This is one of those things that is incredibly difficult to explain to people that haven't done it, while the people who have, instantly get what you're talking

This is one of those things that is incredibly difficult to explain to people that haven't done it, while the people who have, instantly get what you're talking about. I disagree with the author that you shouldn't just travel, but you should actually live in different places. You hardly learn anything from staying in a place for a few days but you learn much more if you stay in a place for at least a few months. Living abroad challenges you in ways that are very hard to find at home. Everyday things like buying groceries or ordering food in a restaurant become challenging (as long as you don't go to an English speaking country). You start to discover beliefs that you didn't even know you had because the local people believe and act in totally different ways. You're always questioning 'why?' Why do people push to the front here and not line up properly? Why do people shake your your hand again when they see you even though you've met them a bunch of times before? Why do people not understand sarcasm like in North America? Why do the people sit around drinking coffee all day? Why is this person giving me a gift? What are the reasons behind this? Why did that person say they would do something when it was obvious they weren't going to do it? Is this representative of the whole culture or just this one person? Why do so many people believe in superstitions and tradition? and so on... You start to recognize your own culture and, especially upon returning home, start to see things that you don't really like about your own culture - things that you weren't even aware about before. Living in another country is a great opportunity to learn more about yourself, about others and have a rewarding experience consisting of ups and downs.