When traveling anywhere in the world, it’s always important to be respectful, no matter where you are and with whom you’re traveling. It makes no difference if you’re on a bus heading into town, a train heading to another state, or a plane heading to another country. Show respect to your fellow travelers. If they need help, assist them. And there is nothing wrong with giving up your seat on a bus or a train, if someone older has problems standing.
Trains – planes – and automobiles!
One thing about travel is that it normally involves hundreds and thousands of people, all with one thing on their mind – to get to their destination in the quickest possible way! This is true, but it shouldn’t be a battle. If you have to line up for a ticket, do it.
Respect the people who arrived at the ticket office before you. In some countries this is hard to comprehend, and it’s every man or woman for themselves. But no matter where you’re from, you must respect the rules of the country you are in now.
Don’t bring your preconceptions into the new country that is very kindly playing host to you during your travels. On public transportation, such as trains, planes, and buses, remember you are not alone in your own personal car where you might be able to play loud music. Try to remember that other people are also traveling alongside you, so try to keep it down and don’t do things that can disrupt or annoy them. That’s how to be a respectful traveler – remember others and their needs, instead of focusing on what you want to do all the time.
Traveling in a different country
This is a big one. So many people just think they can breeze from one country to the next and behave in exactly the same way as they do in their own country. Wake up traveler, and understand that all countries are different.
The way things work in your country might be, according to you, superior to the ways of another country. But guess what? The country that has let you in, for a short stay or even to live, doesn’t care about that. The people you might voice your concerns to will only be thinking one thing: if your country is so great, go back there.
If you are abroad, one of the biggest rules is to accept the culture and respect the way it is. Follow this, and you will be accepted and enjoy your foreign travels far more. While on the subject of different countries, always try to stay away from politics or royalty when you are traveling the world. In some countries, jokes about these subjects might be acceptable. But there are places where these jokes don’t go down very well, and you could end up being locked away in a concrete cell.
Being a respectful traveler doesn’t take too much effort, and might just help you enjoy your journey in a far better way.
