TRAVEL

The Benefits of Travel: A Journey Beyond Borders

Traveling is much more than just visiting new places—it’s a profound experience that expands our minds, enriches our hearts, and shapes our understanding of the world. My own journey as a physician and a family man has been deeply intertwined with the love of travel. Since starting my Interventional Cardiology practice in Barrington at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, travel has been a major part of my life, providing countless personal and professional benefits. Here’s how travel has positively impacted my life and why I believe it can transform anyone who embraces it.

Broadening Horizons and Building Cultural Understanding

Traveling to over fifty countries in twenty years has been an eye-opening journey that has allowed me to experience the diversity of human life. Each country I visit introduces me to new cultures, traditions, languages, and food. Whether I’m riding camels in the deserts of Dubai, observing the serene wildlife of Africa, or watching penguins on the icy shores of Antarctica, every trip has enriched my perspective on life. Experiencing these different ways of living has not only expanded my worldview but has also deepened my appreciation for cultural diversity.

For instance, when my family and I visited the Patagonia region of Argentina, we were welcomed into a local home and shared a traditional meal, despite the language barrier. The warmth of their hospitality, communicated through actions rather than words, was a powerful reminder of how kindness transcends language. Such interactions have deepened my understanding of different ethnicities, which in turn helps me connect better with patients in my healthcare practice.

Reducing Stress and Recharging Creativity

For me, travel is the ultimate stress-reliever. It provides a much-needed break from the daily grind, clearing away mental fatigue and frustration. Even an 18-hour plane ride to New Zealand feels like a relaxing escape, offering me time to reflect, recharge, and renew my sense of purpose. By stepping away from my regular environment, I find that I return to my practice with a refreshed mind, ready to tackle challenges and think creatively.

The inspiration I gain from travel often translates into better patient care. It makes me a better listener, more attentive to the needs and stories of my patients, and more empathetic toward their struggles. These skills are invaluable in a healthcare setting, where understanding a patient’s perspective can greatly enhance their experience and care.

Improving Communication and Leadership Skills

Travel has significantly refined my communication skills. Engaging with diverse groups in different countries has taught me to respect cultural nuances, avoid misunderstandings, and use body language effectively. These experiences have helped me become a more effective communicator, both in personal interactions and in my role as a physician.

Additionally, visiting various healthcare systems around the world inspired me to pursue further education in leadership and ethics, such as earning a Physician Leadership Certification and taking a Healthcare Ethics course. This has helped me recognize my own limitations, listen to feedback with an open mind, and approach patient care with greater empathy.

Understanding Global Healthcare and Community Service

One of the most rewarding aspects of travel is the opportunity to give back through community service. During my travels, I have organized health clinics at temples and interacted with people from different economic backgrounds, each facing unique healthcare challenges. These experiences have provided valuable insights into the impact of lifestyle, environment, and access to resources on health.

In some places, like rural Cambodia, I witnessed the struggles of communities with limited medical facilities. Contrast this with my experience in Tokyo, where healthcare services were immediately accessible. These differences have made me more aware of the disparities in healthcare access worldwide, deepening my commitment to improving patient care in every way possible.

Discovering a Passion for Photography and Nature

Travel has also rekindled my love for photography, especially capturing landscapes and wildlife. Photography allows me to pause and truly appreciate the beauty around me—whether it’s the sunrise over the mountains or a tranquil moment by the sea. This hobby, alongside travel, serves as a creative outlet, helping me to unwind from the intensity of my work in cardiology.

Travel: A Path to Personal Growth

Travel has become a passion that has shaped not only my career but also my outlook on life. It’s made me a better physician, a more empathetic human being, and a more grounded person. I believe that everyone should take the opportunity to travel—whether to a nearby town or across the globe. As Henry Miller beautifully said, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” By embracing travel, we open ourselves to new perspectives, rediscovering the world and ourselves in the process.

