Do you ever dream of widening your cultural boundaries through travel, language study, education, or creative investing? The fact is that there are dozens of excellent ways to expand personal horizons by learning about other cultures. In today’s digital marketplace, connecting with people and institutions thousands of miles away is easier than ever. That means anyone can pick up a second language, take online courses about other cultures, volunteer to host international students, or arrange holidays in exciting locales. The first step to broadening one’s worldview is to do a bit of traveling. Exploring other cities and countries is a fun, educational way to taste how other people live, work, and play. Here are some suggestions for getting started.
Investing In Vacation Rentals
There’s no need to move halfway across the globe to enhance personal understanding of new places, people, and environments. That’s why many purchase a vacation home in distant locations and designate the house as either a rental unit, an occasional spot, or both. Indeed, most homeowners who buy second houses do so to earn monthly rental income. But, there’s another way of going about it: using the rental space for income during the months when you aren’t inhabiting it during vacation. Some owners choose to put the place on the market as a permanent rental and then move into it when they retire. Vacation rentals offer their owners a flexible, profitable way to earn and enjoy a house on a schedule they feel comfortable with. Homes can be endlessly versatile assets and appropriate additions to almost anyone’s retirement portfolio.
Moving to a Foreign Country
The most obvious and straightforward way to immerse yourself in a new culture is to move overseas or to a contiguous nation. The most common international relocation destinations for U.S. residents are Mexico and Canada. Others include the U.K., South America, and the Philippines. While language barriers exist in at least two places for native English speakers, the nations are a haven for retirees and young professionals looking for new horizons, unique experiences, and the chance to immerse themselves in alternate cultural environments.
Learning a Second Language
Picking up a second language can be an exciting, educational, and practical way to gain insight into other cultures. The beauty of this technique is that anyone can do it from home. Millions of adults take online language courses, some of which are pretty challenging and can deliver excellent results to diligent students. Be sure to explore no-cost options first to get a decent foundation in the language. Then, consider paid classes that offer intermediate and advanced conversation drills, examinations, and live discussion groups via online video chat.
Hosting International Students
For those who prefer a one-on-one way of learning about other parts of the world, it’s possible to sign up for a hosting gig on one of the many international student platforms. Be ready to undergo an extensive background check and wait up to a year before getting matched with an exchange student who will live in your home for at least six months.
