Better citizen of the world

We have quite often heard the term, “better citizen of the world”, which has been translated in various ways by various people.

It is commonly associated with humanitarianism i.e. concerned for the promotion of human welfare in its various aspects. Be it the understanding and appreciation of cultures, languages, ethnic groups, education or health.

Well, how does one become a “better citizen of the world” whilst travelling? Whether for a short term or long term, meaning that we would like to build bridges between the two worlds that of the visitor and that of the visited.

There is no doubt that the travel and tourism industry is service-orientated. You pay a certain sum and get certain services, unless ofcourse unforeseen circumstances come in the way.

To promote better travel, conscious consumers can now contribute towards better citizenship of the world in the course of their travel. Travel firms have integrated special ways achieving it with special programs or schemes such as the CO2 emission where one pays an additional fee to assist lower the environmental impact and thus ideally reduce the carbon footprint.

Others offer travel advice to educate the traveller on what is appropriate to do when travelling in a foreign country; the World Travel Organization (WTO) has published generic travel guidelines to steer travellers through the relevant do’s and donts.

Are there possibly other means of becoming a “better citizen of the world”, one might rightly wonder.  There are now countless methods towards becoming a more conscious consumer that could imply the notion of a “better citizen of the world”.

Nowadays, the most common practice amongst youth especially, is volunteering whilst travelling, to use a more contemporary term: voluntourism.

It has become a well-known practice for college and even university students worldwide to engage in volunteering work whilst travelling. In fact this is probably the most sought after experience. Not only does it boost one’s self confidence but it also offers an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the world as well adding a plus point in one’s CV, though most significantly it helps fulfill the yearning for “doing something good”.

There are hundreds of organizations that offer these experiences, but one must choose with care. Some volunteering holidays have been known to go terribly wrong.

As much as one needs time for choosing the perfect holiday destination, one must equally spend as much time choosing the “right” volunteering. As a rule of thumb, we must all garner as much information about the host country as we possibly can prior to setting off.

Some might argue that voluntourism goes hand in hand with tourism sustainability because it contributes to positive development. This can have a significant level of economic and social benefits to the host country, provided the volunteers are qualified and will some way benefit the local communities.

To no one’s surprise, the island of Unguja has also jumped on the voluntourism bandwagon, though this is still at its infancy. As a person who strives to become a conscious consumer, I would urge travellers to embark on a volunteering spree when visiting the islands of Zanzibar.

One of the on-going volunteering projects in Zanzibar that has blended leisure with volunteering, is The Panje Project located on the North coast, in the fishing village of Nungwi. The project is the brain child of locals themselves, their aim is to raise the educational level of the youth whilst fostering a better understanding between them and their visitors, in the name of “tourism for all”.

We can all play our part and strive in our own various ways to become better citizens of the world; by doing what little we can to promote better human welfare.  As conscious consumers, however, we should be aware of the possible impact of our travels, both positive and negative.

www.grassroots-traveller.com

When in Rome...

We tend to travel for various reasons. Some of us travel to distant lands out of pure curiosity, others to escape everyday stress, to acquire a good dosage of sunny spells, to tick off an additional country on our list of “countries to visit”, to satisfy our zest for learning about other parts of the world and so on.

Though in reality it might just be that we travel to escape our familiar surroundings. It can at times become daunting being in the same radius, seeing the same people, doing the same things a hundred times over.

It feels like our bodies and minds cry out for some change, for an eye opener or simply to recoup our internal energies – to break free from the cycle of routine and duty.

Travelling has its virtue of setting someone free.  Not having to constantly watch the time or even cook dinner, one can savour the freshness of the air, the warmth of the sand or the salt of the ocean.  Over these, our minds can dwell for hours on end and thank Heaven for the blessing.

To many of us it describes serenity.

Some of us, besides gaining some sanity, we would also enjoy becoming acquainted with where we have landed. We would yield to a spirit of adventure and explore our new surrounding, see what magic it has to offer. The more daring among us might grab the guidebook and make a dash for unknown sights and sounds.

No sooner do we step out of familiar surroundings than we suddenly find ourselves no longer at “home” but in some strange land with everything around us diverse, from the people we see to the air we breathe.

This can be quite overpowering, prompting us to want to cling on to the familiar, the home grown. Some of us might go to great lengths to even want things in the new environment to be fashioned our own way as things are back home, that is. Nostalgic through and through!

There is no harm in educating others on life in other parts of our planet.  Lets travel to foreign lands by all means. But we need to remember its not always going to be sun, sand and sea. There are countless other wonders too.

Hence, when we observe the changes for example the unfamiliar way men and women dress, let us pause for a moment and ponder the reason behind the difference.

Dress codes normally signify the particular norms of a place; they tend to reflect on the culture of the area.  As visitors in a foreign country we already stand out and can be spotted from a mile. Therefore, we would never blend in entirely though what we could do is try as much as we can to conform.

Learning about etiquette and distinctive ways of life prior to our overseas travels is also of great importance.  A simple gesture as to whether to receive an item using the right or left hand could affect the way one is perceived by the local habitants.

We are not expected to become completely acquainted with or behave as the locals though there are certain norms we should become familiar with in order to avoid subconsciously causing offense.

The age-old maxim: “When in Rome (do as the Romans)” is a sensible guideline to travellers abroad.

