Forcing your culture in another country is not the best idea. I have seen many tourists from different countries become upset by the customer service in Spain. I have seen tourists become mad when they notice that restaurants sometimes close at 4:00 PM and reopen at 8:00 PM or when pharmacies are not open 24 hours. Remember that when you travel, you are a representative of your country and of course, yourself. Travel with an open mind and without many expectations. The only expectation you should have is that you will be learning new things about a new place. Sometimes what you see in movies is not always the reality. When traveling outside your borders, there is nothing more important than experiencing it with your own eyes and ears.
Use your ears to understand the language and use your eyes to observe the social norms. Use them in combination to capture that country’s traditions.
A few challenges from me, to you: If you have traveled outside of your borders, share with your friends what you saw and thought was interesting, and what you thought was different. If you have not traveled outside of your borders, you have access to the Internet and libraries full of books. Use these resources and teach yourself a language or teach yourself about a country that you’re interested in. Share what you learned with your friends, teachers and family.
I leave you with a quote from Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” not only because it is one of my favorite books, but also it is relevant: “So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.”
Thank you for reading my articles and I am grateful that you have accompanied me through my journey in Spain.
Hasta luego (until next time)!
