Being a considerate traveler is the latest discussion on social media.
We recently talked about the top faux pas that American Tourists make in Europe. This post, on the other hand, sheds light on how to properly behave as a traveler abroad.
The trend started by Jools Lebron on Tiktok, and she gave me the opportunity to expand on this topic to highlight the importance of being demure and mindful on a trip abroad.
This is for everybody in the whole world and doesn't address a particular group of people. It shall serve as a small reminder to us all.
The images shall impart a touch of humor to this topic.
Respect
Respect everyone equally. This might be the valet, the shopkeeper, the cleaner in the toilets, or the waiter at your table.
Everybody deserves to be respected and treated well. You are a guest in a country, and YOU want to be treated with courtesy in return.
You greet people, you talk to them in a respectful voice, you acknowledge them as people first.
You don't just fall over people, demanding instant attention. Instead, you wait for your turn, you are mindful of the other people around you, and you address everyone with the utmost respect.
Likewise, you don't just call out “Garçon,” and you certainly don't snap your fingers in the air calling for the waiter. That's not polite and a huge contemporary cringe-worthy no-no.
Finally, when we are in groups, we tend to behave like animals, which makes others uncomfortable, and it lacks humanity.
Be Polite
Don't throw your manners out of the window and forget your good behavior on your trip out of the country.
When you approach someone to ask for help, remain polite.
Start with “Excuse me, hello, or good day,” followed by “Do you speak English?”, and “Can you help me with xyx, PLEASE”.
Please keep in mind to say, “Excuse me,” and "Thank you."
Lower your Volume
In public abroad, be mindful of your conversational volume, and don't speak as loud as you would back home.
It doesn't matter whether you are visiting a loud country or a region where they speak lower volumes.
It's just common courtesy to the natives, and you certainly do not want to stand out and get noticed as a tourist or the dude talking about his house in the Hamptons.
You want to be perceived as a classy, delightful human being, and as a person of the world with impeccable conduct.
And please, do not sound like a pug. 🙂
Outfit & Looks
As Joosl Lebron stated in her video, “Only a little Chichi out, not my Chocho”.
Your attire in a foreign country needs to be more thought-through.
Outrageous and brazen outfits will just earn you confused looks. It will isolate you and perhaps even make you a target.
You might recall that we addressed the Italian church dress code etiquette. We all have the tendency to obey these rules in religious spaces but forget to implement them in a broader sense when we travel abroad.
In the summer months, the excuse is often that the heat is to blame. You can't just walk around without a shirt or in a bikini top in Bellagio Lake Como.
Again, you would rather not stand out. Instead, you want to look sharp, very demure, very cutesy, and mindful.
Local Etiquette
Before you head to your next destination, look up the place to get acquainted with the way of life and local customs there.
Do not make the assumption that the things in your home country apply to every other region in this world
Do not assume that English and your background are the norm everywhere else on this planet.
Avoid making others feel uncomfortable, or worse, do not just impose your culture from back home.
Instead, adapt to the local etiquette, be mindful of the cultural norms, their point of view, and their life perspective.
Because at the end of the day, you travel to explore and get to know other customs, and not to be remembered as the haughty, demeaning tourist that nobody liked.
Be mindful of your manners, be demure and low-key on your next trip overseas, and this also applies to a nude only Sauna in Germany.
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