Final Thoughts

Traveling has taught me that the world is far bigger than our daily routines, and its richness lies in the diverse experiences it offers. It’s not just about seeing new places, but about growing as a person, connecting with others, and finding beauty in the unfamiliar. For anyone looking to escape the monotony of everyday life, seeking inspiration, or simply wanting to learn more about the world and themselves—travel is the answer. It’s an investment in your soul, a journey that continues long after you return home.

 

On June 1st of 1991, I started my Interventional Cardiology practice at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. This is a familiar town and hospital to me since I have lived here for a long time, so I feel a sense of comfort in Barrington. One of the most important factors in my life is my family. My family provided me with culture and traditions, which are my greatest values today. The elders in my family offered me wisdom that I hope to be able to provide for my children and future grandchildren. I am grateful to be able to travel with my family around the world. Along with traveling, I also enjoy taking photographs of landscapes and wildlife. These hobbies serve as stress relievers in my life, since they are great ways to spend my breaks from hospital, work, and studying.
Other than my family, another significant part of my life is traveling. Traveling to over fifty countries in a span of twenty years is an eye-opening and rewarding experience, and I am glad to have the privilege of being able to appreciate the world. Whether it be riding camels in the desert sand-dunes in Dubai, watching animals live in harmony in Africa, or watching penguins in the ice-covered land mass of Antarctica; each adventure I have embarked on has been life-changing. With each new country comes new cultures, religions, and food; and learning about them has broadened my horizons and helped create a sense of my opinion on life. Traveling to multiple countries makes me fall in love with each country and its traditions. I also get a feel of what it is like to live away in a different city and get a holistic view of life. When my family and I went to the Patagonia region, we were welcomed into a local Argentinian home where we received heartwarming hospitality and shared a traditional meal. Even though we had a language barrier, we still felt welcome through their actions, which is a great means of communication in itself. Little interactions like this help build up my cultural understanding for different ethnicities, which help me every day in my healthcare practice.
Traveling gets rid of my frustrations and mental fatigue and is my source of creativity in the healthcare setting, helping me set and achieve goals and preparing me for important conversations by restoring my energy. Discovering foreign lands makes me a better listener and sparks genuine attentiveness to my patients, helping me respond to their interests and making them feel important. Traveling has improved my communications skills by aiding me in avoiding arguments, learning proper body language, and showing respect for patients. Exploring different countries and their healthcare systems has driven me to get a physician leadership certification and to take a Healthcare Ethics course. This class helped me to admit to my limitations in a friendly way, listen to patients’ feedback, and try to see things from their point of view. I feel that I can now be more empathetic towards their values and needs.
One of my purposes of traveling is to perform community service and raise health awareness. I have volunteered in organizing health clinic drives at many temples. While interacting with these people, I encounter different ethnic groups who come from varying economic backgrounds as well as a spectrum of diseases including diabetes and coronary artery disease. I think working with these patients individually emphasizes that they had a past that led to their current condition, whether it be their habits or financial troubles in life. I have now realized the impact on human healthcare due to various lifestyles, environments, governments, and natural resources available to residents of that particular country. Some rural parts of countries have very limited availability of medical personnel and resources. When I visited Cambodia, a majority of the hospitals were underdeveloped and not easily accessible to all citizens; whereas the minute I landed in Tokyo, Japan, a healthcare professional gave immediate attention to a health issue.
To some people, traveling may be apprehensive or stressful, but to me, I feel very relaxed on that 18 hour plane ride to New Zealand. I get giddy with excitement to plan each trip to a new, exotic location. In the last many years, traveling has become a passion in my life and has shaped me to become a better physician and person. I encourage everyone to travel away from their daily lives, whether it is in the next city down or thousands of miles away. You will truly be enlightened. As Henry Miller once said, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things”. Type your paragraph here.

Sunil Kadakia, MD, FACC, FSCAI, CPE Medical Director, Cardiovascular Services,
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington, IL