Experiencing diverse cultures, living in different lifestyles and speaking unique languages connected Adam Benlemlih with his passion. His enthusiasm flourished during his multiple trips including Singapore and Hungary.

Benlemlih, junior, has ventured to destinations in Europe, Ecuador, Singapore, Malaysia, the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada. He and his family fell in love with traveling while his dad worked for Transwest Airlines, allowing his family to earn airfare miles they used for trips.

This past summer Benlemlih traveled to Budapest, Hungary. Benlemlih said his family visits Budapest once or twice a year to see their friends, as he and his mother were both born there.

“We do something new [each time we go],” Benlemlih said. “This last time we went ziplining and the time before, we went to a cave system that had been transformed into a hot bath. We just do these kind of fun, weird things whenever we can.”

Benlemlih said when he travels to Budapest, he does not know what to look forward to. However, he said it is the fun of every trip.

“I can go there and it’s kind of an adventure,” Benlemlih said. “When I went to Singapore, we stayed in three different hotels and they were all tiny and cramped, but it’s kind of fun when you can go and explore the culture and the food.”

Benlemlih said his experiences have helped give him a new outlook on life after seeing and living in many different cultures. He said he is not afraid to try and learn about these new lifestyles and languages.

“The world outside of the United States is just so different from what [my friends] know, and I’m not afraid to go out there,” Benlemlih said. “I think one of the biggest advantages of traveling is not the experience [itself] but what you learn from it.”

Benlemlih said if given the choice to travel, one should take the opportunity.

“If you have a choice between getting something new like a laptop or going to a [different] country, then definitely pick going on a trip because the experience you get from it is so much more than what you will get from a computer,” Benlemlih said.