When we travel to or live in another
country, what are our responsibilities in that country? What should
we do so as to not be seen as “just another tourist” or a
“disgruntled resident”? This is a topic that comes up more often
than you might think, amongst tourists, expats, and homebodies alike.
I actually had a short discussion about this in a taxi in Sydney, of
all places. Unlike most of my taxi rides in Korea which consist of
broken English mixed with the Korean I know for conversations, this
one was all in English. My taxi driver asked me where I was from,
and I explained that in a roundabout kind of way, I was on vacation
from teaching English in Korea but was an American. He himself
wasn't a native-born Australian, so he could relate to being from
another country.
I told him I was happy to have a
conversation in English considering I had very little English
conversation in taxis in Korea. He asked about my Korean skills,
which I was a little embarrassed to admit that after all my study,
wasn't as fluent as I'd like. I explained that as an English teacher
I didn't get to use much Korean except for when I interacted with
Koreans outside of school. Even then, they were more than eager to
try and use what little English they knew, which then made speaking
Korean a moot point. My English-speaking Korean friends love to chat
with me in English, because it gives them more practice. But when I
ask them to practice Korean with me, a few of them hesitate because
they think it will cause them to lose what English they know. It's
an honest hesitation, but in the end there doesn't seem to be any
progress.
What came out of the discussion I had
with the taxi driver was this: it's okay for someone to not be
fluent in the language of the country they are visiting/living in as
long as they know enough of the language not to be linguistically
ignorant. What that boils down to is, that a person should take it
upon himself/herself to learn basic words in the language of that
country, enough to get by for the duration of the visit or stay.
Greetings/farewells, numbers/money, questions, directions,
locations/transportation, food/drinks should be a good start when
traveling. If you're planning on a longer stay, then you can adjust
your language learning to include more in-depth conversation topics
such as your age, nationality, family life, schooling, weather,
sports, news, interests, or whatever you find appropriate.
I can agree that knowing at least a few
words in your chosen destination's language goes a long way to
impressing and winning over the locals. If you go into a country
demanding (whether verbally or physically) that that country's people
should speak in your own language, then you won't win a lot of
friends or fans. Additionally, you will probably contribute to the
mindset held by some that outsiders are ignorant, rude, and shouldn't
be helped in any circumstance due to attitude. It's sad but it
happens. I've met a few people in my time in Korea who thought that
every conflict could be resolved by shouting in English at Koreans,
hoping that the louder they got, the easier it would be to be
understood. The only response that invokes is Koreans either
ignoring them altogether or yelling angrily back in Korean. Nobody
wins here.
If you're not sure about how to say
something in a language, don't hesitate to ask questions or consult a
guidebook (first rule of traveling, have some kind of guidebook
either in paper or electronic form to refer back to!). Sometimes
even the most seasoned travelers might have to resort to charades to
insinuate what they'd like. I've definitely had to pantomime a few
times when my Korean vocabulary failed me, and despite the strange
looks it garners, it usually works. I also keep a dictionary handy
on my phone to consult if all else fails.
Being a good traveler or resident of a
foreign country isn't just limited to knowing the language. It also
extends to knowing about the culture of the place you're going to,
especially when the culture is vastly different than your own. The
last thing you want to do is commit a cultural faux pas, right?
Many people may know a big difference
between Western and Asian culture is social hierarchy, and how each
person plays a part in it. In Korea, for example, males were
traditionally seen as more important than women, and that belief is
still present today. Time and other cultures' influences have
weakened some practices of Asian culture, but many still hold
steadfast. Age plays a big part of Asian culture, with elders
regarded in the highest for their wisdom and experience. This
behavior is changing in today's society, as well, with many younger
generations growing out of old traditions. Where it was once
commonplace to give up one's seat to an older Korean, I've noticed
many younger Koreans denying (or ignoring) this behavior.
For some foreigners, these behaviors
might be difficult to understand, or seem outdated given social rules
in their own countries. This mindset leads these foreigners to
ignore Korean social rules, or think that they don't apply to them
since they're not Korean. I will admit that sometimes I have not
been a very gracious resident of Korea and let these ideas pass me
by, just because I had a lazy attitude at that moment. As I spend
more time in Korea, I try hard to be more conscious of what happens
around me, and practice better social behavior.
Why do I do this? The main reason is I
want to show Koreans that I am knowledgeable of their culture and
that I respect traditions that were in place long before I was even
in existence. In the same token, there are traditions I keep from my
upbringing that I would hope others would respect and not trample on.
In my opinion, mutual respect of culture can go a long way.
By and large foreigners are not
expected to participate in Asian cultural behaviors, but it sure
helps when they do. In Korea, foreigners are often painted in a bad
light for their “rowdy” behavior, and depicted unpleasantly in
the media by Koreans who have vindictive attitudes towards them. But
not all foreigners in Korea are like the ones that you read/hear
about in the news.
In the broader scheme of things, the
majority of foreigners just want to live their lives in another
country without being singled out. Similarly, foreigners who choose
to embrace all or part of the lifestyle of their host country would
like to be able to do so without spectacle. It all goes back to a
mutual respect of culture.
Finally, if you are going to travel or
live in another country, bring an open mind. Learn a little about
where you're going so you're not diving into something sight unseen.
I've met a few people in Korea who didn't research anything before
they arrived. Let's just say they were quite surprised by what they
found when they got here—and not all pleasantly so. These folks
that I met expected Korea to be either similar to what they were used
to back home, or a third-world country that had no modern
conveniences to speak of. It is really quite the contrary, but
without research (even a simple search on Google), how are you going
to know? With the Internet at our fingertips, we can find a wealth
of information online about almost anything we want to know. And
with technology becoming more and more portable, we can take this
information with us on the road for easier access. There are even
applications for our smartphones that can condense this information
into a convenient little package.
Don't be afraid to try new things, even
if they seem a little weird or strange. Oftentimes, these are the
best experiences; ones you can't replicate the same ever again but
will never forget. Having an open mind goes a long way in learning
more about the country you're in, as well as its people. I bet more
people will be happy to help if shown this bit of courtesy.
A new country might not have all the
creature comforts of home, but how important are they? Could you
live without, or find a possible substitute? Part of the exciting
feeling of traveling is trying new foods, seeing new sights,
participating in new activities—what you can't do back home. After
all, if you need all those familiar things to be happy, why leave
home in the first place?
What do you think are the
responsibilities of being a traveler or resident in a foreign
country? What would you add? I welcome your feedback!
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