Love to Travel? Don't Live in the Midwest, U.S.A.

The Midwest of the United States is gorgeous. There's rolling hills, green and gold fields, and you can see for miles around. We have attractions like Chicago, the Badlands, and Mount Rushmore. Other than that, though, we're pretty lacking in excitement.

Now, for those of you interested in visiting the Midwest, please do. Everyone is welcoming and Omaha has a wonderful zoo. Nothing can compare to the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, and you'll never see prettier sunflower fields than in North Dakota. The Great Lakes are gorgeous and definitely should be on everyone's bucket list. But for those of us who live here, it's right next door and I crave more!

Oftentimes Midwesterners travel to Canada or Mexico, our neighboring countries. Canada for those who are looking for some adventure, usually camping or fishing trips. Mexico is a destination for warmth and beaches. Both places are fantastic, but they're still within the northwest hemispheres and the North American continent. Mexico and Canada are convenient to travel to considering our location, but there's so much more of the world to see.

Most people who live in the Midwest grow up in families with futures already set in the agriculture business. Whether it's crops or livestock, the industry doesn't give a lot of time to devote to traveling. Crops need tending to 3/4 of the year, and livestock is year round. It's pretty near impossible to get away to see the world with that kind of job. Don't get me wrong, I support farmers and I'm very thankful that they're taking the job of feeding us, but it's not my kind of future.

Many Midwesterners don't even want to travel outside of the U.S. They're content with staying in the flyover states and living their lives. Des Moines, Chicago, Omaha, and Sioux Falls are all very interesting cities, and they can fulfill someone's need to travel.

Another issue with living in the Midwest is that plane tickets are much more expensive. We're in the middle of the continent, so it costs more to get us out of here. Living in New York or California it's much easier. You're already on the edge of the continent, ready to jump to another. We have to fly (usually) from a smaller airport to an international airport before we can fly out of the country. It is much cheaper to fly to Mexico and Canada from the Midwest than flying to India.

The Midwest community is also extremely sheltered. We're mostly Caucasian and are very family-based. It's a very meat-and-potato society. It is very down-to-earth, but also that can lend a hand to culture shock when we travel abroad. It's a wonderful place to be grounded in, but don't stop day dreaming about the world! Midwesterners always have your back, and will be praying about your safe return from your travels.

I love the Midwest, but there are many challenges to being a travel-loving person in this society where no one really leaves and it's expensive to fly anywhere. For example, I've been saving up for 2 years now for a 3 week trip to South America. If you're dreaming of getting out of the Midwest, or a place like the Midwest, don't give up. Never stop fighting to see the world. Learn new languages, save up your money, find a travel buddy. The Midwest community is not one that travels far, but that just means you always have a place to fall back on, a place to call home. It's challenging but not impossible.