I love traveling around the world
learning all the different cultures. Traveling with the World Race is a lot
different than traveling the world on vacation. Most people who travel to
different culture aren’t able to truly experience a culture. Typically, they get
off a plane hop in their taxi; arrive at the hotel or for some the resort. They
travel the country going to the common tourist attractions, attend cultural events
like dancing rituals, visit museums to learn the history, and attend a native
buffet to try all the food in one sitting.
Living among the locals, however, is a
total different experience. Typically, before living among the locals we learn all
the cultural norms for the country, to limit the possibility of offending
someone. We learn what to do and what not to do. Some of these things may seem
strange, but in order to respect the culture you try your best to hold up to
the set standards unless they go against something you believe in, of course.
Often, in order to not offend someone you shake off everything you grew up with
and try your best to fully experience the culture that is in front of you.
Living in Asia the past three months I
have learned to:
– – Remove my shoes before entering a
house
– – Look for donation boxes in order
to go to the restrooms in public locations
– – Ask whether the markets are
barter markets or at price markets
– – Not show the bottom of my feet
(very disrespectable)
– – Build roofs, walls, and floors
with bamboo
– – Ask whether the water from the
faucet is drinkable or not
– – Not touch the top of children’s
head (the head is very sacred)
– – Love white rice (not really)
– – Love all the parts of a chicken
in my soup
– – Look for a comfort location
(typically the coffee shop)
– – Carry a roll of toilet paper at
all times
– – Interpret what is being said in a
language I can not understand
– – Eat the fat that’s on meat (its
regarded as a delicusee)
– – Use a squatee
