Traveling Mindfully

Traveling has made its way up to the top of the trendy self-care list, but with very good reason. As Mark Twain bluntly put it: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”  Traveling to worlds outside your own (near or far) opens up possibilities to different schools of thought. Diversifying your thoughts can lead to increased creativity, and greater empathy. I may be biased but the world can never get enough of each. Here are some tips for traveling mindfully, so you can get the most from your trip. You may notice that the common thread they share is promoting engagement. 

1. Learn some vocabulary. If you’re reading this page, chances are you are an English speaker, and know the prevalence of the language when abroad. That can sometimes spoil us, and rob us of a more authentic experience. Think about it, you’re going to a different country, expecting THEM to accommodate to YOU. If you learn some words and phrases, that indicates an effort and a respect to the country you’re in. Chances are you will butcher the pronunciation, and that’s OK! The effort allows for a more engaging experience and room to learn. The most BASIC terms you should learn before a foreign trip include:
   • Greetings (Formal): Hello / Good morning / Good Evening
   • Goodbyes (formal): Goodbye / See you later / Have a good “time of day”
   • How are you?
   • Where is?
   • How much?
2. Use your phone less. This technique should honestly be applied to everyday life- but that’s a different post. If you’re brave enough, do not purchase a data plan and just use the Wi-Fi when its available. If you are less dependent on technology, you are nudged to engage with others for assistance. Simply enough, ask for directions or recommendations. Yes, this requires vulnerability and directly challenges our western value of autonomy, but doing so leaves room for connection. It is important to say that every situation is different vulnerability should be practiced with evaluated caution. Make an informed decision while keeping yourself safe. 
3. Don’t plan too much and lower your expectations. We oftentimes have such high expectations for our trips, and rightfully so! We only have a certain amount of vacation days and its costing us X to go there. We’re supposed to have the best time, go to the yummiest spots, take the perfect Instagram pic… need I continue? But let’s be real, how often does that pan out? While a vacation can be used to step into a different experience away from your actual life, it does not take you out of the real world- and the real world is messy! Hiccups are okay and are expected. Letting go of these expectations gives room to focus on the authenticity the experience is teaching you.

Here are some of my favorite shots that I’ve taken from my travels. The trips that inspired me to travel mindfully.