Be nice. Please and thank you go a long way in any language.
Ask locals. They live there. They know where the best pizza is and the friendliest clubs. And when you’re in those places, ask the people who work there where they go.
Think positive. Everyone is NOT out to get you and paranoia is a really heavy piece of baggage to carry around.
Speak softly. Also, slowly and clearly. They’re not deaf, they just don’t speak your language.
Be adventurous. Try something you don’t recognize on the menu, wander a neighborhood instead of taking a tour bus.
Visit supermarkets. Seriously. Supermarkets in “other” places can blow your mind. Stuff on the shelf you don’t recognize, the way people interact, what their junk food looks like… (a personal favorite of mine).
Don’t judge. Things are different in other places, not always better or worse.Be humble about where you come from and gracious about what you receive.
Slow down. There’s no way you’re going to see it all, so why not really see what there’s time for.
Spread understanding. Interactions with other cultures and countries not only gives us the chance to learn about them, but for those places to learn about us. Take that on with great honor and responsibility and make your home country proud.
10 thoughts on “Rules of Travel”
When I lived in Dublin, if any family member came to visit I always took them to the Quinnsworth nearest all the embassies. They had a riot of products not found elsewhere. I also took them to the specialty food section of Brown Thomas, the Needless Markup of Ireland. There, you could get a can — sorry, tin — of S&W stewed tomatoes for a couple pounds, or a small container of French’s Yellow Mustard for a fiver. Seriously. A fiver. That was like $7.50 at the time. You can tell a lot from the food stores of other folks.
I’m with you on the supermarket thing. I always make it a point to visit one. Its amazing enough to explore all the foreign goodies that you don’t see back home, let alone stock up on them – of course at a cheaper price.
Btw, wondering if the ski resorts in Austria are already snowed in? We haven’t booked but we wanted to, just waiting for the weather update.
I love going to supermarkets in other countries. It’s wild to see American brandnames sell things that they don’t sell back home. *Some of the things are really good and I wish they did sell them here!* I could spend several hours wandering the grocery store aisles… especially the chocolate sections.
When I lived in Dublin, if any family member came to visit I always took them to the Quinnsworth nearest all the embassies. They had a riot of products not found elsewhere. I also took them to the specialty food section of Brown Thomas, the Needless Markup of Ireland. There, you could get a can — sorry, tin — of S&W stewed tomatoes for a couple pounds, or a small container of French’s Yellow Mustard for a fiver. Seriously. A fiver. That was like $7.50 at the time. You can tell a lot from the food stores of other folks.
Ooooh, I LOVE foreign supermarkets.
I’m with you on the supermarket thing. I always make it a point to visit one. Its amazing enough to explore all the foreign goodies that you don’t see back home, let alone stock up on them – of course at a cheaper price.
Btw, wondering if the ski resorts in Austria are already snowed in? We haven’t booked but we wanted to, just waiting for the weather update.
I like your rules and I’m happy to see that so far I have abided to most of them. The menu thing is not for me. Foodfobia if there is such a thing.
The supermarkets are great indeed.
I love going to supermarkets in other countries. It’s wild to see American brandnames sell things that they don’t sell back home. *Some of the things are really good and I wish they did sell them here!* I could spend several hours wandering the grocery store aisles… especially the chocolate sections.
Again, I think Lost In Transit needs you. To repost this.
And I like you. For posting it in the first place.
Rule #6 got me a spam sandwich in Ecuador! Yum.
Excellent list! Especially liked this one: “They’re not deaf, they just don’t speak your language.” Because that shouting thing is so universal. 🙂
BRILLIANT. and yes, common sense. great list!