Traveling alone is like living on your own, everyone should do it at least once in their life.
Why? Because it helps you discover who you are and maybe even a side of you that you didn’t know you had. Traveling alone helps to build both your personal and professional skills. Anyone can book a trip with a friend or family, but how many people can get on a plane alone and just wing it?
Negotiating Skills
This may depend on the country you go to, but many countries base much of their trade off of haggling. For example, if you plan to go to Morocco, and you want to buy fruit at a fruit stand, prices will not be written anywhere. Instead, they will tell you a price once they see you are interested, and then it is time to haggle.
You and the seller will go back and forth until you either compromise, or until one party walks away from the deal. For some this can be intimidating, but you quickly realize you need to be able to haggle in order to not get scammed or ripped off. You also come to understand the worth of your money, and that is important when traveling in another country and especially when using another currency!
Learn How to Adapt and Roll with the Punches
The shiver that runs through your spine when you realize your flight is cancelled and you are now stuck in a country that you were not planning to be stuck in, is unlike any other. The question is, how are you going to react to this unexpected situation? Sometimes you realize you just need to roll with the punches. Maybe you weren’t planning to stop in this country before, but now you are stuck here so go find a hostel, drop off your bags, and explore the city!
Builds Confidence:
After taking a solo trip, you come to realize there are many things you can accomplish on your own without needing to rely on a helping hand. Sometimes the airline is going to mess up your ticket or lose your bag, and your big sister or your father will not be there to fix this problem. Suddenly you have to step up to the plate, build up a backbone, and confront the issue.
Social Skills
When traveling in a group, or even with one other friend, it is easy to treat them as your safety net. This person speaks your language, they are within your comfort zone, and they are always there to talk to.
If you travel alone, your safety net is gone, but suddenly more opportunities begin to open up. You will find yourself talking to people from the country you are visiting or other solo travelers that are staying in the same hostel as you. You will eat more of the local foods, mingle with people who want to show you their home, and end up being taken into situations you would have never been in if you were with a group.
If you have social anxiety, then traveling alone is a great way to try and break out of your shell. Yes, traveling with friends/family is fun and everyone should do it! But sometimes your safety net can actually be a blockade on certain experiences, so be sure to at least take 1 trip alone!!
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