An open discussion that sounds like a question? Why do you travel?

[Deleted member 29185]

OK ... Please indulge me. I got to thinking about racism. Not a great way to start a thread, nor address an issue, for sure, but I wondered why many people love travelling, but many of the same people love to criticise the destinations and the people from those destinations ... especially if they land here?

On this very forum, I've read quips about "those people from xyz nation" and how they disgrace their fellow travellers by being slow in a queue or a little befuddled by the process. We in Australia, also seem to occasionally sneer at both our traditional custodians and our newly minted Australians, yet I'd wager most of our population originate abroad.

Why?

Why do we love to travel and experience markedly different cultures, yet despise it so vehemently when those very people arrive here for residence? I have an idea. An idea that we don't appreciate change in our own neck of the woods, but we do appreciate difference abroad. This not only happens abroad. As a QLDer, I can honestly say I hate the Mexicans coming up here for a lifestyle change and then demanding we change our QLD lifestyle to a more "Mexican" feel, just to suit them ... like changing to daylight savings as a single example!

I ask this question in all honesty. Do we travel to experience difference, or do we travel to impose our sense of "culture and upbringing" on others?

It is a genuine discussion point, which I have no doubt the vast majority of AFFers will respond to tactfully ... but truthfully.

 

[Geegeela]

Well just to name a few, I don’t want malaria mosquitoes,fire ants, hedgehogs, hyenas, grizzly bears and red squirrels to move here but I get a huge amount of pleasure visiting their native home lands.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Well just to name a few, I don’t want malaria mosquitoes,fire ants, hedgehogs, hyenas, grizzly bears and red squirrels to move here but I get a huge amount of pleasure visiting their native home lands.

Fair cop, but I was referring to people. Healthy people. How 'bout them thar?

 

[NZflygirl]

I went to Spain and Portugal with a mate - a trip based around the tomato festival. Saw Gaudi's work, went to Montserrat and read letters from real people with their hopes and prayers all laid out and marvelled at the strength of their beliefs.

Went to India for sport and straight out of the airport was surrounded by beggars and a massive slum area. People knocking on the cab window with missing limbs etc. Good slap of reality and if I whinge about anything at home am reminded of those scenes and the lives those people were born into.

Went to Cambodia to see the worlds largest temple Angkor Wat. Landed in Phnom Penh and discovered the killing fields where you get to see real clothing coming up through the ground and the pits where people were killed because some a**hole decided he wanted to start from generation zero despite studying abroad. (I thought that might have broadened ones mind!).

Travelled to the Maldives to see a friend transferred there for work so stayed mainly on Male. Ended up learning more about culture etc and staying covered up despite the searing heat! There were certainly tourists to Male that didn't observe the cultural norms.

Did some study in the US. Came home and looked at kiwi's through a different set of eyes.

Travel to Oz for work stuff. Learned there was more to Oz than BNE MEL & SYD. Perth is my fave. I used to think Australia was not so picturesque but I've since been proven wrong multiple times and discovered some real gems and I know there's still more. Still learning how to tackle the Aussies but...... y'know every day is a day at school!

I don't think I've ever travelled to a place to observe people and their culture. I'm usually going for other reasons (or these days because I've been suckered in by a pretty pic!). The whole people, culture etc is just part and parcel of travel and yet another learning experience. I'm not there to judge. I may make comparisons only because I've had other experiences so weigh up pros and cons (as nothing is perfect). Being a kiwi I have made comment about daylight savings also in QLD and the reply was something about the timing of milking cows and...something else I can't recall but basically just things I hadn't considered. Like I say - pro's and cons to everything. If you don't discuss differences between places and people then you never learn someone else's perspective and are at risk of being ignorant.