By: Margyle
Margyle and Hogga do not 100% agree on this topic, click here to read Hogga’s view.
I’m always amazed when I meet up with other globetrotters and find out just how boring they are, yet they think being abroad makes them interesting. These are the people who can list off the numerous places they have been to but have not learned a thing; if their personality were a meal it would be tofu laced oatmeal and you would not want seconds.
The truth of the matter is some people abuse travelling the same way they abuse other hobbies – they think simply by going somewhere they are travellers. While working in Tokyo, I had a roommate who had been there an entire year prior to my arrival and had spent the majority of his time, not working, in his room watching movies. As English teachers, our work was neither taxing nor time consuming, so what was his excuse for not getting out there and seeing something crazy?
“I just never got around to it”
Ugh.
I would like to say he was the only example of blandness in the sojourning world, but we all know that’s a lie. I knew a girl, while studying in Australia, that could drain the energy out of you simply by looking at her “I’m smiling but there is nothing going on upstairs” face. She barely saw any of the country during our time off, instead blowing so much of her money on $100 cab rides to the clubs multiple times a week that she needed to get a job second semester just to cover her losses. If you’re living somewhere abroad like apartments in Berlin don’t you want to explore the area?
Finally, there is the acquaintance of mine that takes the cake. Coming from a rather privileged upbringing, this chap was able to amass a travel resume that would make a diplomat look like a xenophobe, yet he took the Pokemon “Gotta catch ‘em all!” approach to it. He is one of those who believes simply having your passport stamped in a country means you have been there because that’s what some travel group considers adequate. Last time I checked, there wasn’t a prize for seeing it all, but in typical trust fund form, he had a competition with his sister going and was giddy to have beaten her to Thailand and getting the leg up on her.
All of these people have travelled a great deal but they haven’t seen a thing. The beauty of getting out there in the world is opening yourself up to the unknown, experiencing something different and having it affect you personally. There are people who have never left their hometown and are more worldly than the most seasoned of jet setters because they go into each new day and new idea with a willingness to soak it all in.
If you have any inclination that you may be a boring individual (most do not), an exciting hobby like travelling will not make you interesting unless you can find a way to let it affect you without becoming obnoxious. Especially if you live abroad in Berlin apartments or teaching English in Asia, use your free time to adventure out of your apartment! Telling everyone how awesome you are because of your adventures isn’t a good place to start, but listening sure is. Maybe you’ll get some insight into what to do or not to do by bearing witness to the gaffes of others.
Margyle and Hogga do not 100% agree on this topic, click here to read Hogga’s view.
29 Comments
I can definitely relate to this sentiment. I know a lot of people who just collect passport stamps. I had the misfortune of hosting one of these douchebags, a friend of a friend who I was too nice to and offered my couch to. He was a moron who didnt want see the country, he just wanted to post a photo on his FB wall saying IN BUENOS AIRES! He also counted countries he had literally driven straight through as somewhere he had been in Europe. Cool, with that logic, I have been to most of the countries in South America because I flew over them.
you’re silly
Sure, being abroad doesn’t make you a traveler. I work on a cruise ship and that’s a prime example. People will get off the ship just to use Internet and then come back. Having said that just because someone takes lots of pictures and does all the “touristy” things doesn’t necessarily make them a more interesting person.
Travel is a personal thing in the end. For some people it’s enough to just be there. For others they have to take lots of pictures. For me, I don’t feel I’ve traveled somewhere until I’ve made friends with the locals.
Sometimes I leave my camera back at the hostel so that I can enjoy myself without feeling the need to take pictures all the time.
yes, that is exactly right! 😀
I know! I think the part with this ‘wrong’ type of traveling is that these people are trying to prove they are winning at something that isn’t a competition. It’s all about getting out there and having a good time, not about rubbing other people’s noses in it. The flip side are those who have opportunity and squander it. Maybe it’s out of fear or being overwhelmed – if it is, try something! Just don’t be douchey about it.
There is no wrong way of travelling!
That’s Hogga’s opinion lol
Maybe there isn’t a right or wrong way to travel, but you could also say that it doesn’t matter what your carbon footprint is. From here on in any further comment could be construed as judgemental. Let’s say it matters how I travel, but that does not make me a better person and I’m definitely not interesting.
See? He gets it lol
Amen, sister. I feel like every time I check into a new hostel I meet one of these guys. (Yeah, I said guys – in my experience, it has been mostly men, but I am also a little bit reverse- sexist 🙂 ) First, they want to have the “Where have you been/Where are you going conversation?” but they usually don’t even let you finish before they start talking about how they have been to so many more places than you! An equally annoying variation of this is the miserable traveler. I have met a few people who seem to hate everywhere they visit! They seem to spend most of their trip complaining about how annoyed they are that no one speaks English or that they are missing a rugby game or that they can’t find Mexican food in Sicily.
