The Most Important Question to Ask When Planning Your First Trip After Living Abroad
You’re back home and want to travel. (Duh!)
You plan itineraries in your head. You can recite your packing list in your sleep. And you know exactly how long it will take to fly to your top destinations.
You’re ready to grab your passport and go!
Stop! Before you book those plane tickets, ask yourself this very important question:
What am I truly craving right now?
- Adventure?
- Peace and quiet?
- Family time?
- Escape?
- Connection?
- Exploration?
- Familiarity?
- Difference?
- Learning?
- Independence?
- Something else?
In order to experience the best trip possible, ask yourself…
What feeling(s) am I craving? Is travel the best way to satisfy that craving? If so, what kind of travel experiences would best satisfy that particular craving?
Then use that self-knowledge as a compass for planning the perfect trip.
If you crave learning, for example, you might decide to incorporate new learning experiences into you trip, such as a cooking class or wine tasting.
If you crave connection, you might opt for Airbnb instead of a hotel. If you crave adventure, you might plan a bike tour of a new country instead of the tried-and-true backpacking trip.
Or…you might realize that your craving for new learning experiences, connection, and adventure are best satisfied in your own neighborhood, and what you really want on your upcoming trip is pure relaxation and total escape in a new local.
Once you know what feeling(s) you’re truly craving, you can more easily figure out ways to intentionally satisfy them at home or via travel. You’ll have a much more fulfilling trip and you’ll be less likely to fall into a travel rut.
Want to talk travel with other global adventures planning their next trip abroad? Head over to Facebook and join our Re-entry Roadmap group for more support and inspiration!