Traveling is the best form of education. The experience of seeing and interacting with places and monuments as they become tangible and real cannot be recreated.

This summer, I visited Canada; my family flew into Vancouver and drove over 600 miles to Calgary. My image of the country as a peaceful melting pot was reinforced by the open mindedness of the people, welcoming spirit and diverse population that Canada is known for.

After two days in Vancouver, we embarked on a journey to see six cities in just eight days on the famously scenic Trans-Canada highway.

Instead of staying in traditional hotels, almost every night during the 10 days was spent in a different house with a different host.

AirBnB introduced us to Brian and Annette in Golden, Laura in Vancouver, Toby in Salmon Arm and Dory and Arthur in Lillooet.

The people, place and experiences all came together to leave a lasting effect on my perception of the world and exposed me to amazing people I would never expect to meet.

While a small town such as Coppell can be safe and comforting to grow up in, an imaginary bubble can form from interacting with the same people and living in such a familiar city.

As humans, it is only natural as creatures of habit for boundaries to form, physical limitations or mental blocks, that often dangerously limit us subconsciously. Traveling is one of the most effective ways to break out of a comfort zone and challenge us to adapt.

The investment to travel serves not only as a vacation, but can also create change in perspectives and opinions.

In 2013 as part of the Dallas Texans Soccer Club, I traveled to Ottawa for a soccer tournament. The experience of going abroad to do something that defined me as a 14 year-old, showed me that I shared the sport with millions across the globe.

I realized the universality of the sport and its power to bind people together, giving me a connection to girls thousands of miles away.

For me, it is too easy to be satisfied with my familiar surroundings. I am still a patient at the same hospital in which I was born and have only moved up the street once.

Exploration of places beyond has been challenging and healthy. The places I have visited have all contributed to me becoming a better informed and well-rounded citizen of the globe, imperative as the world becomes more interconnected and dependent.