Be a Traveler, Not a Tourist
Lately
I've started thinking of the term "tourist" as a dirty word. What do
you picture when you hear the word? A fanny pack? Hawaiian shirts? What I
picture is something much more sinister: ignorance. I picture a tourist as
someone who is loud, rude and obnoxious. They don't attempt to learn the local
language or customs and expect everything to be just like their native country,
even if they're halfway around the world.
Admittedly,
Americans are often guilty, and I have had my share of tourist-y moments. So I
would like all tourists aspiring to be travelers to learn from my mistakes and
do as I say, not as I do.
To make you feel better about any awkward traveling stories you have, I will share my most embarrassing.
The Toilet Paper Predicament
Last summer I went to England, Paris and Amsterdam with my roommate, Becky. One day we were walking along the Champs-Élysées, a major shopping street in the city. We had to use the bathroom, but like everywhere else, you usually have to buy something in order to use the restroom at any business. Unfortunately, we were on the most expensive street in Paris, so making a purchase, even at a restaurant, wasn't likely. Here's the first embarrassing part of my tale: we did find a bathroom, in a McDonald's. So while we were in one of the most beautiful European cities known for its cuisine, we headed to an American fast food joint. We did not buy anything, I won't even eat McDonald's in America, but we did head down to the bathroom.
The first thing that threw me off was the unisex bathroom. I saw a boy walk out of a stall and froze, looking around for any sign that I had walked into the wrong room. With no urinals in sight, I figured I was safe and headed into the stall. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that the dispenser was out of toilet paper. Now, when I travel, I am much more prepared for emergencies like this than when I'm home, as I've found myself stranded in many a stall in America. Fortunately, I always carry tissues overseas, so I wasn't left high and dry, so to speak.
As I said, I've been in this situation before, and the right thing to do is always tell the next person headed into the stall that it is in fact out of toilet paper. Can you believe people have let me go into stalls after them without warning me ahead of time? Don't be those people. So, just like I would do at home, I got ready to prepare the next person headed into the stall, and even got out some extra tissues, because I like to be helpful and someone did that for me before. I walked out and a young girl, maybe a few years younger than me, was standing outside waiting to go in. I'm a fast talker sometimes, so I quickly told her that there was no toilet paper left in the stall, and handed her the unused tissues. In the split second between putting my hand out and realizing she wasn't going to take them, I knew I'd made a mistake. I completely forgot that I was in a different country where not everyone understands English, especially my mile-a-minute explanation.
That sounds embarrassing enough, but it gets worse. Upon seeing her bewildered look, I panicked and did the exact thing you absolutely should not do. I said the same exact thing, only louder and slower, while frantically pointing at the empty dispenser and tissues. Thankfully, she did figure out what I was trying to say, gave me a nod and an "okay" and seemed to appreciate my offer. But I quickly turned to Becky and said "we have to get out of here," before I heard the French equivalent of "stupid American."
What I should have done was stayed calm. The pantomiming wasn't so bad, she did finally figure out what I was saying when I pointed to the dispenser, but the loud English wasn't going to do anything, obviously.
I hope you feel better about anything stupid you've done, because that was pretty stupid. But I've since learned and hopefully next time something like that happens, I'll handle it better.
This story may have been embarrassing for me, but it's not the worst thing that could have happened. I didn't hurt or upset anyone, as far as I know. This next story is a little more unsettling. Thankfully, I am not the main character in this one.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I returned from an amazing trip to Greece a few weeks ago. I have nothing bad to say about my experience, except for one day.
The Donkey Dilemma
I already warned you that riding the donkeys in Santorini is scarier than in Lindos. In Santorini, most riders did not get a guide and the donkeys were free to do pretty much whatever they wanted. I was one of the only people whose donkey was tied to another donkey and we had a guide leading us down the path. I was thankful to have the guide, but I could have done without the girl I was stuck with. I won't give you her name or where she came from, but I will tell you she was not from our group but was there with a different group of graduate students on the same trip. The trouble started from the beginning when three of us were tied together, a guy in front, she in the middle, and I in the back. She had decided her donkey was unhappy being tied to the donkey in front of her (apparently she was a donkey whisperer). To her credit, she did try asking the guide if he could untie her from the donkey in front. But, as one could assume, he did not speak or understand English very well, so he ignored her. I don't blame him. She then spent the rest of the 45 minute ride down yelling things like "Bro! Can you untie me? Bro! Bro! Bro! Do you even speak English? Bro!"
