Become a local for a day

The greatest injustice to a travel experience is failing to grasp even the slightest taste of the culture. Culture is considered to be the culmination of the people, food, geography, and history of a region. Sightseeing is only one microscopic portion of the overall experience since there are SO MANY opportunities to explore – you won’t be able to complete them all. Whenever I go somewhere, I research extensively about the people, the food, some relevant history, hidden gems, etc.

I discovered that a deep understanding of the people can teach you a great deal about their values and customs. Knowing the difference between Spanish customs and American customs is vital information because you will want to carry yourself accordingly in each country. In Spain, it is completely acceptable, sometimes even expected, to come home from the clubs at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning. However, there are some cultures where that is generally frowned upon. Even on a college campus at Purdue, the bars typically stay open until 2:00 or 3:00.

If you must know anything about me, food is the way to my heart and my way of experiencing the world. Even a small bite of a local food can teach you a tremendous amount about the culture as well. If you go to Germany and try their cuisine, you will find it vastly different from the cuisine in India. As a culture nerd, I find it fascinating to understand why these differences arise because it allows insight into the culture and the origins of the cuisine. A lot of times, these culinary differences arise due to the natural resources traditionally available. India is a place that has always been influenced by the spices that are grown there, which is reflected in the variety of spices used in their cuisine. There are also religious influences that prohibit the use of beef. Germany does not have the same spices as India, which is reflected in the flavors of their cuisine. With the recent wide accessibility to products that were previously unavailable, it is fascinating to see the modern adaptations of some local cuisines.

Studying history can be dry and laborious at times, but it is also integral in developing a greater appreciation for the culture. I’m travelling to Denmark and Norway in about a month and I’ve been trying to get some foundational research on the countries in order to understand what I can expect while I’m there. Naturally, there is a lot of Nordic belief influence in Norway, which is seen in a lot of places, such as statues and in villages. I’m also a massive architecture nerd, so I find that, in understanding this, I get a better insight into why buildings are constructed the way they are. In Norway, the architecture is predominantly influenced by the natural resources, culture, and history. Typically, houses are very simply constructed with very little decoration; they aren’t larger than necessary and are often made out of wood. The culture of Norway (and all of Scandinavia) is one of modesty, with a high stress on the “Law of Jante,” which basically means that one should not put themselves superior to one another: success is frowned upon. This explains the simplicity of Norwegian/Scandinavian architecture. There is also something to be said about Norwegian cuisine; due to the general isolation of the country, most of the staples of Norwegian foods are fish-based dishes. Around the world, dishes using salmon have become very popular in recent years as globalization has allowed for exports of these goods around the world.

Hidden gems are what make an experience memorable; these are the things that might be particularly unique to a certain place you are visiting, or they could be something that really draws your attention that makes something special to you. I was watching an interview given with Rick Steves, who is world-renowned for his travel videos, books, and audio series. In the interview, he reflected upon how he managed to find hidden gems and published them in his resources. One thing that really struck me in this interview is when he described how religiously his users follow his guides. He has gone back to some of these hidden gems and they have turned into major tourist attractions, all because of him. In Salzburg, Austria, there are quaint little mom-and-pop shops throughout this historic Austrian village. Rick Steves described a lengthy tour through Salzburg, and shortly thereafter, this quaint town became ripe with a bustling industry. He described in one interview that he holds a tremendous amount of power in talking about these hidden gems, but it is his job to make tourists feel immersed by the culture. This is why I believe that, while informational, travel resources can sometimes be risky when they speak of hidden gems. In order to find hidden gems for yourself, wander through a place by yourself and make frequent stops during your walkabout. Ask a local for recommendations! Often times, locals will have preferred establishments that have not been saturated by the tourism industry, which can help give off a more authentic traditional feel.

Hopefully, by educating yourself on all of these matters, it will leave you with an enriched appreciation for the culture. In doing this, it also can make it easier to get out there and help you interact with locals, because you will learn a lot more by talking to locals than you will ever find on a travel site.