Cultural Sensitivity When Traveling

REALITY-CHECK TIME:

Have you ever been frustrated because you couldn’t understand what someone was saying because of their accent?
Have you ever had the thought, “Why don’t they just learn English?”  
Have you ever wondered why someone from another culture believed a certain thing, or acted a certain way, or wore certain clothes?
Does it make you nervous when there are groups of people speaking a different language around you?
What comes to your mind if someone says they are Somalian? Mexican? Nigerian?  Where do those thoughts come from?
 
If you are like me, the answers to these questions might make you a bit uneasy.  This uneasiness is something to be mindful of when you travel abroad. In my opinion, I think that cultural tensions are ok.  The response to these various cultural experiences is what we need to be mindful of.

The fact that all over the world, there is a rainbow of cultures is a remarkable human phenomenon.  We are gifted with panoply of music, cuisine, clothing and language.  Just walk through your local museum and
admire the tapestries and artifacts and the beauty of human imagination.

Culture is a component of identity.  It is a fundamental human need to seek belonging to a group.  So if the group you belong to invented fireworks, or created one of the most ancient and accurate calendars, or formed the basis of western government, there is a certain pride factor at stake.  Part of cultural experience is owning the actions of your group.  Unfortunately, this also means an inability to escape some of the darker sides.  That’s the price of being able to identify with a culture.

With this background, here’s my advice on how to make the most of your cultural experience when you travel abroad with PLAY it Forward Adventures:

1. Communicate:
Does it frustrate you if someone can’t speak your language? Then try to take some lessons before you go.  Try to speak the language.  Don’t be afraid of sounding foolish or saying something wrong.  The humility it takes and willingness to try to communicate will be greatly appreciated by the people who live in the place you are visiting.  At the same time, if the circumstances require it, have a reliable guide who is fluent in the language to assist in a tricky situation.  PLAY it Forward trips all have guides who will be able to facilitate as translators.  At the end of the day, a simple smile can say a lot.

2. Have an open mind and just go for it!
Taste the food, wear the clothes, and listen to their music.  Don’t do everything your way, try it their way. Sure, you might not like all of it, but participating in a culture is the best way to connect. I’ll never forget sitting on a dirt floor, listening to the songs and stories of the village women, scented smoke filling the air.  Then I ground coffee on a stone tablet, the way it had been done for centuries, and in that moment, I had shared in their cultural experience in a way that was deeply personal and profound.

3. Be mindful:
Does a large group of foreigners intimidate you?  Well, that’s true for anyone.  Realize that most people are hesitant with a large group of strangers. Be friendly, and as long as it’s safe, interact on more intimate levels.  Humility and gratitude are universal languages that communicate very well.

 4. Focus on the individual
Stereotypes-Forget yours, but remember theirs.  A universal truth is in the inherent value of an individual and every person is unique and different. If you focus on the individual, and try to get the people you interact with to get to know you a little better, then you can be successful in transcending cultural stereotypes. It is a wonderful surprise when you realize that they’re just like you in spite of everything.

It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it.  It is because there is such strong cultural identity that the feeling of unity you will find will be so powerful.  To break through such thick walls is a very moving moment in a PLAY it Forward Adventure.

Nathan Worrell
PIF Sojourner, Guatemala

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