I tried to ignore her as best I could and take in the beautiful scenery while reminding myself "you're in Greece, you're in Greece. Everything's fine and you're in Greece." But eventually her constant badgering got to me and I may have said "shut the f#*? up" a little louder than I intended, because she finally did quiet down for a little while. But eventually she started up again and when it was finally over I was thankful to be away from her and the donkeys.
So, what should she have done? She should have shut up, that's what she should have done. Yelling at someone who is blatantly ignoring you for 45 minutes just makes you look crazy and annoys everyone involved. Also, never refer to anyone as "bro" unless they choose to identify themselves as a "bro." I was embarrassed for her and ashamed to say we came from the same country. It's people like this who give travelers a bad rap. She was a tourist, so don't be like her. Be a traveler.
How to be a traveler, not an embarrassing tourist
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| A prize goes to anyone who can find an actual resident of Venice in this picture. |
To make you feel better about any awkward traveling stories you have, I will share my most embarrassing.
The Toilet Paper Predicament
Last summer I went to England, Paris and Amsterdam with my roommate, Becky. One day we were walking along the Champs-Élysées, a major shopping street in the city. We had to use the bathroom, but like everywhere else, you usually have to buy something in order to use the restroom at any business. Unfortunately, we were on the most expensive street in Paris, so making a purchase, even at a restaurant, wasn't likely. Here's the first embarrassing part of my tale: we did find a bathroom, in a McDonald's. So while we were in one of the most beautiful European cities known for its cuisine, we headed to an American fast food joint. We did not buy anything, I won't even eat McDonald's in America, but we did head down to the bathroom.
The first thing that threw me off was the unisex bathroom. I saw a boy walk out of a stall and froze, looking around for any sign that I had walked into the wrong room. With no urinals in sight, I figured I was safe and headed into the stall. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that the dispenser was out of toilet paper. Now, when I travel, I am much more prepared for emergencies like this than when I'm home, as I've found myself stranded in many a stall in America. Fortunately, I always carry tissues overseas, so I wasn't left high and dry, so to speak.
As I said, I've been in this situation before, and the right thing to do is always tell the next person headed into the stall that it is in fact out of toilet paper. Can you believe people have let me go into stalls after them without warning me ahead of time? Don't be those people. So, just like I would do at home, I got ready to prepare the next person headed into the stall, and even got out some extra tissues, because I like to be helpful and someone did that for me before. I walked out and a young girl, maybe a few years younger than me, was standing outside waiting to go in. I'm a fast talker sometimes, so I quickly told her that there was no toilet paper left in the stall, and handed her the unused tissues. In the split second between putting my hand out and realizing she wasn't going to take them, I knew I'd made a mistake. I completely forgot that I was in a different country where not everyone understands English, especially my mile-a-minute explanation.
That sounds embarrassing enough, but it gets worse. Upon seeing her bewildered look, I panicked and did the exact thing you absolutely should not do. I said the same exact thing, only louder and slower, while frantically pointing at the empty dispenser and tissues. Thankfully, she did figure out what I was trying to say, gave me a nod and an "okay" and seemed to appreciate my offer. But I quickly turned to Becky and said "we have to get out of here," before I heard the French equivalent of "stupid American."
What I should have done was stayed calm. The pantomiming wasn't so bad, she did finally figure out what I was saying when I pointed to the dispenser, but the loud English wasn't going to do anything, obviously.
I hope you feel better about anything stupid you've done, because that was pretty stupid. But I've since learned and hopefully next time something like that happens, I'll handle it better.
This story may have been embarrassing for me, but it's not the worst thing that could have happened. I didn't hurt or upset anyone, as far as I know. This next story is a little more unsettling. Thankfully, I am not the main character in this one.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I returned from an amazing trip to Greece a few weeks ago. I have nothing bad to say about my experience, except for one day.
The Donkey Dilemma
I already warned you that riding the donkeys in Santorini is scarier than in Lindos. In Santorini, most riders did not get a guide and the donkeys were free to do pretty much whatever they wanted. I was one of the only people whose donkey was tied to another donkey and we had a guide leading us down the path. I was thankful to have the guide, but I could have done without the girl I was stuck with. I won't give you her name or where she came from, but I will tell you she was not from our group but was there with a different group of graduate students on the same trip. The trouble started from the beginning when three of us were tied together, a guy in front, she in the middle, and I in the back. She had decided her donkey was unhappy being tied to the donkey in front of her (apparently she was a donkey whisperer). To her credit, she did try asking the guide if he could untie her from the donkey in front. But, as one could assume, he did not speak or understand English very well, so he ignored her. I don't blame him. She then spent the rest of the 45 minute ride down yelling things like "Bro! Can you untie me? Bro! Bro! Bro! Do you even speak English? Bro!"
