Ibn Battuta once said, “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” Many Union residents desire to see the world. Travel is a dream of many people everywhere, and sometimes that dream can become a reality. For some members of the Union High School Band, that dream recently came true. The Union High School Band recently returned from a trip to the Disney Parks in Orlando, Florida. The band has also taken students to Washington D.C. in order to see the nation’s capital and learn about American history. Travel does not have to apply to just students, however, and in fact, travel should not apply to students only. Union residents should travel, and although not everyone can travel to other continents or large cities, even more local travel provides plenty of stories for people to tell.
In addition to giving amazing stories of distant lands or stories of discovering local treasurers, travel provides several health benefits. The primary benefit is that travel serves to destress people and gives them a better sense of other cultures. A vacation serves as the primary example of how travel can destress people. For instance, many Union residents take beach vacations every year and long to return to the beach of their choice. More importantly, travel fosters an understanding of different cultures. Traveling to another country (or even another state in the case of the United States) oftentimes causes culture shock; however, this shows how people are different. These differences help define different people, and experiencing these cultures first-hand, is an education greater than any a classroom can provide.
Many Union residents (and Americans in general) object to travel because “it costs too much.” However, there are many ways to negate the costs of such trips. Traveling within the United States can significantly reduce costs, and one can still experience various cultures and learn many different things. The Union High School Band takes band students and parents on trips every few years for a discounted group rate. Many students would not be able to travel if the band did not do this. Furthermore, a teacher from Union High School also leads a trip to Europe every two years for students, parents, and any Union residents who want to go. The cost is significantly lower due to a group rate from a tour agency. For college students, study abroad is a great option to see the world. Potential travelers can also negate the costs by saving money, budgeting, and planning well in advance. Instead of seeing only the loss of money as a reason to not travel, one should always remember that “money returns. Time doesn’t.” Travel is not a loss of money; travel is an investment like no other.
Seeing the world is only a dream to some people; however, our community has resources for many residents to see some of the United States and some of the world. Through the band, band students and their parents can see some of the United States. Through the travel program used by the leading teacher, anyone from the community can travel to Europe. These are great opportunities for residents to relax by seeing the world. This also provides the best education for anyone who desires knowledge. Union residents should travel at least once in their life, and regardless of one’s reasons, traveling will make anyone a “storyteller.”