Thus, as much as we would like to bring our perceptions and preconceptions with us when we travel, it is wise, to quote the maxim, to do as the Romans, that is the locals.

www.grassroots-traveller.com

Home Destinations

How many of us can confidently say we know our home country? Meaning knowing it beyond its daily routine, its tax system, its medical care and the like. I mean knowing our country so well that we could “sell it” to any potential visitor – including ourselves.

It is quite common for most of us not to know much beyond what immediately surrounds our daily life and perhaps a few odd locations here and there. Some of us might not even know what is happening in our own backyards let alone what takes place an hours drive away.

One, ofcourse, cannot possibly know everything about ones country although there are things we all ought to know. If we live in countries teaming with visitors and tourism is a major revenue earner – we might be tempted to ask a few pertinent questions.

What specifically attracts visitors to our country? Who told them about us? What do they look for and do when they are here?

These are just some of the queries some of us might have at the sight of visitors walking up and down our streets and alleyways.

For many of us, foreign destinations have a special attraction. Be they the polar region, some vast desert, some tropical or wild jungle, locals seldom perceive their appeal, which is a pity.

It’s pretty likely the inhabitants of a place might under appreciate the “beauty” of their own home. Chances are they might be too engrossed in their humdrum daily routine or they could simply be oblivious of its charm. Lack of resources could also lead to under valuing what others travel miles upon miles to admire.

Travelling in our home countries can bring about better understanding of where we live as well as allowing people from different backgrounds to learn of each other’s ethnicity and heritage.

When we decide to take time off at home for what is known as “domestic tourism”, we would naturally spend a little and contribute somewhat to economic growth.

Promoting domestic tourism could have the trickle effect of promoting economic growth, optimal public return, employment opportunities, and enhance quality of life in the respective region or area.

Whether it is the fuel, food, accommodation or activities we purchase, it would trickle down to the pockets of the service providers at the destination, which is our home country.

This ofcourse also calls for the need for various relevant institutions to promote domestic tourism. Who does not know that international tourism is by its nature a seasonal industry with a downfall in visitors between low and peak seasons. Domestic tourism could certainly help keep the industry going till the next season.

As much as economic benefits seem to be the most obvious gains from any investment, enhancing quality of life is perhaps just as important. When one is provided with the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of their country of residence through tourism, it could bring forward long lasting positive effects.

There might be a greater appreciation for tourism when one understands what attracts visitors to their homelands. That in turn would assist in making the country a better destination for residents and international visitors that in essence creates a win-win situation for both sides of the industry.

Perhaps the greater objective of domestic tourism is for us to learn to appreciate our cultures, distinctive lifestyles and history with whom we share a common ground with, in addition to showcasing to visitors what we have to offer.

www.grassroots-traveller.com

Giving vs. Receiving

In this day and age we all work hard to make ends meet, dealing with daily responsibilities of balancing life and family as well as ensuring we also take time off for ourselves.  

Whether one is self-employed or works for a firm, we all cherish a relaxing day off or even a good chunk of days that we could perhaps use for a holiday. Some save up to embark on a short or long haul destination in search of tranquility.

Once at our destination, or rather at the start of the holiday we have saved up to enjoy, we expect value for our money.

Our holidaymakers would probably have held out to us the promise of a certain level of experience, filling our minds with anticipation. Though, what the holidaymakers at times fail to underscore is that every tourist destination is someone else’s home, more or less the one we left behind.

An average human being cherishes and values their home, their culture and traditions, and would expect a visitor to do the same, to some extent.

So, when we jump onto that plane, ferry or hop in a car bound for somewhere, where we can to take that well deserved time off, we are actually in another “man’s land”, where the bulk of the population slogs just as hard to make ends meet and at times even harder where they would also look forward to a day off; if cash permits.

It is therefore essential that we think of where we go and whom our holidaymaker is sending us to. Yes, the people we would meet would be our driver, receptionist, housekeeper, waiter, valet and so on – nonetheless they are the people of our holiday destination.

The people are always the ones who would leave an impression of the country visited. A country could have the best architecture, the most fascinating history, and breathtaking landscape, if however the people are cold and not hospitable, it would usually take a toll on the other attractions.

Therefore in exchange for our cash, we receive a service, yet, have we ever wondered as visitors that we could also give something back to the local communities we visit as our holiday destination?

Depending on where we travel there is probably going to be someone or some place that could do with a charitable hand.

Quite a few of us can spare some change or possibly buy some school supplies or even clothes that we could take with us and donate to the local school or orphanage where we would be visiting.

There is a famous but little known Swahili proverb:

“Mchamago hanyile, huenda akawiya papo ", meaning:

A traveller does not depart leaving a mess. He might one day return to the same destination.

This proverb has many meanings; one that I have found profound in my travels is to ensure that I leave a positive footprint wherever I go, and where possible.

Even if I might not be able to contribute towards material goods, I would ensure that I make the effort to at least be kind, polite and humble to the people who “serve” me during my stay with them.

That way, I can ensure that I can safely return one day as bridge builder of “two different worlds”, so they too would benefit from my presence.

Our hosts at our holiday destinations offer us hospitality in exchange for our money. Where we as travellers, can pay back in kindness for a well-deserved respite in their homelands.

After all, most of us the world over, work hard to make ends meet. It’s our common denominator!

www.grassroots-traveller.com