My dirty little travel secret
I’ve been harboring a dirty little secret from the travel blogging community, from the #RTWsoon-ers and the #RTWnow-ers. Maybe because I think they’ll judge me, maybe because I think someday I’ll change my mind. But it’s true: I don’t really want to travel around the world.
It’s not as bad as it sounds, I promise. I love to travel, but I have my limits. Traveling non-stop for six months, a year, forever? With only what I can carry on my back? Constantly in hostels, hotels, other people’s homes? In places where I don’t know the language—and it’s not a romance language I can piece together? The burnout of non-stop travel is unavoidable.
Instead, I prefer to dive deep into a culture. True, the only culture I’ve “dove” into so far is that of France. However, I dream of calling Argentina, South Africa, Australia my home—if only for six months, a year or perhaps longer.
I like having a “home,” even if it’s not necessarily mine. Perhaps it’s because I thrive on routine and when you’re on the road, every day is completely different. Here are my favorite parts of being an expat, rather than just a tourist.
Make unlikely friends: When you stay in one place, you can frequent the same vendors until they begin to recognize you. I always try to be extremely polite and friendly, so that they become my “allies.” They’re more apt to be helpful if I need to ask questions or solicit a suggestion. Their recommendations are a great way to try new things. I’m already trying to befriend the owners of the local cheese shop, fresh pasta store and bakery.
Learn to cook local cuisine: I have a love/hate relationship with restaurants. I love the food, but I hate the prices and I hate the lurking extra calories. One thing I love about having a home is having a kitchen, allowing me to pick and choose when I want to splurge on a dinner out. I love exploring markets, finding products unique to a region and asking how to prepare them. I just bought a cookbook, to help with my vocabulary in the kitchen and to encourage me to try French-specific products.
Sound like a native: Learning a new language is H-A-R-D. Or should I say, D-I-F-F-I-C-I-L-E. However, immersion works wonders. There’s literally nowhere to go but up. I have no choice but to talk to vendors, interpret signs and menus, watch movies—all in French! You learn an insane amount of vocabulary, most of which you would never think to ask about in a class. Plus, having an entire six months here motivates me to learn more and do better: it’s not like I’m just in Italy for a few days and can get away with only knowing the very basics.
No mistakes! The best part about staying in a new city for an extended period of time? You’re never making mistakes, you’re just learning for next time. I took the wrong bus stop a few days ago, and watched as we drove past my building, sat in traffic and got let off a few blocks past. If I only had a few days in city, things like that would frustrate the heck out of me. Wasted time! Running late! More to walk! But now, I just tell myself that I’ve learned something new and I won’t make the same mistake again.
I admit that doing a round-the-world trip is a completely different experience than being an expat. However, I think I’ll stick to expat life—or slow travel, at the very least. I enjoy being able to soak up a culture and learn its nuances without feeling rushed. As I learned from my five-week backpacking trek through Europe, three days is just enough to see the sites, taste the food and take a snapshot of the city. Settling in gives you the behind-the-scenes look, the panorama, the true identity of a city.
