R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Take care, TCB!

Why am I quoting a 1960s Arethra Franklin hit? Because respect is (or at least should be) at the core of everything we do – especially when traveling.

Now, when I talk about respect, I of course mean respect for other people, but that’s not where it ends. Respect when traveling in a different country has a variety of meanings:

• respect for the people who live there, their space, and their property
• respect for the hospitality and tourism workers
• respect for the customs and traditions of that place
• respect for the animals and wildlife
• respect for the culture and its rules
• respect for the environment

That’s a lot more than just being polite, isn’t it? It’s easy to forget this when we are lost, tired, and trying to navigate ourselves around a foreign place in a language we don’t understand. Being tired, however, or not knowing the rules, still aren’t great excuses for turning into the tourists that people go home and complain about to their families over dinner.

Do your research!

The best way to maintain all aspects of respect that I mentioned above is by doing your research. Things to look into before travelling to a new place:

• how to dress, particularly for any activities, churches, or monuments you may want to visit
• how to properly greet and say goodbye; how to say please and thankyou
• customs surrounding meals and mealtime
• proper and improper hand gestures
• tourism companies and activities practices – make sure that they are, in fact, as sustainable and ethical as they claim to be

As visitors to another place, we must realize that there are things that are done differently around the world that might seem strange or rude to us. There are also customs that we may think are unfair but that are part of the tradition of that place.

For example, you cannot enter Japanese Onsen, public baths, if you have tattoos. There is no point in getting upset by it, it is just part of the culture. So if you have a tattoo, don’t plan on visiting the baths.

So remember, when travelling:

• Don’t litter!
• Dress appropriately.
• Treat people, animals, and communities properly.
• Research the country, city, tourism company and attraction before going.

Happy travels!