Comments on: 5 Ways Inner Travel Helps You See Other Cultures http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/ 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 16:40:43 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bryndel http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-92753 Bryndel Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:41:57 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-92753 "How many Americans go on tours of Indian reservations, or take tour buses through destitute neighborhoods in Phoenix or New Orleans or Los Angeles?" Funny you should mention the reservations... My church, along with a lot of the other Unitarian Universalist churches in Colorado, actually does have an annual 9th grade trip to some of the reservations, following a year of learning about the two cultures hosting them in turn who are actually historical enemies. I joined the church when I was too old for this, unfortunately, but I'm still debating volunteering as an adult supervisor :) But in general, no, the vast majority of Americans stay as isolated as possible from much of this... I recall spotting a lot of stray animals our overseas travels when I was a kid, the kind of skinny filthy critters that get rounded up and put in shelters most everywhere in the US (at least the places we lived, anyhow)--being a hopeful veterinarian, they were what stuck out to me at least as much as the touristy sights and sounds and people. But my parents for whatever reason didn't want to let me adopt or feed any of them, heh. :P It still bothers me sometimes. Maybe when I'm rich and famous one day (or, more seriously, done with college and more financially stable than I am now) I can go back and start shelters/neutering clinics/etc. Which seems off-topic to some, undoubtedly, given that the article only references less-privileged *people,* but I've always been a firm believer that the well-being of animals and humans are linked and definitely not mutually antagonistic. “How many Americans go on tours of Indian reservations, or take tour buses through destitute neighborhoods in Phoenix or New Orleans or Los Angeles?”
Funny you should mention the reservations… My church, along with a lot of the other Unitarian Universalist churches in Colorado, actually does have an annual 9th grade trip to some of the reservations, following a year of learning about the two cultures hosting them in turn who are actually historical enemies. I joined the church when I was too old for this, unfortunately, but I’m still debating volunteering as an adult supervisor :)

But in general, no, the vast majority of Americans stay as isolated as possible from much of this… I recall spotting a lot of stray animals our overseas travels when I was a kid, the kind of skinny filthy critters that get rounded up and put in shelters most everywhere in the US (at least the places we lived, anyhow)–being a hopeful veterinarian, they were what stuck out to me at least as much as the touristy sights and sounds and people. But my parents for whatever reason didn’t want to let me adopt or feed any of them, heh. :P
It still bothers me sometimes. Maybe when I’m rich and famous one day (or, more seriously, done with college and more financially stable than I am now) I can go back and start shelters/neutering clinics/etc. Which seems off-topic to some, undoubtedly, given that the article only references less-privileged *people,* but I’ve always been a firm believer that the well-being of animals and humans are linked and definitely not mutually antagonistic.

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]]> By: Sarah_Menkedick http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-85736 Sarah_Menkedick Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:18:56 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-85736 Ha! No way! You have to send me a PM and we can reminisce. Wow, I never woulda thunk it--meeting up on Matador years later. Ha! No way! You have to send me a PM and we can reminisce. Wow, I never woulda thunk it–meeting up on Matador years later.

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-85561 Tim Patterson Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:01:31 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-85561 Whoa - did you guys really come out of the same school? There must have been a great English teacher there - you're two of the best writers at Matador. Whoa – did you guys really come out of the same school? There must have been a great English teacher there – you're two of the best writers at Matador.

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]]> By: Andris http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-84775 Andris Tue, 17 Feb 2009 06:42:47 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-84775 Yes! Fantastic article, I completely agree. As a photographer, I'm amazed at how many times we as tourists frame our shots to include the picturesque temple or the traditional dress while cutting out the satellite dishes, tourist buses, and locals Avril Lavagine t-shirts. These things are every bit as 'authentic' as the rest and are part of the 'real' story. Incidentally...didn't we go to high school together?? :) Yes! Fantastic article, I completely agree. As a photographer, I'm amazed at how many times we as tourists frame our shots to include the picturesque temple or the traditional dress while cutting out the satellite dishes, tourist buses, and locals Avril Lavagine t-shirts. These things are every bit as 'authentic' as the rest and are part of the 'real' story.

