Some people think that to learn about other countries, they need to travel | Band 8 IELTS essay sample

Some people think that to learn about other countries, they need to travel. Some say that it is not necessary to travel; we can have information through TV and internet. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Here is a band 8 essay on this topic submitted by one of our students. Send us your writing samples for a free band score estimate or get a detailed analysis of your writing for a fee.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample

Some people opine that in order to gain information about a foreign land, it is necessary to travel. Others refute this idea and I agree with them. In my opinion, it is possible to gather information without traveling. Having said that, there are some other advantages to traveling.

While in my opinion one does not have to travel to find information about other countries, traveling certainly has some other benefits. To start with, it enables us to immerse ourselves in the culture of the country. On TV and the internet we can watch how foreigners celebrate their festivals but if we travel to those countries we will also get an opportunity to celebrate those festivals with the locals. The experiences are totally different. Likewise, when we travel they can taste foreign cuisine. Traveling also gives us opportunities to improve our communication skills.

On the other hand, information about other countries can be obtained without travelling through online sources such as the internet, TV and mobile phones. Information technology has provided us numerous tools to access the internet and these tools deliver everything we want to learn / discover about other nations. Earlier we had little information about foreign lands, their people and their culture, but now it is even possible to make friends with them without having to leave our country. People can even earn foreign degrees from their home by joining the online courses of international universities. Thus, nowadays, there are numerous opportunities to acquire knowledge and information without traveling.

To sum up, there is no need to travel to find information about other countries. However, traveling to foreign countries allows us to enjoy ourselves, taste exotic cuisines and participate in festivals we have only heard of.

Here is another essay on the same topic.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample 2

Exploring and understanding the cultures of different countries is becoming increasingly popular. While many people argue that to learn about any nation one must visit that country, others opine that the television shows and the internet are a good source of information and hence it is not necessary to visit that country. In my opinion, true knowledge can be acquired only by visiting the country. This essay will discuss both views and then elaborate on the reasons behind my standpoint.

To commence with, the experience one gets after physically visiting the place is unmatchable. A complete picture of the history of a country can only be obtained after visiting various historical monuments. Moreover, nobody can portray the traditions of any country better than its citizens and local people. In addition, every country has its own cuisine and attire, both of which need to be tried to completely learn about them. For instance, India is famous for its Bengali desserts such as Rasmalai and to learn about its various flavours, one has to taste it at a local place.

On the flip side, there is no denying the fact that technology and World Wide Web have provided access to a lot of information from the comfort of our home. Furthermore, Wikipedias on the internet and history-related shows on digital devices provide information in a compact way that gives the user an overview about the cultural and traditional value that place holds. However, the information provided by such platforms is sometimes distorted and far from reality and hence, the users also acquire wrong information.

To recapitulate, the true aura and culture of a country can only be felt if it is experienced in person by visiting that nation. Though getting information from the internet and streaming devices is pocket-friendly, first-hand experience is far superior than knowledge obtained from digital sources.