Before I started travelling, I was a different person – of that, there is no question.

My focus was narrower, and my worries and concerns were more confined to that which was in front of me. The minutiae of my life in Toronto seemed larger than life, and I think that’s largely because I couldn’t conceivably attain a macro perspective of the world without the realization that what I had been operating with was a micro perspective.

Sure, the most recent garbage strike is important, and the comments made from a councillor in Ward 34 do matter, but in the face of crises around the world –well, they don’t.

I firmly and unequivocally believe that perhaps the most important gift of all that we develop with travel is that of empathy. For that reason, I don’t think of travel as leisure, or something we do with the extra time we have, but rather travelling as part of education itself.

We can only learn to put local problems in perspective if we understand and empathize with international problems.

I’m not suggesting that it’s only through travel that you can develop empathy, I’m only suggesting that, at least for me, I feel different pangs in my heart when reading about the struggles of a nation that I have been fortunate enough to visit.

I stopped thinking of countries and cities around the world as “anonymous” places that didn’t effect me. The world just became smaller.

All of a sudden, I wondered how my friend in Sudan was dealing with the impending civil war, or that one restaurant owner would fare with the growing resentment towards immigrants in Oslo, or how that tour guide might be handling the steep decline in tourism in Turkey.

Travel forced me to care.

Today, I’m taking a moment to dissect what I feel is the value of travelling in today’s world, and I’m doing that through the medium of this short essay on travelling.

Before I Get Into the Importance of Travelling, I Want to Acknowledge A Few Things

It doesn’t seem right for me to break into the importance of travel without a few qualifiers.

Firstly, I want to recognize that I’m fortunate to have been born into a supportive, middle class family in Toronto, and one which valued education, and always had a full fridge. While not all travel is expensive by any means, I was able to travel a fair bit in my youth, and the fact that my family was financially able to prioritize travel is something I don’t take for granted.

This little essay on travel is not meant to suggest that somebody who currently is just trying to put food on the table needs to travel to find meaning in their life. That would be absurd.

All I’m suggesting is that I find some semblance of enlightenment and humility through my travels and feel that those who have the opportunity to travel should, with no judgment on those who currently aren’t in a position to travel.

Travel is a privilege, let us put that firmly on the table.

———

I also want to acknowledge the footprint that travel has on the environment. Especially with the recent climate strike, climate change and climate action is at the forefront of my mind.

If you follow @travelingmitch on Twitter, you’ll know that I’m something of a climate activist, and I try to use my medium to promote awareness about these aforementioned issues.

However, I’m writing this article on a plane right now, and planes are horrific for the environment. I now prioritize trains and environmentally friendly buses wherever I can, but sadly I cannot take a bus back from Prague, which is where I just was.

I’m looking for a solution to this, and I appreciate Rick Steves’ carbon neutral initiative, but at the very least I want to acknowledge that while travel is important, nothing is more important than the health of our planet. Travel is only great, my friends, if we still have places to travel to.

However, I believe that travel is important in establishing a deep love and reverence for the planet which can persuade people to take these issues more seriously.

Living in a place like Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua, albeit briefly, showed me what can happen when an economy is based on fishing, but the government is on the hunt for oil and other resources, and has no regard for who lives and dies as long as the coffers of the bank are full, and pockets are padded.

Similarly, my time working in small villages in northern India, and in communities in Ecuador’s Amazon reminded me of much the same. It is indeed safe to say that I’ve learned lessons in all 80 countries that I’ve visited in terms of the environment.

In sum, travel with an understanding that it may not be your country, but this is our world.

Let’s Talk About Why Travel is Important and the Value of Travelling

Below, I’m going to talk about the importance of travelling by using some of my favourite travel quotes, and taking them apart.

I’ve always been a fan of quotes, and the written word in general which is illustrated by other content on my site such as “Ancient Travel Quotes Worth Remembering,” and “The 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes.”

I’ll be honest – I love writing itineraries about the places I’ve visited to enable you to see more, but sometimes I need to take a moment to reflect, and share on a deeper level what I feel I’ve learned throughout my travels.

I’m proud of the work that I do on a regular basis, but it’s a disservice to both you and myself for me not to take the necessary time to examine and think more deeply about why I continue to feel the need to explore – about why travel still matters to me, and should to you.

1. “A ship in harbor is safe – But that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd