If you’ve ever gone travelling for an extended period of time, you know that its a ton of fun and leaves you with some great stories. Memories aside, there are a number of ways travel makes you a better person:

1. Communication/Social skills: You will learn how to interact with the locals, especially when travelling alone. This helps you be more outgoing. Making small talk with someone on a bus, train or bar is as easy as asking ‘where are you from?’. Ask them to share their story first, and then you can tell them about yourself. In addition, this improves your communication skills; you can learn a new language, or just speak and listen better.

2. Stress Management: Not only does travelling shake things up from your normal routine, but it is a more interesting way to exercise    than hitting your local gym. This lets you de-stress both mind and body and you will be more likely to enjoy your ‘workout’!

3. Don’t sweat the small stuff: So your train got late, big deal-you can always catch the next one, or just spend a little more time in a café or explore the nearby area. Yes, you may have planned certain aspects of your trip, but leave a little room for adventure.

4. Planning, Organizational and Financial skills: Let’s face it, being Sri Lankan means you need a visa to travel nearly anywhere. However, this allows you the opportunity to prepare and plan your visa, organize your trip and manage your funds. This will certainly help you irrespective of whatever you do in life.

5.Make new friends: This is a no brainier-whether you travel for business or pleasure, it’s always a good thing to maintain contacts. Getting connected nowadays is as simple as sending a Facebook or Linkedin invite. Who knows, that particular individual could help you get involved in a future stage of your career!

6. Impress your existing friends: Not saying you should boast, but a trip about how you went skydiving in Malaysia is a more interesting thing to talk about than someone taking their dog to the vet. Travel is a natural conversation starter, use it wisely.

7. Break stereotypes: When you go somewhere and meet the locals, try their foods and experience their culture, you form your own opinions. Until then, your only understanding would only come from what you were taught or have seen in the media. The main point: don’t over research, and keep an objective mind until you get there.

8. Self-growth: Perhaps the most important, travelling lets you open your eyes and open your mind. Spending time rubbing shoulders with people of different cultures will expose you to different ways of thinking and make you more appreciative of what you have once you go return home.

Do you know any more benefits of travel we’ve missed out on? Tell us in the comments!

Disclaimer: The views shared in this blog are based on the macro economic conditions & industry status quo as per the time of publishing.