An European Adventure

Over 2018 Spring Break, my family and I visited Europe. We spent a very jet lagged day in Paris, France and then flew into Tuscany/Florence, Italy where we stayed for a few days. From there, we spent the majority of a day visiting vineyards throughout the hills of Tuscany before reaching Parma and (town around there) where we met our extended family that only spoke Italian. We spent a few days of learning about them, our Italian backgrounds and roots, and along with European customs/stories. After that, we drove up and finished our trip in Venice. Along with enjoying the culture, food, sights, and people, I learned much about the world at large. A very important distinction I noted during my travels was the difference between tourist and traveller.

Tourists in classic media and honestly in real life look obvious and do not to mingle and connect with non stereotypical means. They flood off packed buses in mass groups with their cameras, unfolded maps and opened travel guidebooks, and follow most likely a tour guide to big over-visited sites that they knew of books and videos online. They wear their everyday clothes from home without care to customs or traditions of a place they are visited. This in its current state is not bad nor it is to be avoided.

This can be turned into something bad or unproductive. It is someone not taking time to understand the smaller, lesser known elements of a culture they are visiting. It is going to Paris yet only eating commercially made crepes or other big “French” food and visiting the Eiffel Tower and Arch de Triumph. On the other side of the spectrum, there is travellers. Travellers in media and in life look less obvious and seem to know what is off the beaten path and its unknown culture. They still ask questions to locals, but less about directions to the big attractions rather about smaller restaurants and attractions. They do not violate customs or traditions. This too in its current state explained here is the “right” thing to do.

Rather like being a tourist, it is someone forgetting what the differences and the bigger pictures. It is going to Venice, Italy and avoiding San Marco and big gigs completely.

I would stop there because I have fell into both categories, yet I have learned of and experienced a third category during this trip. I have equally been a tourist and traveler. I have followed tour books and followed tour guides throughout a city as much as asked for advice for hotel workers and wait staff for good places to go. I have learned of a third category as I mentioned. It is one of knowing locals, like meeting long-lost relatives like I did. It is not just a brief connection of going through whether tourist or traveler, but rather keeping a deeper connection over time whether a family member or friend. Travel is a great change to learn about the world whether tourist, traveler, or more...