Why Leaving Everything to Move Abroad Is the Best Decision I Ever Made

These are phrases that I literally see popping up on my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter every day. Why? Because we all love the idea of seeing something new, stumbling into our destiny, and living a life that's extraordinary. If you're stuck in your college class or office cubical and hoping this article will tell you that travel isn't all it's cracked up to be — sorry, it really is.

When I was 21, I finished my bachelor's degree, overtly confident that I would find a job doing exactly what I wanted to do within months, but as many of you can likely relate, that wasn't the case. After six months of selling workout gear at Nordstrom, I decided on a whim to go to grad school — in the Middle East. By the next January I had shipped off to Israel, right in time for my 22nd birthday. It was the best decision I have ever made.

Since then, I've learned two new languages, earned a graduate degree, traveled to over a dozen countries, gotten an amazing career, and met my husband (I know — who would have thought?). Perhaps more importantly, though, I became who I am today through those experiences. I've learned that I can survive in virtually any airport, bus station, or city in the world and still find my way. I've learned that I can stand up for myself, that I love meeting new people with different experiences than mine, and that I'm actually really good at learning languages (who knew?).

On paper, my story sounds like the perfect experience. I took a major risk by leaving everything I knew for a country with an entirely different language and culture, and I actually liked it. The truth is, there were times when I desperately wanted the comfort of my favorite Starbucks drink, my best friends, and a hug from my mom. Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't give up on a dream for a vanilla latte.

I've read before that when considering what you want to do with your life, the question you should really ask yourself is, "How am I willing to suffer to get there?" For me, my love for adventure meant that I had to get by for years on freelance work without having a work visa in Israel — all while my friends were climbing the career ladder. I also had to deal with the sheer terror of arriving in a place and realizing that I didn't know a single soul and then choosing to stay anyway and roll with the punches.

No two people have the same travel story, and I think that's what makes traveling so special. There's something about leaving everything you know behind and starting with a totally clean slate that makes you take a good, hard look at who you are and who you want to be. My advice to you: if you're not waking up every day and loving the life you're in, don't wait. We only get one shot at this, and if it's your dream to see the world, then find a way to do it. I promise you, the only thing you will regret is not trying.