Gap Year - Be a Traveller Not a Tourist!
Clare RabonePicture the scene. A lost-looking couple on a street corner of some typical bustling capital city. The guy is wearing a pair of unflattering shorts, sandals with shabby socks and a T-shirt with an inappropriate sentiment emblazoned across it that probably wasn't even funny back home and definitely isn't here.
The girl seems completely oblivious to the fact that she's receiving all sorts of attention from the locals, most of it negative, because she's displaying so much flesh. Her expensive jewellery, therefore, looks even more visible and the huge camera hung ungainly around his neck is another sign of ostentatious wealth that is attracting glances of envy and scorn in equal measure from passers-by.
They're both so lost in studying the map in their Lonely Planet guide, turning the book upside down from time to time to see if that helps, that they wouldn't notice a pick-pocket if he came and jumped up and down in front of them. Of course, pick-pockets don't do that, so they headed off to their next cross-off-the-hot-list attraction with lighter pockets.
I'm sure by now you're turning your nose up in the air and insisting that you wouldn't dream of behaving like that on your gap year. That's the behaviour of a tourist, after all, and you're a traveller... but what exactly does that entail?
The debate on the distinction between tourists and travellers may be a facile one, as is now the opinion of many commentators. After all, the definition of a tourist is simply “a person who makes a tour, especially for pleasure” (Websters Dictionary). That pretty much covers most of us when we travel, even those of us travelling to volunteer.
However, in making the distinction we are obviously trying to get to something deeper – an understanding of how some of us try to travel when we go on holiday and how to encourage those who seem to want to build a "Little England" or a "corner of their home state" to be to be more open minded when they travel.
So how are you going to do it? What are the golden rules for travelling well and avoiding being tainted with the “just a tourist” tag and how can you make sure you're a traveller not a tourist on your gap year?
Expect things to be different
It's hard to put all of your prejudices to one side when you travel, even if you think you're really open-minded. But if you don't accustom yourself to "Africa time" and accept that not much is going to get done today, you'll be dismissed as mzungu and laughed at for your uptight attitude. Let it go! Does it really matter if someone was an hour late for your meeting? What's an hour in the grand scheme of things anyway?
And why should a Bolivian orphanage owner speak good English? Don't let your frustrations at being the gringo mean you forget that it isn't their problem that you can't communicate with them. Try asking them for help and learn a bit of the local language. Remember, your gap year will see you being a guest in many countries but that's exactly what you are - a guest - and you need to behave accordingly.
No matter how good you get at bargaining (and you will get quite adept at it!) you still won't be charged the same amount as the locals. This is just the way of the world. Don't feel that it's a competition and that one day you will receive this treatment. Long term travellers who've been in Indonesia for twenty years still get charged more than a local for their fruit and veg, so a gap year traveller doesn't stand a chance. Just enjoy the bargaining and accept the fact. It's fair.
And food is the other classic problem. One of the signs of 'typical tourist land' is the sight of full restaurants serving the Southeast Asian version of Spaghetti Carbonara. It's not good grub. And that's because they don't know how to cook it like the Italians do. The Southeast Asians are far better at cooking Southeast Asian cuisine, so give it a go. You can ask them to make it milder if you need to and people will generally be very accepting of this, but don't just find the nearest KFC or the Golden Arches on arriving somewhere new or you'll miss out on so much fabulous food.
Dress sensibly
I know you're not going to go for the sandals with socks option but do be careful about what you choose to wear when travelling and volunteering. Are you planning on taking your favourite Oakley cargo pants and maybe your French Connection t-shirt that goes everywhere with you? Well, couple that with the new watch your parents gave you as a going-away present and the cool Ray-ban shades on your head and you'll suddenly look incredibly rich next to your average African villager, with his plastic flip-flops and a T-shirt and trousers that may be the only ones he owns. And not only will that making a target for petty theft but it will also show up local people who could potentially be your new friends. The solution? Leave the expensive jewellery and designer labels at home.Consider buying some clothing whilst you're away on your gap year. This can help you blend in a little better. And opt for a simple capsule wardrobe when you pack (see other articles on the subject of packing). Don't carry a bum bag with all your valuables in it and especially avoid bulging wallets as a result of changing all your dollars at once and suddenly becoming a rupee millionaire.
Have respect
Treat the people and places you visit with respect. Try not to focus on a hit list of places to go and try to actually getting to know your destination. Sitting at a street cafe in Paris, wandering the medinas of Marrakech and visiting the markets of Cusco are going to feel much more worthwhile than ticking off the temples and all the other sites whose names you'll just forget. Research your destination, but don't rely on the Lonely Planet so much that you refuse to go into a nice looking place because it's not reviewed in there.Try not to look lost. Make the map your friend but try and consult it in advance and remember your route – you'll look less like a target and enjoy the walk better anyway. And if you do get lost, ask people for help, even if it means whipping out your phrase book. Most locals will be only too happy to help but just be savvy enough to avoid the touts and those who'll expect a tip for the information or insist on guiding you all the way there via their uncle's carpet shop. Learn to say “no” politely but firmly to those offers or to accept them for what they are and deal with the hard sell. Local shopkeepers can be obliging and won't expect much from you as a result – perhaps just buy some water from them.