Incidentally…didn't we go to high school together?? :)

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]]> By: len http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-84304 len Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:33:26 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-84304 the way i deal with this sort of thinking, is not to vacation travel. it's to travel, work, and live. authenticity is when you allow yourself to fully immerse yourself in another culture. it's hard to vacation travel, and not see the things that you think you "should" see. it's just where you want to set your expectation levels. you will never be disappointed if you don't expect things, and just let your experiences guide you! cultures will evolve! stopping to listen and talk to the locals is the only way into the heart of the people, and heart of the land. the way i deal with this sort of thinking, is not to vacation travel. it's to travel, work, and live. authenticity is when you allow yourself to fully immerse yourself in another culture. it's hard to vacation travel, and not see the things that you think you "should" see. it's just where you want to set your expectation levels. you will never be disappointed if you don't expect things, and just let your experiences guide you! cultures will evolve! stopping to listen and talk to the locals is the only way into the heart of the people, and heart of the land.

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]]> By: estan http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-84231 estan Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:12:51 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-84231 Sarah, this is an insightful post and a timely one as I just posted something related to it at my blog. This is not always realized but true. It's the quest for the so called authenticity that drives tourism industries across the world that sometimes, alas, the locals will manufacture just to attract tourists. If there's a demand, why not create it? In many traditional festivals, sometimes the original idea or religious/cultural reference gets lost in translation. But then, many leisure tourists, the camera toting, bus riding and herded like sheep from one place to another (often terminating at an overpriced souvenirs shop) would be happy to witness such events, a break from the usual and something to show folks back home. Sarah, this is an insightful post and a timely one as I just posted something related to it at my blog. This is not always realized but true. It's the quest for the so called authenticity that drives tourism industries across the world that sometimes, alas, the locals will manufacture just to attract tourists. If there's a demand, why not create it?

In many traditional festivals, sometimes the original idea or religious/cultural reference gets lost in translation. But then, many leisure tourists, the camera toting, bus riding and herded like sheep from one place to another (often terminating at an overpriced souvenirs shop) would be happy to witness such events, a break from the usual and something to show folks back home.

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]]> By: Angela http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-81659 Angela Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:38:33 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-81659 "An outrageous assumption: they don´t really want opportunities, they live in graceful, natural, harmonious poverty." This assumption is even more outragous if we think that poverty in most countries is caused by ruthless western politics and reckless capitalism. The poor are not happy, the starving are not happy, people living under the constant threat of bombs and war are not happy. I personally suspect that most people in the so-called civilized world are not happy either. With all opportunities London offers, office or retail employees start working in the morning when it's still dark and finish working when it's already dark. They go back home with no energy but to watch tv in a semi-catatonic state and the highlight of their week is going to the pub. Most people have 3 weeks (the luckiest, 25 days) holiday per year, unique moment in which who has been responsible enough to save something can leave, in the quest of a spot in the sun. I might live in a rich country, but around me I see a lot of unhappiness, stress and frustration. "An outrageous assumption: they don´t really want opportunities, they live in graceful, natural, harmonious poverty." This assumption is even more outragous if we think that poverty in most countries is caused by ruthless western politics and reckless capitalism. The poor are not happy, the starving are not happy, people living under the constant threat of bombs and war are not happy.
I personally suspect that most people in the so-called civilized world are not happy either. With all opportunities London offers, office or retail employees start working in the morning when it's still dark and finish working when it's already dark. They go back home with no energy but to watch tv in a semi-catatonic state and the highlight of their week is going to the pub. Most people have 3 weeks (the luckiest, 25 days) holiday per year, unique moment in which who has been responsible enough to save something can leave, in the quest of a spot in the sun.
I might live in a rich country, but around me I see a lot of unhappiness, stress and frustration.

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]]> By: adam http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-80636 adam Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:23:17 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-80636 "Opportunities" is not an American concept. The root of materialism is poverty... the well fed remain idealists... "Opportunities" is not an American concept. The root of materialism is poverty… the well fed remain idealists…

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]]> By: Rebecca http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-77897 Rebecca Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:37:23 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-77897 Great article. It makes you think when you travel. I live in AZ and tourists would probably be surprised to see Phoenix up close and personal. It's different from what was portrayed on the Travel Channel! I myself was shocked that the city is going through a "transformation." Who knew... Great article. It makes you think when you travel. I live in AZ and tourists would probably be surprised to see Phoenix up close and personal. It's different from what was portrayed on the Travel Channel! I myself was shocked that the city is going through a "transformation." Who knew…

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]]> By: Sarah http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/12/01/5-ways-inner-travel-helps-you-see-other-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-77300 Sarah Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:01:51 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=709#comment-77300 Writing! And making big pots of chili, the best comfort food of all time! Writing! And making big pots of chili, the best comfort food of all time!

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