Decency
You should cover yourself up when you see nobody else walking around in spaghetti tops and short skirts. It isn’t only a matter of safety, but also of decency. It shows that you know the country where you are, and that you follow their customs. You can easily carry a sarong or scarf, to quickly cover up bare shoulders.
Tipping
Each country has a different tipping culture. Be aware of this, so find out beforehand what it is in the country you are visiting. You don’t want to be cheap in countries where tips form a big part of the salaries. And you won’t want to tip in countries where it is considered an insult. Yes, there are countries like that! But in most countries it is appreciated to tip something extra.
Maaike: I once tried to tip in a restaurant in Thailand, where tipping is definitely appreciated. But when I tried, the waiter didn’t understand that I wanted to pay more than what was on the bill. I even wrote it on the bill, as: the total plus the tip, equals the amount I want to pay. In the end, the waiter still gave me my exact change. Then I just handed back what I wanted to tip to the waiter. It was a bit of effort, but I did tip!
Immerse in the local culture
It is great to meet other travelers, but if you can hang out with locals, even better! A lot of multi-day trekking trips have home stays, a great experience. You can ask locals where they like to eat and drink.
Maaike: I even had a personal guide in Vientiane (Laos), just a local who wanted to show me his country. We ended up spending the whole day together, great fun!
You can try the local specialties on the menu and maybe even the local drinks. It is great fun asking the lovely lady at that small restaurant in a Laotian village which daily specials she has prepared that day.
Local customs
In some countries you should not hand over money with your left hand. Or you should never touch a child’s head. In other countries you should never point your feet at a religious statue or at a person. There are different habits in different countries. You should respect these habits, and be aware of the different culture. You can inform yourself about the culture beforehand, so you’ll behave appropriately.
Maaike: My personal guide in Vientiane brought me over to his brother’s house, where his brother’s wife started cooking. Then she only filled my plate, and I had to eat as the only one. It was a very strange feeling to be the only one eating. But in Laos, the guest should be eating first. And only when the guest is done, the rest of the house hold is allowed eat. Strange? Yes, and I felt very self aware eating by myself while the family looks on. But I enjoyed the meal, and thanked the hostess for cooking for me in Lao (‘Khobchai’).
Stay alert
You can enjoy your travels, but be responsible, so please don’t do drugs. Sorry to sound like your Mom, but really it won’t be a cool adventure if you end up behind bars in the wrong country. And we don’t even name any of the other consequences from this behavior. It is not a good idea for you to get drunk in a place where nobody knows you. No one will take you home safely after all. You should only accept drinks from people when you see where the drink comes from. See for yourself that the bartender pours it and puts it in your hands.
Speak at least a few local words
You can learn a couple of words of the language spoken in the country you travel to. By saying hello and thank you in the native language, it shows respect and appreciation of their language and culture. And isn’t it fun for you to know a few foreign words? If you are planning to stay a bit longer in a country, maybe you can pick up a language course? From the basics to fully conversational, you can learn however much you want to say.
