Experiencing a New Culture Is Good
The best way to really delve into a new place and culture is by spending some considerable time there. While a quick vacation may give you a glimpse into your destination, experiences like student or work exchange programs allow you the time to properly immerse yourself in a new culture. These kinds of opportunities provide you with a support network as you adjust to your new surroundings and make it a far less scary proposition. The thing is though, culture shock can be seen as a problem but also as an opportunity. It's only by learning to adjust to and accept your new surroundings and culture that you can hope to understand and appreciate it. The most obvious lesson learned with travel is the importance of language. After all, a new country and culture is the perfect opportunity to learn a new language. Even just learning the basics of the local language can make getting about and making new friends easier.
Traveling to a different country and experiencing a new culture teaches you a variety of new skills. You learn to become more social, flexible, open-minded, and independent. Exposure to multicultural or diversity will lead to better judgment; you will meet people of different religions, colors, races, educational backgrounds, and many other things. You will also learn fun skills such as cooking among others. It will greatly enhance your development as a person.
Experiencing new cultures will help you to view your own as if from a foreign perspective - long-term travelers often say that coming home after a long trip feels almost like traveling to a new place; no longer does everything feel 'normal'. This is a good thing and will allow you to decide for yourself what you like and dislike about your culture.