Different people travel for different reasons. Some go in search of history. Others explore with their tastebuds. Then there are those who set out in search of great art, natural wonders, or to gain a better understanding of world cultures. But there's one universal reason why everyone who explores the globe loves to travel. Understanding that reason will motivate you to plunge deeper into your journeys than ever before. 

The term "culture shock" tends to have a negative connotation but there's a positive side to it as well. The excitement and sense of wonder we feel when we've just arrived in an unfamiliar place can be invigorating. In this lesson, we explore the full scope of emotions that comes with culture shock, and we begin reframing the way we look at it.

If you haven't gone jogging in a long time, you don't begin with a marathon. Culture shock is like a muscle that anyone can develop over time. Here's how to do that.

Arriving in a foreign place is a bit like jumping into an icy lake. The initial splash can be a shock to your system, but after a little while you get used to the water. Still, even experienced travelers often experience some anxiety when they first set foot on unfamilar turf. Now, we look at how to manage and minimize that anxiety.

I never intended to go on vacation in Vietnam. I ended up going due to a scheduling problem. This is the story of how a decision to cross the street changed my life forever ... and why you should take a few more walks. 

Most guidebooks and travel websites gloss over the most amazing thing you can do when you travel. 

There's a saying that "luck is what happens to those who show up." In this lesson, we examine how you can choose to put yourself in the right place at the right time to vastly improve your chances of connecting with local people and having transformative travel experiences. 

Want to have deep connections with people in places where you're a stranger? The vibe you give off tells them whether or not they want to come talk to you. 

Growing up, we were taught never to talk to strangers. When we were children, that was good advice. But as adults, we have a more highly developed sense of when things are safe and when we should move along. 

In spite of that, starting conversations with people can feel challenging even when we're in our own familiar cultures – but when we travel, a simple, well-placed question can open up invitations into local events, people's homes, and even lifelong friendships. And it doesn't have to be scary or difficult – even if you consider yourself a shy person. In this lesson, we explore freakishly simple ways to meet new people and change our lives. I share some of my most successful and easy techniques for drawing people into conversations ... and making them want to draw you into their world.

From planting trees on Borneo to being an English tutor for a day in Laos, I share some of my favorite international volunteering experiences. I explain how to find these opportunities – and why seeking them out can bring you strong connections with local communities. 

I also talk about some of my wildest homestay experiences. In Nepal, I waded through three icy streams to reach an isolated community where I became a temporary family member. And you won't believe what happened when the matriarch of an indigenous hilltribe family in rural Vietnam received a wrong-number phone call at dinner one night. Homestays aren't as comfortable as four-star hotels, and that's why I love them. There's not a fluffy pillow or room service menu in the world that can compete with these experiences. 

Language is one of the biggest barriers travelers encounter – but not for the reasons most people think. It's always good to learn at least a few phrases of the local language when traveling, but even if you're totally monolingual, there are simple things you can do to vastly improve your communications skills across a linguistic divide.

Food is a universal connector. And while a splurgy restaurant can be fun when traveling, if you want to dive deep into the local culture, there are more exciting ways to dine. We explore options for cooking classes, market visits, and even dining in people's homes. 

Plus: Street food. Your doctor tells you not to do it. I share my thoughts, as well as tips on how to discover truly local restaurants you won't find in any guidebook or on any website. 

Budget airlines have changed the way we travel, but are they watering down our experiences? Learn why old-school ways of getting around will transport you far deeper into the local culture than a trip through the clouds ... and join me on a crazy local transportation adventure in Laos. 

Yes, you read that correctly! Find out how my wife and I scored a private house with a swimming pool in a little French village and paid just 90 US dollars – for an entire month! We became temporary members of the local community for less than the cost of a nice dinner for two in Paris.

I also explain why hostels are misunderstood. And I talk about one of my top priorities when choosing an AirBNB apartment rental – something most people never think about that brings me in closer contact with the places I explore. 

You've heard my lecture on why I love budget accommodations, but hey, I get it. Different people have different travel styles and sometimes you just want to splurge. (I even do it myself sometimes!) 

There's a misconception that staying in upscale places will limit your contact with the real culture in the places you visit. With the right attitude, it doesn't have to. The challenge, however, is that some fancy hotels like to hold you captive. In this lesson, learn the tricks some fancy resorts use to keep you eating at their restaurants – and why you shouldn't listen to them! Discover how to break free and see the real world even if you do want that fluffy pillow under your head at night. And if you're going on a cruise, learn how to create your own adventures much more enticing than any organized shore excursion. 

Private tour guides can give you access to experiences you could never find on your own, and in some countries, they're surprisingly affordable, even for budget travelers. But many guides need to be nudged off of their tired itineraries. In this lesson, learn how and why you should untrain your tour guide. 

You want extraordinary cultural experiences but you also like the convenience of an organized tour? You can have both, but you need to be proactive both before and during your journey.

In this course on how to dive deep into unfamiliar places, safety is our biggest concern. Trusting strangers and taking risks can lead to extraordinary experiences ... or extraordinary trouble. In this introduction to our section on travel safety, I tell three stories from three countries about times when I've taken those risks. I explains how things got scary on two of those occasions, and why I still trusted a stranger enough on the third occasion to wander down a blind alley and into one of my most wonderful encounters ever. 

In my lifetime of international travel, I've developed a strong intuition about when things are safe and they aren't – and that intuition has served me well. I have traveled across five continents and never been in a serious physical altercation. I explain my techniques for reading people and situations to determine whether things are safe, and I share my tips for talking my way out of potentially dodgy encounters before they become confrontational.  

My pal, Beth Whitman, author of Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, joins me via Skype to talk about travel safety concerns specific to women. 

(But men: Don't skip this one! Beth's got great advice and encouragement for everybody!)

Is the world really as dangerous as we hear? Often, the answer to that question is no. Learn how misconceptions and prejudices can lead to a false sense of danger – and also how to dig beneath the horror stories to find out if a place is really safe to visit or not. 

You've heard the story. Now, check out the free concert! See how an impoverished Nepali street vendor, a blinding rainstorm, and a sketchy looking alley in Nepal led me through a labyrinth, into a magical musical experience. 

Sometimes you have to disconnect in order to connect ... and vice versa!

When done right, taking pictures of people you encounter can help you connect with the local culture. When done wrong, it can have the opposite effect. In this lesson, we explore the art of photographing strangers: How do you use your camera (or phone) as a tool for meeting other people and learning about their culture? (And what happens when you use it the wrong way?)

Okay ... so if you're going to go have all of these amazing experiences, you've got to remember your stories! A lot of things happen when we travel that we won't recall later from photography alone. The solution is a well-written travel journal. But how do you find time to write when there's so much else to do in the middle of an incredible adventure? 

In this bonus lesson from my travel journaling course on Udemy, I reveal my most important tip for how to write about your travel experiences – quickly – so that journaling doesn't gobble up all of your precious time.

Yes ... this is weird ... which is why it works. 

My top three tips for how to have extraordinary travel adventures – and how to contact me for workshops, cross-cultural coaching, or just to say hello.