6 Ways Global Travel Makes The Next Generation Better Students, Workers, and Leaders
If you've had an opportunity to travel, you understand that traveling evokes an array of emotions, uncovers a significant amount of learning, sparks curiosity and so much more. With this, we can assume that travel has the ability to better the next generation as students, workers and people.
As the Too Fly Foundation has helped over 300 students travel the world, we’ve truly seen how these experiences have adjusted the sails of their lives and developed personal transformation from the inside out, studies show:
99% of study abroad alumni SHow greater improvement in GPA post-study abroad.
97% of study abroad alumnI found employment within 12 months of graduation.
95% of study abroad alumnI admitted that studying abroad served as a catalyst for increased maturity.
96% of study abroad alumni claimed an increase in self-confidence attributed to study abroad.
Check out a few ways in which travel has the ability to improve who we are, directly from some of our too fly grant receipients.
1: Learn Through Differences: Cultural Understanding
Travel exposes us to different cultures, traditions, languages, and ways of life. Engaging with diverse communities fosters empathy, tolerance, and appreciation for cultural differences. It helps to remove barriers and breakdown stereotypes.
While I was there I learned about the language either creole or french. I learned so much creole and how it was formed and just the history behind it in Guadeloupe. For example, I learned that many years ago people of Guadeloupe were not allowed to speak creole at school or at home because it was shown as unprofessional and was also banned. While my group and I interviewed people and asked them a question about what language is spoken more in Guadeloupe and a lot of them said both and that just shows how much they want to incorporate their language besides french in their culture.
- Anayah, 2020 Trip to Guadeloupe
2: See the World Differently: Open-mindedness
Experiencing new environments challenges our preconceptions and encourages open-mindedness. There is an opportunity to expand our thinking, embrace the unknown and adapt to new situations. It helps to create a certain appreciation for the complexity of the world.
Once I arrived, I realized that I had nothing to be scared of, I was by myself yes, but not alone because I began to make friends. With them, I traveled to some of the most beautiful places such as Rome, Lisbon, Portugal, and Amsterdam, Netherlands. I think my favorite trip however would be the trip to Casablanca, Morocco in which I was able to reconnect with my cousin whom I haven’t seen in years.
- Kendall, 2022 Trip to France, Spain, Italy
3: Deepen Connections: Increase Empathy
Travel has the ability to increase empathy by exposing individuals to diversity, promoting cultural immersion, challenging comfort zones, highlighting inequalities, fostering human connections, and inspiring kindness. When we are able to experience people in their homelands and get an opportunity to understand how they live we grow a greater appreciation for people and their circumstances. Ultimately leading to greater empathy and compassion.
I’ve learned I’ve been selfish to ever say that I’m hungry or to envy people for having more than me. After this experience and what I went through in Ghana I am making the effort to show more gratitude for my blessings. Also, because I saw people still working to make better for themselves, I’ve recognized that with as much that I have, I am better equipped to help myself and other people who are less fortunate.
- Jordan, 2018 Trip to Ghana
4: Solve Tougher Challenges: Critical Thinking
Traveling is a lesson in navigating unfamiliar environments, solving problems on the go, and making smart/safe decisions while abroad. Traveling challenges students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world situations, creating intellectual growth and adaptability.
Tokyo, Japan has changed my life in ways that I could never have imagined. I learned more than I could have ever imagined about Japanese culture and people. This journey has definitely been the most memorable experience I have ever experienced. The Japanese people are very diverse and have stayed very true to tradition. The same sayings and character have stayed true for hundreds of years. For example, there are specific sayings for entering and exiting the house, and starting and finishing a meal. I found this very interesting because in America, as a society, there is a feeling of isolation. Most people do things by themselves without the inclusion of others.
-Ethan, 2019 Trip to Japan
5: Learn in Real-Time: Experiential Education
Traveling offers experiential learning opportunities that complement classroom instruction. Students can participate in activities such as language immersion, cultural exchanges, ecological research and more. The ability to gain practical life skills while abroad is a sure way to better our next generation.
They all spoke on how Senegal could basically be run solely on renewable energy .It was fascinating to me because I was in the country and able to see all the things that could have been used to be entirely self - sufficient. The information sparked a new hope in me for a country that was not my own . Simply because each seminar was backed up with facts and experiences, it all just fascinated me .I loved to see people who looked like me want to help their country become so much bigger, better and healthier.
- Enajia, 2018 Trip to Senegal
6: Explore New Ideas: Creativity and Innovation
Traveling to new places allows for students to experience new cultures, environments and perspectives. The exposure to diverse ideas and experiences while traveling can inspire fresh insights, solutions, and approaches to general problem-solving. This is the kind of thinking we need our future generations to possess. The world needs creativity and innovation to continue progressing.
My favorite part of the trip, hands down, was our Mayan cooking class. I am a baker and run a business. Cook Me Up A Notch. I was looking forward to this experience because my dream is to open restaurants around the world. Having the opportunity to make every dish from scratch and learning how the Mayans used every natural resource around them was mind blowing. I enjoyed seeing how other cultures cook and serve their food and it inspired me to research new ingredients that I could use in my recipes.
- Ashalah, 2019 Trip to Belize
Traveling enriches students' education experiences. Cultural understanding, open-mindedness, increased empathy, critical thinking, experiential education and creativity and innovation are characteristics that will better the next generation as students, workers and people.
