Shift your midlife perspective with international travel

Traveling to international destinations in midlife brings a shift in perspective simply because we are old enough and wise enough to appreciate what we experience! I’ve been fortunate to see many parts of the world. But my recent trip to Southeast Asia blew my mind — and I think it’s largely because of this midlife age and stage.

When you travel in midlife, you benefit from a broader perspective, you’re open to new experiences and you’re a much better observer. Our trip to Southeast Asia offers numerous opportunities to illustrate the benefits of traveling in the midlife years!

Here are five reasons for you to make international travel a priority and shift your midlife perspective:

Reason #1: Experiencing a different geography and culture brings a new perspective

You can only begin to understand other geographies and cultures by visiting them. For example, Southeast Asia, and in particular, Vietnam is a land of contrast and controversy.

Vietnam is a socialist country, with deep communist roots. And yet, locals have an intense entrepreneurial spirit. Farmers, fishermen and craftspeople sell their wares on streets and in markets. In contrast, giant capitalist style skyscrapers represent national and international businesses.

We visited during the colorful Vietnamese New Year (Thet), when many locals were enjoying the local temples (Buddhist primarily) and celebrating with their family and friends. And yet World Facts reports more than 80% of residents claim “none” as their religion, an overwhelming majority. This may partially be due to the socialist influence, yet socialism in and of itself does not condemn religion.

Another contrasting story was the absolute beauty of land and sea, overlaid with severe environmental issues such as pollution, deforestation and intensive agricultural practices. Experiencing and appreciating these dichotomies in midlife helps you shift your perspective — and enables a deeper understanding!

Reason #2: Observing a different way of living shifts your perspective

We take so many things for granted when we live in one place. When you travel internationally, you soon realize that other people do things differently than you are accustomed to doing them. Simple things, like eating, can be very different in another country. Do you eat with a fork, spoon and knife? Chopsticks? Your hands? Are meals served individually or family style?

And don’t get me started on going to the bathroom — for starters, toilet paper is not the custom everywhere and many sewer systems are not equipped to handle paper when it is available. Some of the toilets we saw in Asia had deluxe amenities — and more buttons than my television remote!

But the differences go much deeper, on a cultural level and also a personal one. One guide spoke of her life as a woman in an agricultural society where men are valued as the workers of the land. When her husband died, she had to learn to support herself as she couldn’t return to her family. Her brother was now the patriarch of the farm — and her husband’s family could not care for her and her daughter. She had 30 days to find their path forward, creating a new life as a tour guide.

Hearing about life from a new perspective opens your mind to appreciating people for who they are — and where they come from.

Reason #3: Communicating in new ways challenges your mindset

When you travel internationally, you will experience many different languages. In some countries, you can easily find people who speak English; in others, you’ll need a translator or English-speaking tour guide.

And of course, you can learn a new language, or at least some basics so that you can find your way around more easily. I find that people appreciate my attempts to communicate and genuinely want to help me. This trip we used Google Translate to communicate with one driver. We asked our questions in English and he communicated by speaking Vietnamese. We knew it worked when we met up with him at the appropriate time and place.

Reason #4: Looking at world events from a different point of view brings new perspective (life isn’t as black and white as we think)

By the time you reach midlife, you’ve most likely solidified many of your own views — and you have developed capacity to observe, listen and allow other people to have their own perspectives. Nothing could have illustrated this more vividly to me than visiting Vietnam as an American.

Before we went, I watched the first segment of Ken Burns’ special on the Vietnam war. I am so glad I did because I lacked background information and gained a better perspective, albeit an American perspective. In Vietnam I experienced historical events from a communist perspective — they view it as the American War, not the Vietnam War. Imagine that, America is not the center of the universe to everyone. Mind blown. Head to forehead, of course. As it should be. This is why I travel: to shift my midlife perspective.

Reason #5: Traveling puts new angles on world issues and events

Our guides helped us put a new angle on world issues and events. They spoke of the deep beauty of the country, the cultural and spiritual practices associated with Buddhism, and issues being faced by their society and residents (sometimes helpful but often unpredictable foreign investment, developing infrastructure, the positive and not-so-positive impacts of tourism, and much more).

One guide, in Da Nang, raved about the clean and beautiful beaches however I saw much litter. They’ve made gains but have work yet to do to reduce their impact on ocean pollution. While there, I watched a documentary on recycling and realized the great impact this region has on plastic recycling. As Southeast Asia countries reduce or eliminate plastic recycling plants to cut down on air pollution, limited international recycling options have instigated reductions in single-use plastic bags.

And, of course, we observed first-hand the emerging impact of the novel coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China in Southeast Asia. Now, as headlines discuss this issue, I better understand the geography and the culture in this area of the world!