I stumbled upon an article this morning from The Atlantic about how travel changes you…

For a More Creative Brain, Travel

The premise is that real, authentic travel (as opposed to the separatist approach that so many Americans take – leaving a wide berth between you and the people) not only broadens your mind, but also engages your creativity and can even make you a stronger person.

My favorite quote in the article is from Mark Twain: travel is “fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” One of my favorite things that we did on our honeymoon was talk to the people…when we were coming out of the Jameson Distillery in Dublin, we saw rack after rack of the rental bikes that have popped up in a number of cities both here and abroad. We wondered aloud, but to ourselves, if these bikes could take the place of a personal bike – why buy one if you can rent one for so cheap? …so we asked! We walked up to a young woman putting her rented bike back on the rack and asked her for her opinion. 

What we got was a 15 minute chat about life in Dublin, safety, and corporate sponsorship. We also got tips on great places for dinner. 

The article is quick to remind us that sitting on a beach on Spring Break in Cancun isn’t going to force those creative juices – it probably won’t even force you out of your comfort zone – so talk to the people, experience the culture, and you might just increase your “faith in humanity.” 

So…read the article, book a flight, and get out of your “cultural bubble”!