a nonconformist doesn’t mean you can’t have a 9 to 5, a cute little home with a white picket fence and a family of 5. It’s about learning who you are, figuring out what exactly it is that you want in life, and creating your own personal definition of happiness and success.

Note: This message isn’t intended to encourage you to rebel against a life of which many consider to be normal. It’s about venturing off the trail, taking calculated risks, and going against the grain in hopes of finding that life of yours that you’ve been dreaming of.

MUST READ: THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPOSSIBLE

4. DECISIONS, DECISIONS

If there’s one thing you learn on the road it’s how to make spontaneous decisions on the fly. You could be one of the most indecisive people on the planet before taking off on your trip but trust me when I tell you that will all quickly change. Soon enough, you’ll need to make split second decisions that will have your original master plan flipped upside down. Roll with the changes and you’ll rarely find yourself in a bind.

Note: Having the flexibility in your travel plans in order to make last minute decisions is crucial. It can also save you money. A lot of money.

5. THE WORLD DOESN’T HATE AMERICANS

No, you’ve got it all wrong. The world doesn’t hate Americans. The world hates American politics.

Despite what you’ve heard through a friend of a friend who has traveled internationally, the world accepts Americans with open arms just as it would with the Canadians, the French, the Germans and the Aussies.

Call me lucky. Call me crazy. Call me an idiot. All I know is that I’ve never been treated wrongly because of where I come from.

I’m proud as hell to be an American and if you’re an American, you should be, too.

6. YOU DON’T NEED TO BE MULTILINGUAL

People always ask me if I have ever ran into trouble while traveling due to the fact that I know one language and one language only. The answer is no, I have not.

While I do think that knowing a second or third language can be helpful at certain times on the road, I’ve never personally been in a situation where I absolutely needed to know one.

Am I embarrassed to only have learned one language in school when most foreigners that I’ve met are at least bilingual, if not trilingual? Absolutely. I’m jealous that foreign education requires youngsters to learn a second and third language and I believe all Americans should be required to be at least bilingual before graduating high school.

7. LIFE IS GOOD

Life is so damn good. You know it. I know it. Yet, we’re all guilty when it comes to forgetting how fortunate we are from time to time.

I try my hardest to stay grounded and I constantly remind myself how lucky I am to be alive and kicking alive and wandering. Sure, it’s not an easy task, but if you find it difficult to remind yourself how fortunate you are on a daily basis then I highly recommend you check out this productivity based Google Chrome extension called Momentum.

Momentum is a tool that I’ve been using for a few months now and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this thing. Not only can you set your goals and focus points for the day but you can also create a task list, check the local weather, and read a new inspirational quote each day. If you’re looking for the best way to remind yourself of the most important things in life, trust me when I say that you need to get Momentum.

Note: This is in no way a sponsored message or advertisement for Momentum. I’m sharing Momentum with you simply for the fact that I absolutely love it.

8. WILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW THINGS

Before I started traveling, I was a seriously picky eater. People would tell me I was picky and I’d laugh it off as if I wasn’t that bad. When looking back on it now, I can’t believe how damn picky I really was. I mean, I wouldn’t even dare try anything new. Anytime someone asked me to give something a shot, I would tell them “No, I don’t like that”, even though I had never tried it. I’m sure some of you out there can relate.

During my travels I was pretty much forced to try new things. You know, things other than my typical go-to foods back home. I soon learned that I’d been missing out on certain foods my entire life. I mean, really. What would life be like if I hadn’t tried falafel or hummus for the first time?

Nowadays, I’m pretty much up to try just about anything. Well, unless we’re talking deep fried insects, reptiles, dogs, cats, rats, and so on. Excuse me while I politely pass on those for the time being. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Even on regular travel adventures chose to try new things to make the entire journey even better. For instance travel with Los Angeles party bus if you are going with a group of friends, even if you are not heading to a party, make the ride and the entire experience fun.

9. SAME OL’ DESTINATIONS

I used to always find it odd when friends and family back home would use their miniscule vacation time to visit places like Las Vegas once or twice every year. Being someone who enjoys visiting new destinations, I would wonder why the same people continue to flock to the same places that they’ve been three hundred times already.

But, now I get it.

Some places are just comfortable. You know them like the back of your hand. You’ve been there enough times to walk the streets blindfolded. You’re safe, you’re happy, you’re content, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. I get it. I really do.

I, myself, have a few places that I’d gladly return to over and over no matter how many times I’ve been there in the past. Speaking of Vegas, I enjoy spending a couple nights there every now and then. I also love spending time in places like Ireland, Egypt, Thailand, Croatia, and Mexico.

While returning to the same destinations over and over is completely fine in my book, I would still like to encourage you to go out on a limb and visit somewhere new every year, if possible. You never know, you might find yourself yet another place to return to.

10. FLYING DOESN’T SUCK

Let’s face it. Flying isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I remember when I used to think a five hour flight was a long haul flight. I would dread having to fly to Ireland to visit my family back in the day. Nowadays, a five to six hour flight is pretty much a short hop for me.

