Even if we won’t readily admit this, we’ve all been there.
We have donned our loud Hawaiian shirts, snapped a fanny pack to our waists, and laced up our vacation sneakers. We have filled a backpack with inordinate quantities of food that are probably not even allowed in [insert exorbitant amusement/theme park here].
We have slathered on the sunscreen (or forgotten to, in which case a very painful next few days is in order) and put on our favorite baseball caps (mine is a free one from Home Depot. No shame.).
In other words, we have been tourists.
Now, being a tourist comes with a host of advantages as well as utterly negative connotations. There are many pros and cons, regardless of where you come from or where you’re going.
A BRIEF LISTING OF THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING ANY SORT OF TOURIST:
People are more likely to pity you when you look like lost puppies trying to find the beach, and tourist pity usually ends well. And by well I mean you get directions and a restaurant recommendation. – Pro
People looking at you like you’ve sprouted a third ear when you ask them how to find this one super cool and awesome nacho joint you saw on the web. (Do you even go here? We don’t eat nachos.) – Con
Getting lost while trying to find the best place to eat doubly crispy Belgian frites and ending up at, wow would you look at that, the beach! – Pro (only insofar as you like the beach and said beach does not have sharks)
Getting lost, period. Et tu, Google Maps? – Con
Seeing new places for the first time and not being able, even in the tiniest bit, to take the view for granted. Unless we are talking about cathedrals. You see one, you’ve seen them all. – Pro
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There are many ways to be a bad tourist. Thankfully there are also several ways to be a good one. They’re way easier than you think, and most only involve a bit of curiosity and common sense.
First: be respectful. The stereotype of Americans being these loud, obnoxious, cumbersome tourists had to come from somewhere, and it boils down to people often forgetting that they’re not where they started!
If you’re from Manhattan and vacation in Hawaii or Mumbai, there’s a fairly large chance you’ll be in for quite a culture shift. People will look different, act different, even think different, than the people you might be accustomed to.
And that’s okay. Just remember to be polite.
Also: curiosity counts! Don’t simply ask the hotel concierge desk about any local places; ask them about their personal recommendations. People usually like talking about themselves, and they’ll almost always be happy to share their favorite dive bar (or fancy seafood bistro) with you if you ask nicely.
Being inquisitive about a culture different from yours may also include learning a few new words. This can sound scary; no one likes feeling like they’ve botched up someone else’s language.
On the contrary, being flippant about said language isn’t good either – tentative, but demonstrating an eagerness to learn, is usually welcomed no matter what language you speak.
Mostly, it’s generally a good idea to view a different culture objectively. It’s no good to romanticize them – you might end up being slightly disappointed (we’re looking at you, glorious streets of Paris covered in less-than-glorious dog poop).
It’s also bad to shut down an experience just because you’re a little scared. Sure, trying new things is scary, but they are also filled with the potential to experience unexpected pockets of joy (I fondly recall the first time I tried frog legs – a delicious experience).
Honestly, I think you can – or even should, if that’s your thing – wear that awful nifty Hawaiian shirt in four shades of fuchsia, or snap on your twenty-year-old fanny pack, or shove a snack down your pants if the amusement park doesn’t allow outside food (just maybe no sharing? Because of the whole shoved down pants situation).
People will see you as a tourist regardless of what you wear, but they’ll remember you based on how you act.
So be polite, ask questions, and smile. Because hey, you’re on vacation.
