Autonomous Cross-Cultural Hardship Travel (ACHT) as a Medium for Growth, Learning, and a Deepened Sense of Self

Abstract

In this article, I argue that significant potential for psychological growth and self-learning exists in independent foreign travel characterized by long periods of movement under challenging conditions and combined with intense cross-cultural contact. I call this style of travel autonomous cross-cultural hardship travel (ACHT). A number of studies regarding the personal effects of travel and cross-cultural contact are reviewed. The relevance of humanistic psychology and transformative learning (TL) theory is also considered. I propose that the psychological benefits of ACHT are found in its capacity to promote a “deepened sense of self” that is paradoxical, emergent, and universal.

KEYWORDS:

• Autonomous cross-cultural hardship travel
• emergent self
• hybridization
• paradoxical self
• psychological growth
• self-actualization
• transformational learning
• transformative travel
• universal self