Anthony Bourdain was a beloved chef, storyteller, and world traveler. Through the course of his television career, he spent nearly 250 days a year traveling and visiting almost every country on earth.
The chef shared meals with people from all different backgrounds and in each episode, he was able to take his viewers to a new city, country, and culture. With his honest voice, Bourdain depicted the importance of travel.
The gorgeousness of the unknown
“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.”
No one faced the unknown more than Anthony Bourdain. The famous chef spent most of the year traveling around the world and even named his show “Parts Unknown.” He went to every corner of the world experiencing culture, getting to know locals, and of course, eating local delicacies along the way.
When traveling you’ll face the unknown nearly every day -- from something small like not knowing how to pronounce the name of a meal, to something big like trying to navigate around a new city. But whatever the unknown, don’t fear it, face it. Putting yourself in the unknown can be scary, but by facing it, you’ll learn you can handle more than you ever thought possible.
Also, many will say by traveling somewhere new, you learn so much more about yourself. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of who you are, what you want out of life, and what fulfills you.
Travel changes you
“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks — on your body or on your heart — are beautiful.”
Out of all the fantastic quotes Anthony Bourdain has, this is the truest. The experiences you have when traveling will shape you and your wanderlust stories will stay with you forever. Once you go abroad, we can attest you will be eager to want to learn and see more.
By experiencing a new culture and seeing the way others live you gain a whole new perspective. Exploring new places teaches you to live in the moment. When almost everything around you is new and awe-inspiring, you learn to stop for a moment, a minute, or even just a second to appreciate the right now.
Once you travel you notice it’s not things that make you happy, but experiences that do. Immersing yourself in culture and making memories abroad are what lead to true happiness. No two places live the same. You’ll notice differences between countries and even cities. No matter where you go you’ll find a lesson to learn and an experience that will shape you.
Let the moment guide you
If there was one thing Bourdain despised, it was over planning. To Bourdain, being in a city and only seeing the sights wasn’t the way to truly travel. Rushing through a city was a sin, taking a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower was boring, going to tourist traps was wrong, and using the internet to plan a trip was just plain dumb.
“Nothing unexpected or wonderful is likely to happen,” Bourdain once said about not living in the moment.
Instead, he encouraged his readers, watchers, and listeners to let the moment guide them and go with the flow. It was the unplanned moments and experiences that Bourdain considered real and built the memories you could never forget. If you’re willing to experiences new things and step outside your comfort zone you’ll find the moments that you come to cherish aren’t hard to find.
Don’t flock to the places with the best internet reviews or ones that speak English. Instead find the hole in the wall restaurants and cafes that locals pack into. Sit down next to a local, order whatever they’re having, and talk to them, you never know the type of incredible memory it will make.
Now is the time to travel
It might sound cliché to say that you should travel when you’re young, but it’s true. Take it from a guy who’s been all over the world.
“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel — as far and as widely as possible.”
You can probably think up excuses not to travel, but the truth is, travel is a must when you’re young. At this point in your life, most will not have the responsibilities that limit you later on. Later in life, you won’t regret traveling, but if you sit around and stay in your comfort zone, you will regret letting the world pass by.
You might think you’ll learn to be independent by getting a job and getting an apartment, but travel is the true way to learn how to be independent. Traveling while young is the crash course in independence that you can’t learn any other way. Not only is traveling an experience that helps you grow, but it’s also full of moments that will define the rest of your life.
Have your own Anthony Bourdain travel experience by interning abroad with Global Experiences! Set up a call with a member of our team to discuss our internship opportunities and host cities.