I tried to ignore her as best I could and take in the beautiful scenery while reminding myself "you're in Greece, you're in Greece. Everything's fine and you're in Greece." But eventually her constant badgering got to me and I may have said "shut the f#*? up" a little louder than I intended, because she finally did quiet down for a little while. But eventually she started up again and when it was finally over I was thankful to be away from her and the donkeys.
So, what should she have done? She should have shut up, that's what she should have done. Yelling at someone who is blatantly ignoring you for 45 minutes just makes you look crazy and annoys everyone involved. Also, never refer to anyone as "bro" unless they choose to identify themselves as a "bro." I was embarrassed for her and ashamed to say we came from the same country. It's people like this who give travelers a bad rap. She was a tourist, so don't be like her. Be a traveler.
How to be a traveler, not an embarrassing tourist
- Be patient.
- Be quiet. Americans have no idea how loud we've become, but it becomes painfully obvious when you travel elsewhere and your loud mouth gets disapproving looks.
- Be respectful.
- Don't describe things you see or people you meet as "weird." They are "different" from what you are used to.
- Learn the customs before you go such as tipping policies and common gestures and phrases. Also, if you plan to visit churches or other religious places, know that most places won't let you in with bare knees and shoulders.
- If someone does correct you for your behavior, go with it. You're in the wrong, not them.
- Attempt to understand the people you meet and don't be afraid to ask questions.
- But respect their privacy. If they do not understand English, even if they're pretending not to, don't keep rambling on to them. Take the hint and move on.
Chances are you will still stick out like a sore thumb when you travel anywhere new. Especially when you're taking those photos only tourists take.
Or taking a selfie in front of the beautiful scenery.
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| Hey Sam, your big face is blocking our view. |
I would never tell you not to take these photos, because obviously I'm guilty, and I haven't changed. I've taken my photo with the fake 9 3/4 platform in London....twice. Because once just isn't good enough.
 |
| Anyone else notice the platform has moved? |
Something else that is a dead giveaway—taking pictures of your food. While it has become unacceptable to not post your meal on Instagram in the States, it's still a little weird elsewhere.
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| Guilty as charged. |
Just know, doing any and all of these things is the equivalent of holding a sign that says "I'm not from around here." And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, being a blatant tourist does make you more susceptible to scammers or pickpockets. I've said it before and I'll say it again, be aware of your surroundings. Don't leave your bag open when you pull out your camera to take a photo of your friend sitting in a giant clog shoe in Amsterdam. (Yes, I have a picture like that too.)
One thing I do need to get better at is letting people know I don't understand them when they assume I am in fact "from around here." That happened to me in a coffee shop in Greece when the barista offered me a free sample and started telling me all about the new drink in Greek. While I was flattered that she thought I looked like a local, I could only stand and stare like a deer in headlights. I managed to stammer out, "I'm sorry, I don't understand," and she laughed and apologized and went on to tell me about the drink in perfect English. But if anyone has a better idea than shrugging my shoulders and shaking my head like an idiot, please share it in the comments below!
Phew, this has been a long post but I promise it is almost over. Here is the fun fact you'll be happy you held out for:
Have you ever noticed when talking to someone with a different accent than yours for a long period of time, you start to pick up that accent too? You're not making fun of them, your brain is actually trying to empathize with that person. This phenomenon is known as subconscious accent mimicry and it can happen even during short periods of time spent with another person.When I attended college in New York, I was always surprised to learn that my accent had changed when I returned to New Jersey for the summer. Even during shorter periods, like the week we spent in Greece, I started picking up the Australian accents of some of our travel partners. This can be embarrassing, but if it happens to you, just tell the person that you're actually trying to bond with them, not make fun of them.
Thank you for reading everyone! Sorry there was a longer gap between my last post and this one, I promise to get back into the swing of things and post once or twice weekly! Don't forget to check out the Pinterest board for this post, it's full of funny tourist photos and some useful information too. And if you have any embarrassing tourist stories to share, please do so in the comments to make me feel better about mine!
Come back next time!
-Sam
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