Should All Young People Travel?

The Greatness Together Podcast

This episode comes with a warning: listening to it will lead to cravings for travel and culture. Get ready to start saving!

Quote: “I went to a Rotary Camp where a bunch of people who were doing their exchange all came together with their partners. I met so many people through that and I now have a house in so many countries. ” Simonne McVanel

Greatness Together Podcast Highlights:

• Should all young people travel? 0:00
• Where in the world is Simonne? 1:00
• Leaving home at 16… 5:00
• Learning to travel alone. 11:00
• Getting out of your comfort zone. 18:00
• Making friends all around the world. 22:00
• Experiences abroad. 26:30
• The value of travelling young. 30:00
• Next time: How to Attract Friends. 40:45

Coming to you from 15,000km away, with Sarah in Canada and Simonne in Australia, they dive into the value of travel while Simonne is on a work term in beautiful Byron Bay, Australia.

Let’s turn the show notes over to Simonne:

Join us as we explore the many benefits of travel through my eyes. Over the last few years, I have independently traveled to three countries on three different continents. Travel has allowed me to gain perspective on things like world issues, independence, and saving money.

I have made so many new friends, and don’t we all need more friends? It is much easier to spark new friendships while travelling, and now I have global connections (we will dive into this more next episode). Travelling often revolves around lots of socializing, which I experienced in a big way when I went on my first student exchange when I was 16 in Argentina in 2021; I left being a more introverted, shy girl to a talkative, confident and expressive woman.

I highly encourage all young people to take any opportunity they have to go on an exchange with open arms and curiosity. Encourage your kids to consider it, and maybe, like my mom, push a little so we get out of our comfort zone and quickly gain a lot of maturity.

Whether you’re a student or not, this episode is for you; it’s a reminder that travelling allows you to see your circumstances with new eyes, consider different views, deepen wisdom and fuel your thirst for understanding. It’s incredible how a flight across an ocean can open doors you never knew existed and improve your way of living; you probably don’t even need to go that far to experience this benefit.

Take a step out of your comfort zone and travel somewhere totally new; learn about culture, traditions, languages, and more from people there. I have never regretted anything to do with travel, even being a bit broke (which I definitely am now…learn all about my adventures in this episode)!

I hope you enjoy this special episode of our podcast, where we give you a window into our lives and philosophy.

Links:

Rotary International: https://www.rotary.org/en Student Exchange: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/youth-exchanges Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com/ Greatness Magnified: https://greatnessmagnified.com/ Subscribe to The Greatness Together Podcast: https://greatnessmagnified.activehosted.com/f/82