I think there is a distinction to be made between a tourist and a traveler. A tourist shows up some place. A traveler genuinely cares about exploring that place, and getting to know the people and the culture. A tourist snaps pictures. A traveler tries to capture the beauty and uniqueness of a place.
I’ll add a third – a wanderer, one who just goes where the wind takes them and you may never run into them again. Wouldn’t want to gather any moss, I guess.
I know what you mean about the ‘one-uppers’. A lot of guys use this to try to sound impressive, because you know, who isn’t impressed by someone who tells you you’re inferior. As for the complainers… I’ve got no time for them. They exhaust me.
Agree with you 99% Devon. Especially the folks who ask the ‘where have you been question’ and clearly only want to boast. Only thing I’d challenge is your distinction of tourist and traveller. What you’ve differentiated is good tourist versus bad tourist. We’re all tourists when we go visit someplace else, however deeply we go and explore. If in doubt about our tourist/traveller status, just ask the locals.
I ask people where they have been, mostly because I’m interested in hearing about places close by and what travelers actually think of them (rather than going by the guide book).
AH, the ole “where have you been” or I like “which country was your favorite” even better!! I get it- you’ve traveled a lot but so have so many other people too. I think travel is very important, and for me, has helped shaped the person I am today… but that doesn’t mean I’m better than anyone else because they have equally as important life experiences that I might not have.
I hear ya… Having a conversation where you com
Yeah it’s bad. I like comparing notes with people so long as its a dialogue and not a launching point for a show off.
I agree. When it’s show off time for them, I like to put em in their place.
When I get the “where have you been?” I usually just say- ‘a few places’ and wait for them to tell me all about their travels.
When I get the ‘favorite place’ question, I either say ‘I love them all’ or, if they look or sound conservative and easily shocked, I say Amsterdam, and watch the word hang there like the smoke drifting out of one of Amsterdam’s notorious hangouts.
Totally agree, The worst are the Hostel Huggers, who just get a passport stamp, run to the nearest hostel bar then just wait for the flight out while chatting up other tourists. Totally agree with Jade, when I get home I try to change the conversation to what my friends have been up to, they are more interesting to me than yakking on about where I’ve been.
Margyle,
Screw the tourists! (Hey don’t get me wrong I like to meet another traveler from time to time but).
When I see a 350 lb American hillbilly walking through the streets of Singapore with his 300 lb wife next to him, with there tourist shirts, camera around there necks, and cornbilled hats on, I just have to ask myself a question.
What the F*** are they doing here???? (sorry)
But I did laugh my ass off.
Always a traveler, never a tourist!
I agree. I travel, and I’m pretty damn boring.
Same here. Minus all the crazy things I do!
Oh no! are there really these folks out there that call themselves travelers? They sound awful. They sound as if they know it all about travel. I was thinking about doing some travel myself, but think I’ll stay in my room watching the Simpsons and Family Guy. Travel can’t be much fun if you have to take it that seriously. 😉
I have to admit I can actually be a little boring at home. When I travel, I go non stop wearing myself out because I want to see stuff. However, this doesn’t make me the most exciting person in the world and I will admit that. However, I have to say I agree with your perspective a little more than I do Lindsay’s. Granted, with her latest post, she may be changing her tune a bit as well 🙂
Oh I’m hella boring at home and I’m fine with that. I like my quiet time and there are a select group of people I enjoy traveling with because, like you, I go balls out when I’m abroad and they just want to chill out. You can chill out at home, for free. I have x amount of time and y amount of money – so don’t screw with my algebra.
Thank you. If you tolerate everything you can never critique anything. Sometimes I feel as though I’m a minority in my stance on things.
Another great post!
I will never understand the braggarts and/or the people who could care less about getting to know the heart of
a country.
The best part of traveling is heading out into the unknown and exploring strange new worlds. Staying in a hut for a week with a bucket of cold water for your shower…being away from cell phones and the internet.
Getting lost and asking a local (who doesn’t speak your language) for help.
But really, just getting out there.
Too true. Once I get out there I get a little scared and want to go back, but that usually lets me know that I’m having a good time and making a great memory. I’m not so naive as to think I’m going to experience the ‘true’ place in the limited time I’m there (regardless of length), because I can’t even do that in my own country! But I will try to at least get out of my bubble and imagine life from their perspective and let that inform my own. That is what I get out of traveling.
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