Yes! You are excited when you arrive to a new destination. You might get lost and overwhelmed with all the new stimuli you encounter, but you should always be aware that there are some 'guidelines' when you travel. Nothing big or strict, it's just a way to ensure you are not just another irresponsible tourist only there for the instagram content. When you visit a place or country, you have to be aware of the culture as well as it's history. You have to be informed and aware, sensible and empathetic with the people you meet. You are a guest in someone else's country, so be on your best behavior. This will not only be greatly appreciated, but it's sure to only give way to good stories and experiences instead of traveling nightmares. Need help, well look no further because Alex Reynolds got you covered.
what to do? Alex is one of my personal favorite travel bloggers I have encountered. In this day and age where everything is for the 'clout' and for social media posts, Alex has a different outlook when it comes to travel. Her goal is "is to make people challenge stereotypes, travel more responsibly… and understand that yes, girls can travel anywhere." She likes to go where people often overlook, proving that everyplace has something to offer, beyond just pretty pictures. Her blogs are always beautifully written, giving you not only information but also narrating the stories of the people she encounters. One of my favorite posts she has done is this one, where she lists 27 ways to travel like a decent human being. She also has been to some pretty awesome places like Georgia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Colombia and Brazil. With her beautiful photographs, as well as tips on how to travel as a women she has been featured on CNN, Lonely Planet, Vice, Travel+Leisure etc. Check her out!!!
what not to do? Well just take note of the notorious youtuber Logan Paul. In 2018 he suffered (a well deserved, in my opinion) backlash for his insensitive content of publishing a video of an apparent suicide victim in a forest in Japan. Just plain right disrespectful and insensitive. This not only put him under fire but also youtube as a platform as well for allowing this kind of content, available to kids and people of all ages and situations.
So please, always be informed, sensitive and respectful. The rest will just come to you :)
- Veronica Arguello