It's not enough simply to travel, to physically move your body from one place to another. You have to learn, be open and unafraid to change. You have to think about where you are and how your actions affect the economy and the future of each place as if it were your home because, at the end of the day, as a part of the Earth, that place is your home.
It's not enough simply to take photos in front of things if you don't understand them and what they are and what they mean. If the number of "likes" on your Facebook page is ever-growing, but your mind fails to expand, you're doing it wrong. Because that, my friends, is called ego-boosting and the remarkable thing about travel is that it does the opposite of boosting your ego. It forces you to reckon with a world so much greater than you are and assaults you with the realization that you are but a small piece in this incredible, dynamic jigsaw puzzle of a planet.
It's not enough simply to stay in your comfort zone. It's a scary thing to admit: you might end up in an uncomfortable situation or an unfamiliar place. You might have to stop and ask directions from an actual human when your technology fails you. Most daunting of all, you might end up changed--seeing the world in a different way and questioning all your beliefs. You might find that while exploring parts of the world you have never seen before, you will also have to confront parts of your own mind that you have never seen before. In fact, the thoughts and ideas that once gave you peace will become a source of friction. And you will be forced to grow.
But if you want to be a true citizen of the world, that's a risk you're going to have to be willing to take. Anything less is just tourism.
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