Travel Bums

A dear friend of mine has something against travelers. "They're leeches!" he says, "bums!"

I agree to some extent. Traveling for extended periods of time has left me at times jaded and mortified at the behaviour of my Western comrades. In fact, the whole issue of travel; that is, the fact that we can, sometimes wreaks havoc with my ethical self. But that's for another post.

I've seen my fair share of dread-headed trustafarians waxing on about having 'done' this place or that. And there are an abundance of people using countries as party venues. Did you know you can book a "mystery destination" through Club Med?

On the other hand, the idea of bumming around the world is kind of appealing, in a totally self-indulgent kind of way. Jumping in a car and driving into the sunset, stopping at greasy truck stops along the way, or stuffing a bag and buying a plane ticket to somewhere where nobody knows my name, let alone speaks my language, is the stuff of my fantasies.

So how do you deal with this dilemma?

In my experience, and from the discussions I've had with other travelers, there are a few things everyone who wants to travel with a conscience can do, and everyone who travels without one should. These may be perfectly obvious to you, especially if you've done any traveling before, but they bear being listed out just in case.

First, and most perfectly obvious, study up on where you're going. Learn about the history and current political economy of the country/region you're going to visit (Wikipedia is a good place to start). Learn what tourism is doing to the economy, environment, and people there. Talk to nationals if you can, or at least people who have spent some time there. At least learn the name of the head of state. A brilliant way to do this that doesn't seem like studying, and is also a fantastic way to get inspired on where to go is by reading fiction. Google "fiction" + the country you're thinking of going to, or see the links on this blog.

Second, if they don't speak English there, learn the basics. Hello, Goodbye, Please and Thank you are all a good start. This will not only make things easier for you but more importantly shows that you give a shit about where you are. Expect to be laughed at at first, but in a nice way. If you're really serious about learning the language, take a class before you go, or even better, once you get there.

Third, get the hell off the tourist trail. Meet the locals (this is much easier if you do the step above). But don't just gawk, engage in conversation. Share stories about your country. Better yet, volunteer. You don't have to arrange this beforehand, by the way. Just get over there, get over yourself and swallow your timidity, and ask someone what you can do to help. There's always something to do in every country around the world. Keep asking until you find it. There's nothing inherently wrong with meeting other travelers, and it can certainly be a highlight of your trip, but nothing beats meeting the people who are so generously offering up their homeland for you to bum around in.

But really, just traveling in the first place will teach you all of this. So get the hell outta dodge.