One of the gifts of having an international marriage is the shared love of travel. My wife and I met years ago, while traveling the world in the international super group Up With People, and we crossed the globe, performing to audiences in several countries, while at the same time learning about their different customs and beliefs. Years later, I moved to Australia, where my wife was from, and spend several years there. Since then, our family has grown with six children, and we have tried to introduce the love of travel to them, as well.
To be sure, there are many reasons why I believe my children should travel the globe. To begin with, my children will learn so much more about the world while visiting other countries than they ever will by sitting in a classroom, and reading out of a textbook. Quite simply, traveling is educational, as it opens up the world in a firsthand experience. Whether it is history, architecture, geography, cultural; children are exposed to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Along with this, my children have learned to adopt, be more patient, and much more social as they meet others from around the world; others with different languages, different beliefs, and different ways of living.
Recently, one of my children was watching a travel documentary on Dubai, and was glued to the TV screen in front of her. After the program was over, she came up to me, and with a gleam in her eye, announced that she wanted to travel to Dubai after she graduated from high school. She was quick to tell me that Dubai is the most populated city in the United Arab Emirates, and has grown into a global city. Dubai offers at least 101 things to do or see, so it not a surprise that it is also the 4th most visited city in the world.
As my daughter has dreamed of sky diving and paragliding for several years now, she was quick to tell me that Dubai offers some of the best skydiving and paragliding experiences in the world. She also tried, and successfully mind you, appealed to my love of gardening, informing me that the flowers in the Dubai Miracle Garden are some of the most beautiful ones in the world. As one who lived on an island in the Great Barrier Reef for a year, while in Australia, I have a deep appreciation of beautiful beaches. Knowing this, my daughter also pointed out to me that Dubai has incredible beaches.
Without a doubt, my daughter would learn not only a great deal about different ways of life when traveling to Dubai, but about herself, as well. The gift of travel is one that lasts a lifetime, and one that can be passed from generation to generation.
