Hey everyone!

I first heard of Freemasonry when I was a kid, but didn't give it much thought until I read Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" in my early teens. Granted, I'm sure much of his work is fictional, but it nevertheless piqued my interest in joining the Masons. I'm in my late teens in England (nearest lodge is the main United Grand Lodge of England building in Central London) and I know I have to wait until I'm 21 to join - but I want to find out why I should join. I understand that you can't give away everything, but what is Freemasonry all about? What can I stand to gain from it? I'm a big fan of acquiring tons of wisdom and knowledge, so if there's any of that, then great!

A question: if I'm a Mason at the UGLE, can I still participate at lodges in other countries?

Thank you so much!