Traveling Truly

““If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”

– James Michener

I think I could end this post right here and we would all (including myself) leave the wiser. This quote by James Michener pretty much sums up my philosophy of travel. Sure, getting beautiful pictures for your Instagram is fun, but traveling can be that and SO MUCH MORE.

When you travel, you have the chance to enrich your soul, expand your understanding, and make personal, human connections that are not possible when you stay at home.

Even if you do nothing more than try a new type of food or have one actual conversation with a local person, these things can be the highlight of your trip and leave you with memories that actually stand out and become dear to your heart.

Traveling authentically does not mean that you cannot play tourist. You can still do cliche things like climbing the Eiffel Tower or standing in line to see a popular attraction if these things interest you. It simply means to look for ways to actually make a connection with the culture and show respect to the people living there.

Here are just a few simple ways that I think help you make a connection with the people and places you encounter while traveling.

• Learn “hello” and “thank you”. Even if you do not speak a single other word of the language, learn what to say when you walk into a store or restaurant. In many places, it is considered very rude to enter a shop without a greeting, and giving a greeting in the local language will definitely never put you on one’s bad side. I don’t think learning to say “thank you” even needs an explanation; a genuine smile and expression of gratitude will go a long way in any situation. Bonus- once locals see a foreigner making an effort with their language, they might surprise you by switching to English and striking up a conversation with you!
• Get over the idea of “Stranger Danger”. Once you are a grown adult, you are allowed to talk to strangers because you are wise enough not to give away your personal information or follow them to their van for a piece of candy. Yes, please, always be smart and alert, but if the kind person sitting next to you on the bus wants to strike up a conversation and ask you about your life, it’s okay to share. (Just not like, the details of where you’re staying or going or your social security number, you know?) In turn, you can always ask the person about their lives and these situations can lead to the coolest stories and connections.
• Get off the main tourist drag. Don’t be afraid to stay outside of Times Square. Walk a few blocks away from the Eiffel Tower to find something to eat. Yes, visit those places, but don’t forget that a city has much more to offer than it’s most iconic locations. Find a place where the signs are primarily not in English and no one is handing you flyers for river cruises or walking tours, then find somewhere to buy lunch or to grab drinks and watch the sun go down. Bonus- your wallet will thank you for this as well!
• Appreciate the things which make this culture unique. Is it the food? the religion? the lifestyle? Do people linger over dinner for two hours because the pace of life is slower and the value is more on relationships than time? Whatever it is, try it out! Sample the food, relax and slow down, value the time you have in this new place and savor it because you won’t be there forever!

This post is not about true immersion into a culture or shunning everything touristy and cliche, rather, it is just some practical advice on how to respect the people and places you encounter and make the very most of your trip. If you have any thoughts on this topic or ideas on how to engage in a culture when you are visiting somewhere, drop it down below in the comments; I’d love to hear them!