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LIVING & TRAVEL

4/23-4/29: Do You Travel With Your Conscience?

Do we have an obligation to be educated travelers? If so, to what extent? Should we learn some of the language before we visit a foreign country? Should we try to leave a place looking untouched, or should we try to give something back to the places/cultures/economies we visit? When you pack for vacation, do you leave your conscience at home?

Kimmy - I think absolutely we have a responsibility to be educated travellers. Yes, travelling is an education in itself, and yes, the people we meet can learn from us too while we travel, but, we still have an obligation to try to speak the language before expecting others to speak ours and an obligation to practice zero impact travelling in nature. Sure, we can give something back in terms of human connections, but otherwise, be careful. Don't think that spending lots of american money in a developing country is helping their economy, it's not. I say, take your conscience with you, and follow it to the letter.

TheRat - Absolutely. The most important thing, ALWAYS is to let your conscience be your guide. The fact that we in the Western world happen to have the education and the money is unfortunate, but that is all to do with past generations, and now, we must use our education as we travel.

Ritamae - How can one travel without educating one's self in the history and culture of the country you are visiting?

JJSchutte - YES, we have an obligation to know of the areas we travel. I always hear people complain that those who come to our country should know our language (whatever that may be), but do not make an effort to learn their language. I believe that if you plan to visit a country that speaks a different language than you do, learn at least basic phrases : thank you, please, hello, police, help, translator, hospital ... Should we leave a place untouched? The Boy Scout saying is leave a campsite better than you found it.

cso1 - The best way to become educated about a place is to talk to someone who lives there. So, if it is possible, chat with a resident of the place you are visiting to get an idea of the culture and customs, so you won't look or sound like an idiot on your vacation, and so you don't offend anyone.

earthcrone - Every year we take our children, now grown, and their respective mates to a quiet island in SC, as we have for over 30 years. While we are usually pretty relaxed as a family, sometimes loud and messy, we always have a good time. We leave the cottage clean, and if there is a pot or kitchen gadget we need during our stay, we buy it, use it, and leave it as a "thank you gift" for the cottage. We spend a great deal of time on the beach, and if others have been careless, we pick up trash and cans, etc. so we can enjoy it more and to remind others to take better care. The beach is fragile, and it suffers enough from weather, feet, and storms. Unfortunately, our budgets for time and money have made foreign travel impossible so far, but if and when we do go abroad, we will learn the basics in the language of the country we visit, at the very least "please, thank you, where is a doctor, fire, and how beautiful that is." I believe that our hosts will appreciate our trying to communicate in their tongue. I never have understood why some Americans are so arrogant as to expect the entire world to speak English. Of course, knowing us, we will probably have to learn a few things more, because we will tend to visit small towns and meet the people more than we will tour all the cathedrals and palaces. I'll want to see the art and hear the music of the nations I visit. For me, that is a great shortcut to understanding. I guess it would also be a good idea to familiarize ourselves with any local etiquette or taboos, as well.

KMorrison - Your travel experience will be so much richer for learning just a bit of the language, and using it. Your host countryfolk will be more receptive, and you'll be treated like the courteous guest that you are. Also, why not pack a few inexpensive gifts for new friends? You know, post cards, or small trinkets....the kind of stuff we scarf up as souviners over there! And please, don't litter! Let's show our hosts what good visitors Americans can be. We are ambassadors of a sort, you know.

szaz - I think that if you're traveling to a foreign country,and you're around different languages,cultures, or whatever,you should make some attempt to blend in or make it seem like you're there,at least.I've heard hours of arguments in my family about this.parents have been to mexico a few times.Dad has no problem buying overpriced jewelry from dirt poor people making a living by living on or near the resorts and selling trinkets to people like him.Stepmother refuses to go back there,and is wracked by a bad conscience from how badly she feels the people that actually live there are.She's upset by the idea that she can sit in a lounger and sip on a margarita while fifty feet away a family struggles to make enough money selling souvenirs to get by.He feels that he's a better person,a luckier person, however you choose to phrase it, and it's his right to be there,and he has no obligation to treat the people that live there any better than the maid in his hotel.But they're both wrong.You can travel with a conscience and still not bend over backwards to seem kind. For one,learn the language.This would seem to be common courtesy.

roberd - Leave your conscience at home?? There will never be enjoyment without your conscience. When in rome, do like the romans do, but like educated romans please -- that will keep our flag spotless and respected.

FiveCats - Visiting another country is like visiting someone in their home. We should be on our best manners. We represent the country we are from when we visit another country. If we cannot learn some of the language of the other country before we go there are many dictionaries where we can look up words so we can communicate. Try to learn some of the customs of the other country while you are there, visit some museums and local libraries. Visit a university, take a tour there. Shop in the markets as well as in the tourist areas. Do not be messy but pick up after yourself even if others do not. It's good to slightly smile and nod at someone in their country but do not stare or gawk or make jokes at others expense. Learn a few phrases such as " I do not speak ..... (their language), do you speak ..... (your language.). I am sure if you visit another country and behave as if you are visiting someone's home for the first time then you will get on quite nicely and be welcomed back! Happy Travels!

PatriciaA - I agree that we should learn at least some of the language before we visit a foreign country. It would show Americans as ignorants if we went to another country not knowing anything about its culture, language, etcetera. Also, I think it is an obligation to respect the customs of a foreign country. We should not mock what we do not know.

ldh100g - I went as a faculty representative for the university I taught at to a young entrepreneurs' global conference in Tokyo. It was a great experience, but unfortunately marred by the extremely ugly behavior of some students who were from the university I was representing. They would insult the food, joke about our hosts, and basically just act out in whatever way struck them at the moment. The day when all the people from around the world attending the conference were gathering at the closing plenary, our representative, who was a founder of the global organization, was late. Quite late. He was to speak. It wasn't that he got lost or that traffic was bad: he was shopping. We made a bad impression, I think, on our hosts multiple times and it was a shame. All that was necessary was to be polite. It is no trouble and doesn't take education to be polite. Politeness and decency is what someone travelling needs. Education about the location just makes the trip more enjoyable.

Locksley - If there is an obligation, it is only in the fact that we too, even mere tourists, are ambassadors, representative of our society and culture. To educate ourselves about a country and society that we visit. Practically speaking, knowing a bit more about the country before we go there enables us to enjoy ourselves even more. It's a rare gift to travel, one taken for granted. Even then, though, we should do the best to be the best we can.

jsprankl - Yes. Absolutely. Becoming educated on anything is a good start on the road to a productive life.

Thorin - WE DEFINITELY need to travel educated. My hometown paper often prints pictures from people's vacations (Very small town) and this one picture about sent me through the roof. Here they all were, sitting pretty on a 100 year old statue out in the middle of a well-tended lawn resting their feet on a sign which said KEEP OF THE GRASS and KEEP OFF THE STATUE And we wonder why they don't like us.