Everybody probably has it – the impulse to venture into the exotic and the unknown. To leave the daily routine and see something different, get to know new cultures and maybe most importantly: rediscover oneself!
What is the meaning of “Wanderlust“?
There are many different definitions of “Wanderlust“ on the world wide web. But the following one by Urban Dictionary is in my opinion one of the best ones, including the most important points:
„A deep uncontrollable desire to hit the road and travel, by whatever means desired, to explore and enjoy the world.“ (source)
Everybody probably has their own meaning and understanding of „Wanderlust“. In my opinion, it also means exploring yourself and not just exploring the world.
Escape the daily routine
Waking up every day, going to work and sleeping in the same bed every night – daily routine may evoke the feeling of safety, however the feeling of ennui and wanderlust sometimes takes over.
As soon as we hear the word “travelling“, many thoughts and ideas immediately pop up in our head: experiencing new cultures, socializing and expanding one’s horizon… The list is endless. But exactly those phrases describe the beloved (so called) wanderlust. The question (strong desire for) of the unknown, of things we can’t see, smell or feel is a thing which has always moved us, that’s just human. That’s what we connect with wanderlust. Unknown countries and cultures goad us to leave our familiar surroundings. We travel in order to remind ourselves that we don’t know everything; that the world is bigger and more exciting than it seems when we are sitting at home.
People change with travelling – they learn to get out of their comfort zone. What you learn during your travels, the wonderful moments you experience, people you meet along the way, the exotic and unknown world you discover as well as yourself; is hard to describe to anyone and therefore is a must-experience!
Maybe some of us have already lived through this unique experience themselves. It’s more than just leaving your home. Travelling means becoming more open-minded towards different world where you may have to handle things you have never thought of before. And that’s exactly what I wanted to gain with travelling – valuable experiences and learnings such as patience, open-mindedness, solution-orientation, independence and feeling unlimited freedom in every fiber of your body. But maybe the most important thing I learned during my experience is that
Life is a journey not a destination
Travel as much as you can, see as much as possible of the world; get to know new different and cultures, people and landscapes. The journey will shape you and you will earn experiences no one can take away. And especially you will learn a lot about yourself, because after all the definition of wanderlust says it all – “…travel to understand one’s very existence.” Augustine of Hippo once said „Life is like a book and those who don’t travel only read one page.”
Author: Maike Schüssele
