The Importance of International Travel in Creating Global Citizens
Every nation across the globe has a history. A history laden with a thirst for knowledge of what lies beyond the horizon. That thirst built nations, opened frontiers, and nurtured, and still nurtures global citizens.
As the world grows increasingly interconnected, global citizens with international experience are in high demand. Their ability to navigate, appreciate, and understand different cultures, positions them well to approach complex multinational and multicultural issues.
A sure way to cultivate this aspect of global citizenship is through study abroad programs. These experiences enable students and professionals to immerse themselves in diverse cultures gaining cross-cultural competency, critical thinking skills, and a strong sense of global issues.
Developing Cross-Cultural Competency
Textbook learning and theoretical classroom knowledge about other cultures are inadequate in calibrating global knowledge. Study abroad programs challenge preconceived notions about other cultures and broaden perspectives. When individuals directly experience different ways of life, such as the politics, social norms, history, and traditions of other countries, they gain a nuanced understanding of global affairs.
International travel exposes people to different social realities. Learning about how historical events shaped or erased the cultures of various countries, informed their struggles, and witnessing economic inequalities in other countries have a profound impact on one’s worldview. One begins to recognize their privilege, understand other people’s challenges, and develop the agency to contribute to global solutions through activism, community engagement, diplomacy, and advocacy. This exposure encourages professionals and students to be culturally sensitive, aware, and competent.
Attending international lectures, interacting with locals, and collaborating with peers from different cultural backgrounds teach students and professionals to empathize, listen, and adapt to different cross-national and cross-cultural settings. Likewise, navigating language barriers and new environments fosters cross-cultural competence — an invaluable skill in today’s global landscape.
Fostering Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
Navigating new and uneven terrains in foreign countries builds endurance and nurtures reliance on self and others. This experience demands adaptability, flexibility, and problem-solving skills.
From figuring out the lifeblood of uncharted territories to exposure to unfamiliar cuisines, to adjusting to different academic expectations and transportation systems, international travel forces one to use critical thinking skills. This experience shapes an individual’s problem-solving abilities.
Whether as global activists, academics, business professionals, or humanitarians, international travelers gain the ability to solve problems and handle failure on a global scale, creatively, further nurturing their critical thinking skills.
Sustainability and Responsible Global Engagement
Travel study also fosters a sense of responsibility toward the world. Exposure to important issues that plague the globe, such as pollution, environmental degradation, or climate change in different countries, encourages people to think critically about ethical tourism and sustainability. It fosters a sense of responsibility for global warming
Practicing responsible travel, minimizing one’s carbon footprint, and respecting local cultures, can go a long way in shaping people’s lifelong commitments to global sustainability.
Are You Ready for a Global Adventure?
International travel and study abroad programs are more than just academic endeavors or merely opportunities to explore the world. They are transformative — and much more: they shape individuals and foster a responsibility to meaningfully engage in global affairs.
What opportunities and challenges lie in the wide world yonder? Grab your passport and travel abroad to explore and learn. While there, let every step, every heartbeat and every breath fashion you into a proactive, empathetic, and informed global citizen.
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Michael Araka is a communications consultant with Carpe Global. Michael writes extensively on policy issues and current affairs. He holds an Msc in Management Science in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University where he was a Schwarzman Scholar, and a BA in Ethics and Politics from Bard College Berlin.