Comments on: 6 Essential Items To Pack If You Want To Meet The Locals http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:14:28 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: OnDaRoad http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-91516 OnDaRoad Thu, 21 May 2009 14:20:47 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-91516 Great information. My travels have just been in North America but I have found that just smiling while you are out eating and commenting on the good behavior of a child, etc to be good conversation starters. Great information. My travels have just been in North America but I have found that just smiling while you are out eating and commenting on the good behavior of a child, etc to be good conversation starters.

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]]> By: Turkey Traveller http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-90267 Turkey Traveller Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:43:16 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-90267 Cigarettes always work for me :)) I know they are bad for you but their great for breaking down barriers, especially if your smoking a brand not normally seen locally... Cigarettes always work for me :) ) I know they are bad for you but their great for breaking down barriers, especially if your smoking a brand not normally seen locally…

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]]> By: coach sydney http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-85435 coach sydney Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:03:01 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-85435 Excellent and heartwarming article! I'm going to make sure I add these items to my packing list! Excellent and heartwarming article! I'm going to make sure I add these items to my packing list!

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]]> By: Sharon http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-82760 Sharon Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:15:07 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-82760 I absolutely agree, Debbie! I think the best way to travel (if you don't have the luxury/opportunity to travel with someone who is from the country you're visiting)...is to go with an organization that has a structured way to get you into the community. Try <a href="http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org" target="_blank">www.crossculturalsolutions.org</a>for more information! My volunteer program in Costa Rica changed my life. I absolutely agree, Debbie! I think the best way to travel (if you don't have the luxury/opportunity to travel with someone who is from the country you're visiting)…is to go with an organization that has a structured way to get you into the community. Try http://www.crossculturalsolutions.orgfor more information! My volunteer program in Costa Rica changed my life.

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]]> By: By the Numbers | Team AZ Travel Journal http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-81448 By the Numbers | Team AZ Travel Journal Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:52:37 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-81448 [...] to, and I came across this list that might inspire you to bravery when encountering the locals: “6 Essential Items To Pack If You Want To Meet The Locals”. A deck of playing cards is a natch, and a phrasebook is a good idea, too. Rick Steves’ [...] [...] to, and I came across this list that might inspire you to bravery when encountering the locals: “6 Essential Items To Pack If You Want To Meet The Locals”. A deck of playing cards is a natch, and a phrasebook is a good idea, too. Rick Steves’ [...]

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]]> By: Kibeth Nehema http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-81405 Kibeth Nehema Sun, 11 Jan 2009 07:47:17 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-81405 I talked to like 5 people in O'ahu yesturday just by saying hello or Aloha to them... don't be afraid to say something... the worst they can do is say something mean or nothing at all. I talked to like 5 people in O'ahu yesturday just by saying hello or Aloha to them… don't be afraid to say something… the worst they can do is say something mean or nothing at all.

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]]> By: Terry http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-59609 Terry Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:37:54 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-59609 A deck of playing cards. Man, oh man, I couldn't agree more. Must have something to do with being Chinese and the love of gambling in my blood (okay, fine, that's probably more nurture than nature...but some stereotypes are fun, right?). A deck of playing cards. Man, oh man, I couldn’t agree more.

Must have something to do with being Chinese and the love of gambling in my blood (okay, fine, that’s probably more nurture than nature…but some stereotypes are fun, right?).

