It’s easy to view travel as a consumable good if you’re not careful. It’s not hard to see why, holiday experiences are prepared and packaged to sell to us. Tourist boards try their hardest to market the best possible aspects of their nations to appeal to a worldwide audience, not only to boost their economies, but also their soft power worldwide. If everyone wants to visit and appreciates your country, that defines you as more of an international presence.
As such, it’s easy for even ardent travelers to forget one thing – countries and cultures are more than just experiences to be consumed. They are living, breathing spaces with thousands of years of history and development (or sometimes, destruction and redevelopment). Put simply – there’s a lot of weirdness out there in the world, and that means sooner or later you’re going to find something that confuses you. It could be a cultural norm, a safety issue, an unconventional approach, or even a custom you’re not happy with or need to stay away from.
To be truly capable international travelers, we need to be mature about these topics, and learn from them. In this article, we’ll discuss why moving through your travels learning how to deal with confusion and apprehension can become a major skill.
Understand Tensions & Context
Every place has its own history, and commonly that history is complicated. You might stumble into areas where there’s still some tension from old conflicts or current political or historical expressions coming to light. It’s not always obvious at first glance, and so doing your online research is important.
Take somewhere like Northern Ireland, for example. To a casual visitor, it might just look like any other part of the UK. But there’s a whole complex history there that still affects how people live today and how communities are divided. Understanding that cna help you avoid viewing everything through solely a tourist lens.
Learn About Societal Effects
When you’re in a new place, you might notice things that seem weird or even wrong to you. But it’s worth digging a bit deeper to understand why things are the way they are. Sometimes, what looks like a problem on the surface is actually the result of interesting history or different priorities.
For example, learning about the Amsterdam Red Light District and how a more regulated approach to one of the oldest trades in the world has curated a generally healthy and voluntary alteration, serving as an interesting and progressive ideal that may not be perfect, but at least gives you a new perspective to consider.
Going With the Flow
Sometimes, you just need to do as the Romans do. For example, consider Japan’s custom of removing shoes indoors. To some, this might appear inconvenient or even unhygienic. But closer willingness to adapt reveals that this practice is deeply rooted in concepts of cleanliness and respect for the home, having been part of their culture for generations. Going with the flow can help you fit in sometimes, but also show respect and learn. Does that mean you have to accept everything and dive into everything asked of you? Of course not. But sometimes going with the flow can help you avoid bringing your biases and declaring residents of their own home to be wrong.
With this advice, you’ll be more likely to move through travel without confusion and apprehension.