http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanlookjr/2019/05/23/why-no-one-cares-about-your-travels/?utm_source=FACEBOOK&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269
Really interesting read. ? Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? ?
It is an opinion piece and despite one small study cited, it is anecdotal based entirely on one person’s experience. But he tends to be correct. I constantly hear from friends and family rooted to one place how lucky I am that I travel all the time for work—and I am fortunate, but it is still a job. Moreover, if you talk with someone who has not traveled much you can sense the jealousy in what they say and how they say it, so I say nothing around these people.
However, children absolutely LOVE hearing the stories for better or worse, but then again they have their entire adult life ahead of them.
I'd be interested in hearing about places people had lived rather than just visited. If they have just visited, I know they did the typical tourist things, which holds no interest for me. The culture of a place is what interests me, and you can only really understand that by living there.
Mmm. I disagree with someone just doing the tourist things. That is an assumption. I usually end up doing the non-tourist things because I know the people in the areas I go and they clue me in on hidden gems, where to stay etc. Besides, some of my most lucrative customers have their factories in the poorest neighborhoods so I am always seeing the less privileged which is definitely not touristy (except for those despicable poverty tours). I sometimes see them in their downtown offices and showrooms which can be a gleaming skyscraper suite overlooking everything.
There are differences between travel for pleasure and travel for work - some of us do both. One study regarding envy doesn't make a truism and I wouldn't treat it as such. While people who do travel may be willing to share and focus their travel experiences on destinations (whether work or pleasure), but I've written and shared narratives and stories in the last several years about the various people I meet in my travels. Seldom do I write or share where, and my personal opinion is that if someone had any interest whatsoever in going to these places, they'd do it - I don't need to be a salesman for destination travel.
What IS a truism on travel is the "When in Rome" rule. Wherever you go, you're a guest, and you get to figure out the rules of engagement. Their rules. Their social constructs. Their colloquial contexts. If you connect with someone, then there's an opportunity to share your experiences and background, but for the most part, they don't care who or where you're from. You're in their world, so be kind and considerate and lose the ego.
Absolutely on the when in Rome, and in reverse, it is why I do not volunteer my travels to anyone on my home turf unless they ask because that is their turf as well. I do understand the resistance by some people—if you sit down and say look at these pictures or I was in Costa Rica and listen to my adventures it can be a turn-off because it is YOUR story and if they want to truly partake they will ask.
I am actually more selective about relating stories of people I got to know or encountered in my travels because, well, their stories are more intimate than the story of a village or building or park. You can turn a person into an exhibit for your conversational pleasure and to me personally, that is as bad as the current “poverty tours” people are paying to go on in Africa, India and Brazil. Those tours are blatant illustrations of commercialization and exploitation.
@MissAdventurous, interesting article. My experience with travelling is I don't talk about a place unless someone in conversation brings the same place up. Then it's either shared experiences or future advice. On the other hand, for me , tell me everything about somewhere I haven't been. I'm interested!
How did it affect your life? Why this place? Did it bring about a change in your world view? How do you do things differently at home as a result? Was there romance, danger, fun? The best travel stories have to come to life and hold the listener or reader spellbound. Give me the drama, the more personal and revealing the better.
Interesting read, and good points.
Personally, I am cool to listen to others talk about virtually anything. As long as they are open to hear me, as well. I can learn a thing or two from their experiences even if I don't share them. Vice versa.
Now let me tell you all about my travels:
Just kidding. Though, a good while ago, I visited another city, and I did a little vlog talking about my experience. The vlog was pretty much for myself, to have something to look back to and remember. I didn't tell friends about it. I guess that's more or less the type of person I am. That said, I would recommend similar approach: writing about it, vlogging, etc. So, any and all interested can tune into it. Not just for travels though, pretty much any hobby others around you might not really share. Also, I recommend involving the people you care most about as much as possible. So, you have things to relate with, and share from each of your perspectives. ?