My Rant about Traveling with Privilege

Don’t be these travelers, please:

This is more like a rant than anything else but I really felt obligated to write this down. I am not telling you how to travel but I am reflecting on my experience and my personal feelings in the situations here. Feel free to travel however you want, my goal is to travel with a respect for culture and people and I stand by that in knowing that my actions will speak louder than words, but that my words are also just as dangerous and powerful. I have three examples I would like to address:

First of all: I believe it is always important to remember when you are traveling, whether that is one street over or the other side of the world you are a guest, a visitor, and while you may not agree with all of the ways of a culture, it is not always yours to oppose. And make sure to take that statement with some common sense, I am not saying you should things that make you uncomfortable, are dangerous, or would be disrespectful to you or others. But, as a traveler I can say there is nothing more hurtful than walking into a room where someone is ripping apart your nationality, gender, culture or religious affiliation. It is hurtful, and it is unnecessary. Please, ask questions, don’t make assumptions. We are all humans and we all deserve respect from one another. So when you are on the bus with your friends don’t go on a rant about how much you hate “Americans” (*insert any classification of human or being really), and how we are all terrible people who are fat, lazy, and can’t do anything right. This is especially true when you don’t know where everyone in your proximity is from and you're in a public place. And don’t continue to discuss how every country you have been to in your last 9 months traveling abroad has been disappointing because you only know how to exercise your privilege and judgments. The coolest part about your trip to Fiji was the fact that everyone thought you were a princess because you're skin is white? This is not something that should be the highlight of your trip. If you are a traveler who constantly finds the worst in every place and person you visit you will never enjoy your experience, and I feel great sadness for you. Take some time to understand the culture you are walking into and learn to identify with it. Traveling should not be about the most Instagram likes and pins on the map. Travel with purpose.

Secondly: As a feminist, I can not stand here and state that I am ok with the fact that women’s bodies are so sexualized that as a whole the world still pressures and targets us to cover our bodies to “repress the male ego”. We are pieces of meat or trophies for anyone’s arm. Please don’t treat us as so, and women don’t treat yourself as so either. That being said, when you are visiting a modest culture, I don’t care what parts you have, out of respect for the people there, cover them. It is for your own safety and welfare as well as respect for an entire body of people whose home you are a guest in. Like many around the world, SE Asia is a modest culture. I understand it is hot, humid, and there is a lot of sun, but I felt uncomfortable when I wore what I would wear in the States, and I was uncomfortable when others were dressed less than modest as well. There is a time and a place to walk around without your shirt on and with jean cut offs, unfortunately it’s not at the temples and in places of religious significance and no, no one will stand up for you when you are told you can not enter because of it.

Thirdly: Respecting space. I know there is major lack of this when traveling and for the most part I am ok with that. For those who do not have much experience in hostels there are typically two to three different types of rooms; private, dorm style mixed and dorm style single sex. In Chiang Mai I opted for the girls only dorm. The single sex dorms have around 8 beds and are divided for those who identify as women in the women only and men in the men only. No exceptions. The hard thing about dorms is that people are all on different time schedules, some people get up early and some stay out late so be prepared for that. (It is not that bad I promise, but I do recommend earplugs and a sleeping mask for light sleepers.) However this rant is directed to the girl in my bottom bunk. Don’t be that girl. That girl who brings a male into the female dorm in the middle of the night without anyone’s permission and loudly makes out with him until she wants to get it on and shake the bunk bed. You might have a curtain around the bed but I was not happy, and I do not feel bad about embarrassing you in front of the other six girls when I called you out on it. I am all for you getting your self some good times but don’t do it here. The single sex dorms are meant to provide safety and security to those who choose to reside in them, by breaking this rule you are putting others at risk. Have respect for your fellow companions.

“Gratitude turns what we have into ENOUGH.” – Buddha