When I was going on my choir trip to Hungary, Austria, and Germany it was highly advisable to stay in a group and pay attention to the tours. We also had the option to leave the tour and visit stores of the local areas. I found that the tours were useful in summing up the general idea of the city, but I was always more curious about what the local people were doing.
Sticking to the tours or a large group never allowed me to dig down closer to the cultural epicenter. To my surprise, once I got to talking to local people, I learned they often have the same desires and complaints in their country as we do in our own country. Unappreciative kids, snooty customers, and water bills, to name a few.
My takeaway: visiting places beyond mainstream tour sites may help visitors gain a more authentic experience.
Here are seven steps to making your experience more authentic.
Step #1. Learn the language
Learning the language, as in the previous post How Learning the Language of the Country You Are Visiting Can Give You A More Fulfilling Experience, gets you connected to your surroundings more easily. It also tells the locals that you speak with that you respect their culture. You will also be more likely to find local restaurants that aren’t overwhelmed with hundreds of people.
Step #2. Talk with as many local people as possible, and make friends
I understand that some of us aren’t outgoing sorts, but it’s worth the effort to reach out. While in Austria, we visited with a man who owned a tiny cheese shop. By talking to the man in the cheese shop we discovered a variety of European cheeses, heard the story of the man’s life, and where he has traveled. When you make friends with locals, you are more likely to learn the places where they go regularly, or places that are hidden beyond the popular tourist sites.
Step #3. Deviate from the group
It may be scary. But if you are old enough, have a map, and are brave enough to rough it on your own, then you may gain the benefits of looking at what you want to look at and going where you want to go. Because I deviated away from the group a bit, I got to see many more things.
Step 4# Research your destinations before your trip begins
It helps to know a little bit of the culture, food, history, and prominent buildings of the area that you are visiting. Doing so allows you to be more familiar with what the tour guides are saying. Advance research can also give you an idea of what you want to taste and see when you do deviate from the group.
Step #5. Explore and don’t be afraid to get lost
Usually the most memorable and cherished experiences happen when you happen upon places that you did not expect to find. Have faith that you will always be able to find your way back through pointing to a map and thanking lots of people on the way.
Step #6. Eat what the locals eat
When you take Step #2 seriously, you can see what the locals commonly love to eat, and how they eat. In Germany, it is considered rude to put your hands below the table. However, when I attended an African wedding recenlty, no one put their hands on the table. Not one single person.
When visiting a foreign place, I would recommend tasting everything. You never know what may be your new favorite meal.
Step #7. Have a list of questions about why the locals do the things they do
Having a list of questions in mind will allow some of those cultural differences be more understandable. “Why do you charge so much for water?” “Why do you keep your hands above the table?” “What is this squishy potato thing?”
The main thing to keep in mind while trying to gain a more authentic experience is to be curious, and seek the opportunities around you as if you lived there yourself and were trying to become more accustomed to the city. Though you may only have a day in a given location, nothing is really stopping you from trying to experience the culture, no matter how brief the visit.
What’s your advice to making travel experiences more authentic?
This post is written by Megan Bryde, a forever student of the world while also finishing up her bachelors in English at Truman State University this semester.
Involved in too many activities, she sings as loud as she can, writes, cooks, bakes, and drinks a lot of coffee. Check out her blog and linkedin page to see more about what she does.
Megan is currently completing an internship with VentureTime Travel and aspires to be teaching English someday.
If you enjoy interesting facts about far-flung destinations, check out these other Fun Facts posts: