How much you learn is dependent on how willing you are to put yourself out there, even if only for a brief period of time. While I prefer to travel for longer periods of time, I certainly will not knock a two week trip through Europe. You can learn and experience a lot with the right attitude and outlook.
To attempt an analogy fitting for this forum, saying that it "does not teach you anything you couldn't have learned from a brochure" is like saying there is no sense in starting your own company when you could simply work for one that already exists. Creating a company is much different than working for a company. Much like being in a place is a lot different that reading a brochure about it. All the things that make creating a company a valuable experience are the same things that make traveling a valuable experience: all the little details, the hurdles, the hassles, taking a leap, getting there.
I've lived in six different countries and traveled to dozens. I agree that some travel expands people's horizons. Some people gain more from the experience than others, depending on their willingness to really see new perspectives. But my experience with "endless travelers" on the whole does not incline me to think they have access to any kind of special enlightenment that isn't accessible to everyday people who travel far less.
In fact, the I've-been-on-the-road-for-a-year types you run into in hostels are often narcissistic overindulged wankers for whom the travel is more about dick size and proving how "different" they are than some mechanism for truly expanding their horizons. Their travel is about their personal insecurity, not the "deep" journey they want you to believe it is.
I'm not knocking travel in general, but nor do I in any way believe that someone who HAS traveled a great deal is more world-wise, intelligent or self-assured than someone who has not.
How much you learn is dependent on how willing you are to put yourself out there, even if only for a brief period of time. While I prefer to travel for longer periods of time, I certainly will not knock a two week trip through Europe. You can learn and experience a lot with the right attitude and outlook.
To attempt an analogy fitting for this forum, saying that it "does not teach you anything you couldn't have learned from a brochure" is like saying there is no sense in starting your own company when you could simply work for one that already exists. Creating a company is much different than working for a company. Much like being in a place is a lot different that reading a brochure about it. All the things that make creating a company a valuable experience are the same things that make traveling a valuable experience: all the little details, the hurdles, the hassles, taking a leap, getting there.
I also recommend the following essay by Pico Iyer: http://www.worldhum.com/features/travel-stories/why-we-trave...