Travel Ethics

These are some principles that I aim to follow when exploring various cultures and places. I have made mistakes in each of these areas, so I compiled this list as a learning lesson. Maybe you can benefit from it too!

1. Check my ego at the door

   1. If I enter another person's home, I do not enter with entitlement. As a foreigner, I am obliged to be sensitive to cultural norms.

   2. If someone corrects me in my language or behavior, I thank them and ask more questions if needed. I do not insist that my way is the "right" way.

2. Respect the locals

   1. I try to learn the most common language of whichever location I visit, even if I get embarrassed or nervous sometimes. It helps to surround yourself with people speaking the dialect.

   2. I volunteer or find community engagement in order to connect with people and give back to the community I am impacting.

   3. I research the laws of my chosen destination and I do not do anything clearly illegal.

   4. Every day, I make eye contact and smile at people. I acknowledge their presence.

3. Practice an abundance mindset.

   1. Abundance = I have enough. Scarcity = I don't have enough. Scarcity mindsets rob us of joy, connection, and honor.

   2. I tip people who serve me, even if it's not common in the culture.

   3. I offer to share my food, cigarettes, and drinks (caution - try not to get sick).

4. Write.

   1. A journal is a spacious place for me to be myself and realize my needs.

5. Limit social media.

   1. It can be difficult, but it is worth the greater feeling of presence. Before I go abroad/away, I tell my close relationships and friends that I will be overseas. I ask for space so that nobody will expect much contact with me. But don't abandon home relationships entirely - a friendly phone call home can be especially healing in a time of loneliness.

6. Volunteer or participate in skill exchange.

   1. Workaway, internships, volunteering with local organizations, cooking classes, impromptu breathwork and meditation classes - they all make for a stronger community. This is important to me, especially when I am traveling alone.

7. Monitor and limit waste.

   1. I use Tupperware to store food, I carry my own spork, I refuse straws and plastic bags, I carry my own reusable water bottle (when it is possible to access clean water), I seek out and comply with ethical local waste disposal practices.

8. Steer clear of oppressive tourism that takes advantage of wildlife or people.

   1. If there is a tour involving animal viewing, do some extra research to ensure these animals are not being forced to dance in the tourism circus. The same applies to witnessing traditional performances or ceremonies.

9. Be safe.

   1. When I go out for the evening, make plans on how I will get home.

   2. Carry a first-aid kit and understand what is included within it.

   3. Inform a trusted person with my plans and locations if I'm stepping out of the normal routine (for example: backpacking across the desert on a weekend? tell somebody before you go)

10. Get enough sleep. Savor restful moments.