About this quote

True travel requires vulnerability and a willingness to get uncomfortable. If you lock yourself in a sanitized bubble of familiarity, you waste your time and money. Real exploration means eating things you cannot pronounce and sitting with people who do not speak your language. Are you actually looking to learn, or do you just want a different backdrop for your comfort zone? Decide before you pack your bags.

When to use it

• Your friend wants to book an expensive trip to Peru but plans to eat only at American fast-food chains. You tell them to save their money and stay home if they are going to hide from the local culture.
• You just moved to a rural town for work and feel tempted to stay inside your apartment every weekend. You use this thought to force yourself to go to the local diner and talk to the regulars.
• A student studying abroad in Tokyo spends every evening on video calls with friends back home. Their advisor uses this idea to push them to join a local university sports club.