Why is travel so important?

So I originally wrote this post about a week ago, and  lost it after the internet went out. In frustration I just did feel like finishing it at the time but I guess... I am over it so I will try again.
It has been quite a while since publishing a post, and I will admit that is largely due to the fact my life hasn't gotten pretty boring on the adventure front. Currently my life revolves around articles, articles and more articles on the research I am doing in Jordan. While I am learning TONS and gaining invaluable experience in producing papers of size in a time efficient way, it hasn't left a lot of time to gallivant around the country. So I could be write posts, but most of my day is spent writing or reading so by the time I get done with my real work the blog just hasn't been fitting in. However, I have been inspired enough to write one post that doesn't directly have to do with Jordan, but does tie into my experience here.

As mentioned in previous posts I have not always chosen the most traditional locations to travel as a 21 year old. While I know I am not unique because I have met many others my own age doing the same, and many going farther then I, it isn't exactly the norm in the Mid-West or South to venture to the Middle East. With two countries under my belt in the region I am feeling fairly comfortable. The transition to Jordan has been surprisingly easy. Though I admit I have had my moments of culture shock that have lead to a few temper tantrums (If you know me, you know I am mean temper tantrums in a literal way). Most of this has centered around the lack of individual mobility. Simple things like not having any bottled water in the house at night, after it is a "safe" time to go out, and dying of thirst until the next morning, etc. Most of these are faults of my own that I soon realize and now I always remember to get water during the day. However, the larger stuff has come much easier after living for 5 months in Morocco.

Now, transitioning from the U.S. to Morocco the first time around was no easy task, and it tool awhile for me to feel completely comfortable with in the society. The changes in my own attitude came slowly and I don't think I really noticed until coming to Jordan, and transitioning at a rapid speed. I really love the country already, I accept the things I can't change and incorporate a relativist view to about everything. I feel more confident, and definitely think I can make fun of all the American students just here for the summer even though I am in the same boat. Though I realize I am far from an accomplished traveler, I do think that I have gained invaluable skills from my time abroad enriching both myself and those around me.

I will be honest and say when I was first travelling abroad, I was terrified. Despite my background in anthropology and an extremely open family. I was scared to live in another country with pretty big cultural differences. I am sure I put on a pretty good front, that I was totally ready but I wasn't. And I don't really think you can be, and that's fine. The important thing is taking the challenges in stride. This not only goes for the traveler, but parents and friends. Living abroad is not only tough on the person living in a new culture but the people at home who, like my parents are probably just worried a lot. Besides the stress and worry though they also gain too. In a conversation with my dad the other day, we were talking about the possibility of me staying in Jordan, past the time when my roommate leaves, something he definitely was not open to before I left. But as a result of the things I have shared with them, they have also become more open to a new culture without living in it. My dad is always telling me random news about the region, something he may not have paid close attention to without me travelling here. Again I can't stress enough the benefits of going outside of your comfort zone, and introducing yourself to a new culture. It doesn't have to be a "non-traditional" location either, and for the U.S. residents it doesn't have to be an expensive trip across the Atlantic. There are countries to the south and north which are way more affordable.

Overall I get it, new things are scary, hell I am a college graduate and I have to somehow figure out how to live life after 16 years of being a student, and I am freaking out but I will figure it out. And I really mean this when I say that travelling abroad 100% helped me in dealing with that fear. Hopefully it will also help me find a job but that is a whole other issue.

Anyways to end on the words of a much better writer:
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” ― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It