On the first day of school, I never knew what to say when my teachers asked what I did over the summer. I didn’t have anything worth sharing. My summers were all the same: I would witness my peers galavanting off to all ends of the world while I was stuck at home.
I’ve lived in my childhood home my entire life, having a relatively sheltered adolescence. When our closest friends and family were within a 10-mile radius, my parents never felt compelled to go anywhere outside the U.S.
I’ve taken a few small vacations within the country — like Las Vegas, NV, and Orlando, FL — but none were particularly memorable. I never got to experience the joy of hopping from country to country or flying across oceans, and I always envied the people who had.
In 2022, it was finally my turn to experience that joy. At age 14, I left the country for the first time to visit my uncle and his family in Frankfurt, Germany.
I remember setting my alarm for 4:45 a.m. the night before, giddy with anticipation. My sister and I hardly slept because we were so excited to finally travel internationally. The next morning at exactly 7 a.m., our plane took off. I sighed happily as I gazed out the window, watching the ground fade away as we ascended into the clouds.
From my first step out of the Frankfurt airport, I noticed little changes in my surroundings, such as the people saying a variety of words I didn’t understand, and all the signs being in German. We spent our first night at the Christmas Market, and it was the start of many unforgettable experiences.
Whether it was the ivy-coated walls or the ancient towers reaching high into the sky, each castle and church my family and I visited throughout the week had its own unique designs. My head was on a swivel as we walked along the cobblestone pathways, my uncle pointing out each bit of the charming architecture. Visiting the Hindenburg Castle, the inspiration for hundreds of German artists throughout history, was breathtaking and transformative.
Between seeing the sparkling lights of a market, hearing the different languages and exploring the rich history of ancient architecture, the whole trip added a much-needed color to my life. Each landmark taught me what it meant to “live in the moment” and immerse myself in the beauty of a new place. Spending hours sightseeing anywhere unfamiliar can sharpen lifelong communication skills through meeting new people with different cultures and lifestyles.
Coming back home to the U.S. after spending a week in a new country was startling and I began to consider why people love traveling so much. It’s a privilege no one should take for granted and is the foundation for global innovation and advancement.
Frankfurt was so new and exciting — I was in awe of the European food and traditions I encountered and how different European cultures are from America.
Before my trip, I categorized watching foreign news as a mindless activity. I could easily ignore what was happening outside of the U.S. when I couldn’t relate to it personally. The history woven throughout Frankfurt sparked my interest in researching my heritage and pushed me to pay closer attention to foreign affairs. I asked my parents about our family history in Germany and started watching and reading international news around Frankfurt. I never would’ve thought I’d be interested in any of it, but my trip taught me it’s never too late to start learning all there is to know about somewhere incredible.
One trip is all it takes. Leaving the country altered my mindset and gave me a new perspective on how enormous and interconnected our world truly is. Traveling is one of the best ways to learn about new cultures, which everyone deserves to experience when given the chance. In a world more globalized than ever, traveling is right at our fingertips. Having always valued stability and comfort, I never thought I’d find the appeal of travel, but I did, and I’ll never regret it.
