Traveling the World

There are many kinds of people who we can define as “tourists,” no matter how hard people like me strive to be called travelers instead. The truth of the matter is that we’re all tourists, but each of us has different goals, and it’s our goals that set us apart from one another. Up until now, I’ve experienced travel in different ways: I’ve taken the short cruise with only hours of exposure to the host country, I’ve studied abroad and lived in a house with a local family, I’ve taken a guided tour with almost no freedom to explore on my own, and I’ve backpacked alone with complete freedom. Of all these experiences, I feel the most valuable ones are those in which I’m completely free to choose my destinations, when and how I get there, and what to do when I arrive. But what if you could be completely free while still living with a host?

People will surely disagree with me since everyone has their own ideas. These people might be afraid to travel alone, or unsure of what to do or how to get there, or maybe just want to enjoy the privacy afforded by a hotel room. For me, these things are part of the journey. I love meeting locals along the way, and sometimes even spending time with them learning valuable information about the area or even country as a whole. I know what tourism has been in the past, and shy away from it. It’s my hope that the future of tourism will evolve into more of a genuine cultural experience void of trinkets and ridiculous prices. Most people work hard and despite have money to spend, are unable to take long trips like myself to really enjoy themselves.

As a result, some people have turned to vacations closer to home. This is good and bad at the same time, because people aren’t getting the opportunity to learn about other parts of the world, however they’re finally taking an interest in the things surrounding them. I think the future of tourism will be one in which people have more vacation time to go off and dive into the rich cultures not only of areas nearby, but also of far off lands one used to only dream of seeing.

The average tourist today loves to stay in nice hotels to enjoy the luxury associated with these destinations, however this can not be called an experience in the eyes of us travelers. That is why I hope in the future more programs will exist to allow tourists to stay with a local family no matter the amount of money they have to spend. Even if for only a few days, tourists can have a genuine experience where they are fed local foods and see the culture for what it is, and not from a distance (the hotel bedroom window).

My richest experiences have been living with the locals as they not only help you assimilate quickly, but keep you safe from the harms that exist. In addition to that, they can provide access to the language in case people don’t speak your own. These things will allow more people to find that little hut on the secluded beach with the best seafood in the world, or the little bar in the alleyway with home brews.

The best thing about travel is finding what’s hidden from plain view, meant only for the locals. Living amongst the locals allows you to live like the locals, and if that’s not a cultural experience, I don’t know what is. It’s my dream that more people will free themselves from the fear that has handcuffed them to the country they were born in. Diplomacy between governments is a good way to improve relations, but there is so much love in the world that is waiting to be spread, and can only be done one person at a time.