Over the years I’ve come to the realization that it’s the true long haul flights (10+ hrs) that train you to be more patient and increase your tolerance levels when it comes to the short hops.

I should also mention that being able to sleep on flights is a game changer. If you’re the type of person who can’t manage to sleep a wink on a flight, then I feel sorry for you. Yeah, you’re right. Flying, for you, probably does suck.

I’m fortunate enough to be the type of guy who remembers walking on to the plane to find his seat but forgets everything after that. I usually wake up to the sound of the pilot announcing that the cabin crew needs to prepare for landing.

11. OVERPACKING SUCKS

Overpacking is not only incredibly unnecessary, it can be a real pain in the ass.

Over the course of the last few years, I’ve come to realize that there’s a mixture of common sense and skill necessary when it comes to packing a bag.

The common sense part of the equation is pretty simple. Ask yourself how many outfits you actually need to bring with you on your trip. When I say need, I mean it in the literal sense. You don’t need 10 shirts and 3 pairs of shoes for a weekend getaway. Sure, playing dress up is fun and all, but why bother bringing a case full of clothes to try on in your hotel room?

As far as the skill of packing goes, you must know how to pack. For example, rolling your clothes not only saves you a ton of space, but it also keeps them from getting wrinkled.

READ: HOW TO PACK SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR

Packing is one lesson that every traveler must learn on their own though. You can advise someone to not overpack as much as you want and they’ll still take three times more than they need.

Ironically enough, my best advice for you is to whip out your pen and pad and sketch out a solid packing list for yourself. After you think you’ve covered just about everything you need, go ahead and get rid of half of it. Ah, screw it. You won’t listen to me anyway.

12. THE THREE RULES OF TRAVEL

I have three main rules when it comes to travel and I’m positive that these three simple rules have saved my sanity more times than I could ever imagine.

1. Never engage in conversation about politics.

2. Never engage in conversation about religion.

3. Never, EVER engage in conversation about politics or religion.

In other words, if you want to avoid arguments with strangers, fellow travelers and opinionated as*holes on the road, my advice would be to let the ranters rant and let the ravers rave. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time or your positive energy on conversations that are ultimately bound to lead you nowhere.


Those are just a few of the many life lessons that I’ve learned on the road. I could go on and on but I won’t dare bore you with the rest.

As you may have noticed, travel has changed my life. It will change yours, too. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to take the leap now, while you still can. Because, as you know, life is short and tomorrow is never promised.

Can you relate to any of these life lessons of mine? If so, be sure to leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to share it with the world.

18 thoughts on “12 Life Lessons Learned From Traveling the World”

  1. Great article and so true. I hit that point in my life 2 years ago when I achieved the “American Dream” but wasn’t content. So many places I want to see but tied to the 9-5 grind raising a family. I promptly started my own blog and begun to do the things I had always dreamed of. Daring to do what I want to do for ME and not everyone else. For now, we chose to keep the kids settled in the states and tour on/off when we can but I know in the future, traveling the world is a reality!

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    • Wow, Tracy! Thanks for sharing your story with us. Isn’t it so liberating to finally do YOU for once? Even if it’s just here and there, it’s a hell of a lot better than never at all. Best of luck on your future travels and feel free to shoot me a message if you ever have any questions.

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  2. Traveling teaches you a ton not only about yourself but life. We too broke out of the American dream and 9/5 life we are told to live. I too am proud to be American, never play the Canadian card…Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned :-)

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  3. You are kind of breaking your own rule, aren’t you? By even mentioning #12 – Never, EVER engage in conversation about politics or religion.

    I’m don’t agree with you on this one (and I hope you know I’m saying that in the nicest way possible). Just because a topic of conversation is controversial and difficult to discuss doesn’t mean it should be avoided. Some of the most important topics of conversation are ones that most people find uncomfortable and/or difficult to talk about.

    I used to be of the opinion that I should just keep my mouth closed, smile and nod whenever someone told me something that I disagreed with. I still do that sometimes (it depends on the situation, of course), but after 14 years of traveling the world, I’m now much more inclined to open my mouth and tell people when they’re wrong – especially when I can easily point to the facts and prove that they are either misinformed or delusional.

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    • Nope, not at all, Darren. I’m just simply stating that I try my best to follow those three rules when I’m on the road. I never mentioned anything specific about my political views or thoughts on religion. That would totally be breaking the rules! ;-)

      No worries, the feelings mutual. I will have to respectfully disagree with your angle on #12. For me, it’s not that it’s too uncomfortable or too difficult to talk about, it’s just simply worth my time and energy. End of story.

      Thanks for the comment.

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  4. I get the politics comment. As an American, talking about politics can be difficult while traveling. It doesn’t happen as much now, but during the Bush years a lot of people, generally over a few beers, would use it as an opportunity to tell me what they thought of America. It got pretty redundant after a while. “Yo, why did YOU do this?” as if all American citizens are always in agreement with our government.

    In regards to religion, it’s hard not to talk about that while traveling because so much of a place’s culture is tied into the religion (I also am a religion’s major). I love speaking with other travelers about the religious history or its influence on art, culture, architecture, music etc., in the places I travel. The “I believe this” discussion between travelers can get a bit boring, though I’ve never found it offensive, personally.

