demon said:
As for the traveling idea, that would probably be a really good idea, although for some reason I have this feeling that I wouldn't be able to make good use of it or something, like I'd be out of my element.
Being out of your element is the idea. If you aren't going to go out and do it yourself, put yourself in situations where you're forced to be out of your element whether you like it or not.
demon said:
And no, it's not just the fact that I don't have stories to tell people that bothers me (although it does often make me feel like I have little to talk about with people). I just don't like the feeling that I haven't experienced anything in life (you have no idea) and that it shows when you're talking to me or really getting to know me. And it's like there are so many areas of my life I want to make up for and catch up on, but there's no way I have the time nor the means to now.
I think I have an idea. I can identify with your story; it wasn't until I left the country that I saw what I'd been missing in life, and it made me want to start experiencing it. For the past 4 years I've been doing everything I can to try and make up for a misspent youth, but if I hadn't lived abroad, I would have wasted these past 4 years as well.
demon said:
I'm not talking about shit like taking a year to getting used to saying hi to people and whatnot (not that I need to); I'm just saying there's a ton of lesser stuff than traveling the world that I haven't experienced. Shit, I've never even been to a house party or gotten physically intimate with a girl or been on a road trip or whatever. People travel to experience other cultures and meet people from other cultures, but I feel like I haven't even experienced this culture, and that if I were to immerse myself in one that I'm totally unfamiliar with I'd just be in over my head. But fuck, I dunno. (haha I said but fuck)
If you feel like you'd be in over your head, then it's perfect! Keep in mind that just because you're living in a foreign country doesn't mean all your experiences are foreign country experiences. When I first lived in Japan, the two friends I hung out with the most were a couple of British alcoholics. We went to all sorts of bars and clubs that I hated, but they taught me how to drink, how to relax, how to not be so afraid to try new things, pretty much by just forcing me. If I was living in America, I would never have ended up with friends like those, but as an exchange student you end up making friends with people from all walks of life. And none of it was about experiencing things and people from other cultures. You can get drunk and do stupid shit in any country, and it's still just getting drunk and doing stupid shit. The point is that I wouldn't have done it if I had stayed at home. You can do all the things you talked about in any country, too. There's no reason why you have to do it in your home country first.
Again, if you're worried that it's too big a change from what you're used to, that's a good sign that doing it will help you grow. While you probably won't enjoy it at the time, you'll be glad you did it later.