Sometimes our wonderful world can seem like a scary place. Travel News are usually fed travel news and can result in a disproportional and terrifying image. Technologically, we are more connected, yet in many ways, we are more disconnected than ever.

Instead of using the internet to search for information that expands our understanding and knowledge, too often we seek out information that reinforces our beliefs and fears. Politicians and other people know this trait well and weaponize it to influence and control our actions in ways that favor them.

It can be difficult to accept data that challenges beliefs once they have been established even if they’re not true. Refusing to accept preconceived notions and beliefs may be uncomfortable. For me, one of the most effective ways to overcome inaccurate information about the world is to travel.

Travel is the remedy to our fears

There is a tendency to feel out of control and fearful when we’re not familiar with or don’t know the details of things. People who haven’t traveled to faraway countries express their anxiety. I’m interested in hearing what they thought of when they formed this view. Most often, it’s from old travel news stories, friend of a friend anecdotes, or even stories with political motivations that have been created to push agendas.

It’s rare to find someone who is afraid of traveling as well as even more rare to encounter one who grows more afraid as they get more experience. This is a telling sign.

There are certain places around the globe that you shouldn’t visit, like disaster and conflict zones however, they are incredibly small. The process of demonizing strangers is simple. It’s a lot harder to vilify your own friends. Being able to travel, understanding the world, and connecting with other people reduces the possibility that areas of conflict could spread.

When you travel, you realize quickly that it’s not wise to put people into categories and the snarky images that people give to different nations are usually inaccurate. It is more telling about the person who is being accused than the person being accused when you witness them blaming an ethnic group that they do not know about.

Traveling helps us understand that all cultures share the same dreams and hopes. Sure, their appearances on the outside are usually quite different. We pray to different Gods or have no Gods at all. Different cultures dress differently and have different languages and traditions. Some cultures are outgoing and some are more cautious and stoic; however, all cultures cherish their children and are proud of their heritage, are determined to improve the lives of their families and leave a legacy of some sort behind.

Through traveling our preconceptions are challenged, and you’ll see other, perhaps better, ways of accomplishing positive things.

The definition of news is something that’s unique or not very often. That is why, behind our borders, bad news are the ones we hear, while the positive ones go unreported. It is because all the attention is on negative issues, which we do not just have to go see for ourselves, we need to be informal ambassadors of what is good about our nation.

You will be more educated when you travel to far places and leave the comfort zone you’ve built around yourself. This is beneficial for both you and the environment.

Freedom is a topic we discuss, but don’t often exercise. The act of merely waving flags or reciting pledges isn’t freedom. Acquiring the knowledge to critically analyze and evaluate your situation and then taking action to implement that knowledge is freedom.