Traveling builds knowledge, character for teens

BY Nova Blanco-Rico

Traveling it is what people do for work, vacation and education. By definition it means “make a journey, typically of some length or abroad,”  but it is so much more than that.

Traveling can be a terrifying experience due to one having to put themselves into a situation and place that they aren’t fully used to.

Though it can be terrifying at first, traveling brings more positives since it allows for people to experience different lifestyles, cultures and communities.

For teens like me, it is important to see and experience different places in the world. Traveling builds knowledge and character.

When someone travels, they open themselves up to new experiences. The best way I can explain is through my own experience.

For Thanksgiving, I vacationed in San Francisco, California, with my family. Compared to Lake Elsinore, life was very much different then what I was familiar with. San Francisco had a city life, meaning there were people walking around on every corner, streets cluttered with shops and buildings on every inch of land.

Another difference was the people, who seemed to all be in hurry crowded crosswalks, streets and trains. I was fascinated and amazed at the lifestyle in San Francisco compared to the lifestyle in Lake Elsinore.

Though San Francisco is just another city within the same state, the amount of difference in culture and city life gives perspective in the variety of social and physical environments that are in this world.

The same thoughts and discovery occurred when I traveled to Florida and Arizona, all with unique and familiar culture. I learned so much from just walking around and viewing the places I have been, gaining respect and knowledge for a different culture.

Temescal Canyon High School understands that traveling is so much more for the students, which is why every year there is a trip planned that the students can take. The trip allows them to travel to a different state or even different countries.

For 2018, Temescal Canyon teamed up with Educational Tour for a trip to Japan where students can experience a land with a lively culture and explore the beauty of another country. The students will be landing in Tokyo and venture on tours to gain a full educational trip.

Whether it’s with school or just family, traveling is an experience that brings unexpected gifts to a person’s character. When one is capable of comprehending another’s way of life, another’s struggles and another’s solution to their struggles, it can help develop one’s way of thinking.

One of my favorite quotes on the subject of traveling comes from Anita Desai who said, “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” It is a simple quote but speaks volumes for teens and people in general.