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]]> By: Jessica Sztaimberg http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-59183 Jessica Sztaimberg Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:06:22 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-59183 I really enjoyed this article! I have spent a lot of time abroad, and came to realize that getting to know the locals is one of the best parts of traveling! How and why do I do it? -The gift of chocolate. I’ve found that the English word “chocolate” sounds similar in many other languages: German- Schokolade, Spanish- chocolate, Italian- cioccolato, Dutch-chocolade, French- chocolat and so on. It is very easy to ask if my new friends like chocolate. When I travel I always have a small bag of chocolates with me, that I offer to my taxi driver, hotel receptionist, man sitting next to me on the train, girl waiting at the bus stop with me, old woman that I ask for directions, or as part of my tip to my waiter, and in most cases, they accept my little gift! Instantly it gives us something to talk ( or just smile and laugh) about. I like talking to locals, they teach me a lot. It is much better to hear about their favorite restaurants, or cool stores, instead of visiting the highly overpriced tourist ones. The one thing that I could not live without abroad is a phrase book/ two way dictionary. It is a great tool for quickly finding the correct things to say, and also gives the person you are talking to a chance to look up words if they are also unsure. Usually in restaurants I make conversation with my waiters. I have had especially a great deal of friendly conversations with my waiters in France. Not speaking a great deal of French was okay for me, because of the phrase book that my friend and I had. Before we went into the restaurant we would practice what we needed to say, and have a look at the common restaurant vocabulary. Our waiters always appreciated our effort to speak French, and we quickly began joking around and taking pictures with them! Other than that, just have fun! Be open-minded, and always wear a smile, you will make friends, it is inevitable! I really enjoyed this article!

I have spent a lot of time abroad, and came to realize that getting to know the locals is one of the best parts of traveling! How and why do I do it?

-The gift of chocolate. I’ve found that the English word “chocolate” sounds similar in many other languages: German- Schokolade, Spanish- chocolate, Italian- cioccolato, Dutch-chocolade, French- chocolat and so on. It is very easy to ask if my new friends like chocolate. When I travel I always have a small bag of chocolates with me, that I offer to my taxi driver, hotel receptionist, man sitting next to me on the train, girl waiting at the bus stop with me, old woman that I ask for directions, or as part of my tip to my waiter, and in most cases, they accept my little gift!
Instantly it gives us something to talk ( or just smile and laugh) about. I like talking to locals, they teach me a lot. It is much better to hear about their favorite restaurants, or cool stores, instead of visiting the highly overpriced tourist ones.
The one thing that I could not live without abroad is a phrase book/ two way dictionary. It is a great tool for quickly finding the correct things to say, and also gives the person you are talking to a chance to look up words if they are also unsure. Usually in restaurants I make conversation with my waiters. I have had especially a great deal of friendly conversations with my waiters in France. Not speaking a great deal of French was okay for me, because of the phrase book that my friend and I had. Before we went into the restaurant we would practice what we needed to say, and have a look at the common restaurant vocabulary. Our waiters always appreciated our effort to speak French, and we quickly began joking around and taking pictures with them!
Other than that, just have fun! Be open-minded, and always wear a smile, you will make friends, it is inevitable!

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]]> By: Max http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-57585 Max Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:48:17 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-57585 Hey i really enjoyed the article i hope to one day travel like this and this is a nice resource. Keep on Trucking. Hey i really enjoyed the article i hope to one day travel like this and this is a nice resource. Keep on Trucking.

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]]> By: Kazu http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/comment-page-1/#comment-57314 Kazu Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:07:01 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/02/18/6-essential-items-to-pack-if-you-want-to-meet-the-locals/#comment-57314 Great article. Totally agree with the local transport thing. One thing that was real popular when I was traveling was Origami. Learn how to make a couple of things, and start making one and you'll soon be surrounded by a mob of interested people. Also, a lot can be said about where you eat. eat at the local eateries. It's usually cheaper, it's often times better, it's always more authentic, and you meet a lot of people. Why travel half way around the world and eat at a Mcdonalds? Great article. Totally agree with the local transport thing. One thing that was real popular when I was traveling was Origami. Learn how to make a couple of things, and start making one and you’ll soon be surrounded by a mob of interested people.

Also, a lot can be said about where you eat. eat at the local eateries. It’s usually cheaper, it’s often times better, it’s always more authentic, and you meet a lot of people. Why travel half way around the world and eat at a Mcdonalds?

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