    You really have to gauge the person. If they have a good sense of humor and you think they won’t take things personally, it’s all good. If they’re overly serious, better to avoid those types of situations.

    Reply
    • Thanks for the comment, Alex. I avoid talking politics because it’s a dead end topic, not because it’s too difficult to talk about. To be honest, it’s actually pretty easy to have a conversation about politics. All you have to do is [insert your opinion here] and then I’ll [insert my opposing opinion here]. Wash, rinse, repeat.

      I like your spin on talking religion when it comes to art, culture, architecture and music. Interesting point you’ve got there. You’re spot on about gauging the person you’re speaking with. I’m all for laid back convo without having an opinion thrown down my throat.

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      • Alex has a good point. It does depend on who you are talking to. If you choose to talk about any of these more difficult topics of conversation, the person you’re speaking with needs to be open-minded, as well as both knowledgeable and rational. You need to have those characteristics as well! Otherwise, yes, you will probably only get the opinions of two uninformed people, which is ultimately pointless (I’m agreeing with you here Ryan).

        For example, people always ask me about music when I travel. “What kind of music do you like?” But the thing is, I don’t really like music… and I don’t know much about it. I certainly don’t know enough about it to have a conversation that lasts much more than 10 to 15 seconds. I could try and answer the person’s question by babbling on about what little music I do like or know… but instead, I usually cut the conversation short by telling the person that I don’t know enough about music to continue the discussion. I do the same thing when politics comes up. I admit that I don’t know enough or have any answers (and I’m being 100% honest when I do that).

        But if you are knowledgeable about a certain subject and you find yourself sitting across from someone who is also open-minded, knowledgeable and rational, then really interesting conversations on these more difficult topics can be had…. and real changes can come about!

        For example, I recently had a conversation with a science teacher from a foreign country who mentioned something in passing that I was sure was incorrect. I mentioned this to the man, but he assured me that he was correct. He was a science teacher after all. But I knew that the man was wrong, so after about 1 minute of searching the Internet on my phone, I found a video on YouTube that proved the man incorrect. I showed him the video and he applauded. He was wrong and he was happy to have been proven wrong. He thanked me afterward and I’d like to think I made a small difference, because this man will no longer be going around and telling people something that is scientifically untrue.

        That’s the sort of thing that can happen (on occasion) if you find yourself talking with someone who is knowledgeable, open-minded and rational. It doesn’t happen that frequently, but conversations on these topics are not just opinion. It’s only opinion to people who either don’t know what they’re talking about… or are unwilling to admit that they don’t know.

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        • Whoa, Darren. Excellent comment, my friend. You’re persuading me a bit here. I do agree that having a conversation about politics and religion can be done, so long as you are speaking with an individual who is open minded. I guess I find it difficult to gauge people sometimes. Maybe that’s my issue?

          Also, to clarify, I was advising people to not engage in conversation about these topics with strangers. I have no problem having a laid back conversation about these topics with a good friend but when it comes to someone I just met? No, thank you. Not worth it (IMO).

          P.S. – I love the fact that you stumped a science teacher. Too funny!

          Thanks for the great comment.

          Reply
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  6. Great post Ryan. I couldn’t agree more with Point #3 – The Art Of Non Conformity. A couple of decades ago I couldn’t wait to graduate from college as I had big plans. Everyone I knew also had big plans – to get the highest paying job possible as quickly as possible. My plan however, was to cross Africa solo, north to south by land using whatever means of transport came my way. It took me a year, but I did it and it was the single most significant life defining experience I’ve ever had.

    This experience taught me that there’s so much more to life than what society dictates and it changed the course of the rest of my life, and still I travel as much as possible (71 countries and counting). In Europe and Australia it’s almost considered a rite of passage to take a year off after school and travel the world before settling down to a career, yet here in the US, it’s frowned upon by many employers who look at a year ‘spent traveling’ on a resume with suspicion.

    As a business owner now, I encourage my employees to travel, to take the road less traveled, to take as much time off as they like (not the pathetically standard 2 weeks a year that so many companies offer) and to see the world. It makes for happier, more productive employees, which ultimately helps my clients and my business.

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    • I’m incredibly impressed with your trip through Africa. I can’t even begin to imagine how amazing of an experience that would be. What an achievement. you sound like the best boss EVER! Haha. Thanks for sharing your story and your insight with us.

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  7. Glad you shared this, it gives a sense what to expect and what can one learn while travelling to all new places..

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  8. YES I agree with the point about having to make split second decisions. You can’t plan for everything, in fact you can hardly plan for anything at all! I recently was in Penang to get my Indonesian 60 day visa. I showed up at the Consulate only to realize I needed a bunch of things that I didn’t have (including a copy of a plane ticket out of Indonesia). I had to hastily find a cheap flight out of Indonesia in 60 days time and print out the ticket to show the embassy.

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  9. I’m so happy for you doing the things you like the most. I will definitely travel the world right after I pay all my debt lol and I’m working on it now. GO ME!!

    Reply

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