Florian K.
Professional Teacher
Travel when you're young or travel when you're old There is a big difference between Asian culture and western culture and this is in terms of the ideal age of traveling.
Some people say that saving for a house is more important and this is true for Chinese people. They prioritise buying a car first or an apartment.  Other cultures believe that you should travel " when you're young and able."
So, some people postpone buying a house or a car so that they can travel the world. 
✈️👀🛫 I have observed that more people prioritise traveling nowadays.
I would probably find the balance between the two as I have always believed that anything in the extremes is not good. 
How about you? Will you travel when you are young or will you postpone it and buy a house first? 
😊🏡 or ✈️🛫
May 22, 2019 10:04 AM
Comments · 19
5
"Travel when you're young or travel when you're old" should be replaced with "Travel when you are alive".:D
May 22, 2019
4
There's a huge trend of taking gap years and seeing travel abroad a necessary rite of passage in some Western countries, as opposed to a luxury that a minority of people can afford on a global scale. Personally, I don't think one needs to travel or travel long-term to be well-informed, culturally aware, and even fluent in several languages.

I've known people who have done world tours for years, and who only know the party scene or very superficial cultural differences. For the amount of time they spent abroad, their language skills are mediocre. On the other hand, I've known people who've never traveled abroad who are fluent in several languages, well-read and able to communicate well with people from around the world. It's certainly not necessary to go abroad to develop your mind, as popular belief suggests.

If one wants to travel and can afford it, why not? However, one must think carefully about the expense and time involved. Travel for the sake of travel shouldn't take too much time or money from developing yourself as a person and expertise in some area.
May 22, 2019
2
Well, in all fairness you don't need to break the bank on traveling. You could work really hard over the course of 3-5 months and use those funds to travel before having children. You can keep costs down by staying in hostels or offering English tutoring in exchange for food or lodging. It would provide you with the ability to see some cool places, while you are still young and after your children have grown and you are more established travel again. 
May 23, 2019
2

I find travelling is essential for our character. It doesn't really have to be abroad or far away, nor continuous, year-by-year expeditions. As long as we open our mind and eyes and a) become aware of better options for what we need  b) deeply appreciate what we already have in better, travelling even a few cities away is beneficial.

@Florian K.

If I could, I would travel when young, when middle-aged, when old... I would travel whenever I could. Buying a house/car represents a practical mind which prepares for the future with secure steps, but travelling is making sure we won't regret our choices, because we knew enough of life before we made them.

Also, buying (and keeping ownership) of a house/car can be an impossible dream for people under a salary threshold, while modest travelling experiences aren't. Between struggling for improbable achievements and struggling to make ends meet for travelling, I'd personally choose travelling. I can rent a house, but I can't rent memories.

@Guyomar

To me, language learning is not the goal but the means of achieving "a"and "b" above. I love languages but I'd never discourage a person from travelling, even if they only speak a regional version of their own mother tongue! As for those who somehow manage to remain oblivious to the benefits of visiting a new place and only notice the surface of things, I can't say I'd like to be their friend!

May 23, 2019
2

If you travel when you're young, you're most likely at your optimum level of health and mobility, but probably don't have a lot of money. If you're older and retired with a decent pension, then you probably have time and money, but may not have that vitality you once had when you were younger. Of course, there are exceptions to both cases depending on how well you take care of yourself and how well you manage your finances. Unfortunately, even when you try your best to maintain your health and finances, life happens.

I think balance between the two is important. I like the idea of visiting different places around the world, I really do, but until the lifespan of human beings exceeds beyond what it is now while being able to maintain the vitality of youth, if I never have the opportunity to visit 50+ countries, I'm okay with that. I'd prefer to be able to take my time and get to know a place than being in a hurry to visit lots of countries. As of right now, I've only visited one foreign country. No, it's not a lot, but because I spent 3 years there, I gained an experience that I cannot get by visiting multiple countries for only weeks at a time.

Even so, I do still enjoy those short travel experiences. I had a short one last summer, and even experienced a culture shock in my own country from that trip. So, there's always something to learn regardless of how long a trip is, I suppose. I believe it's good to have a small taste of a place, but nothing is more rich than your closest relationships with people and places you know best.

May 22, 2019
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