If your little corner of the world is beginning to feel cramped or you feel misplaced, it could be that you simply need to reconnect with the rest of the world to find your balance. If you’re unsure of how to reconnect with the world, here are five different options available to you.
- Get A PenPal
During elementary school, it was common for teachers to facilitate the bonding of their students with long distance pen pals. Sometimes, the pen pals were from a different county or a different state. More adventurous teachers brought in paperwork to set up international pen pal connections. While letter writing has been replaced with texting and emailing, nothing can compare to the fulfillment you experience when you spend time writing a letter by hand to send to an international pen pal. This type of communication can really open your eyes to the cultures of other countries and help you to learn other languages. It is also a great way to stay connected to the world as a whole so that your senses aren’t overwhelmed with your own local issues.
- Travel
Have you ever wondered how people in other countries spend their days? Have you wondered how they dress? How do they talk? What do grocery stores and fast food restaurants look like in other countries? A gcy (global citizen Year) can help you accomplish this. Traveling is the most rewarding way to answer your questions. Nothing can compare to the vivid and immersive experience of landing at an airport to look at the foreign landscape and exotic clothing of a different country and its culture. Before departing from your local airport, be sure that you’ve looked into any international crises that might be occurring in your destination that would make it dangerous. Many international airports, will have television monitors dedicated to displaying any pertinent and breaking news occurring in different areas of the world to which their planes are traveling, so keep an eye out while adventuring through your airport.
- Watch Foreign News
In this amazing world of advanced technology and high-speed internet, it’s possible for you to access a multitude of foreign television shows and networks that are based in other countries. One thing you may notice from watching your local news is that not a lot of international news is covered by American news stations. This can leave a rather large gap in your knowledge of the world around you and weaken your connection with it. Finding a live stream or pre-recorded video of foreign television news channels can be achieved easily with a simple internet search. Taking some time out of your day to catch up on current world events can strengthen your connection with the world and expand your knowledge of other countries.
- Talk With Immigrants
The world is becoming a more diverse place as people immigrate across borders and settle in different countries. Diversity is a beautiful thing as it allows people of other cultures and perspectives to mingle and to share ideas. People born in different countries who immigrated to your country are a treasure trove of stories, recipes, knowledge, and traditions. Speaking with immigrants in your community will help to broaden your horizons and make you feel more connected with a world that’s larger than just the neighborhood and city in which you grew up.
- Become A Foreign Exchange Student
For the truly curious and adventurous soul, becoming a foreign exchange student promises the richest and most rewarding immersion into another world. Becoming a foreign exchange student requires a lot of paperwork and has a lot of requirements, so you should do thorough research into how to become a foreign exchange student at least a year in advance so that you can properly fill out all paperwork required and meet all of the deadlines.
From traveling to talking, there are so many different ways for you to reconnect with the world. The next time you’re feeling lonely or restless, remember that finding comfort and excitement is only a fingertip or a conversation away.
