13 Unique Ways To Connect With Local Culture Abroad Ethically & Sustainably

By Isabelle

Cultural heritage is the unique traditions and legacy of a group or society passed down by generations. This includes the arts, gastronomy, medicinal remedies, spirituality, personal values, landmarks, monuments, and more. With the rise of tourism, more travelers are now interested in connecting with the local heritage and culture abroad. This type of cultural travel can be done a number of ways for an educational and personally enriching experience while helping support the preservation of local heritage and small businesses – if done ethically and sustainably, of course.

Why Culturally Immersive Travel That Is Ethical & Sustainable Matters

Ethical and sustainable cultural travel can help:

• Foster positive economic and social impact
• Establish and reinforce cultural identity (especially for multicultural/diasporic communities)
• Preserve cultural heritage – this is important for a number of reasons but especially because social and cultural diversity enriches humanity’s perspective on medicine, politics, history, love, science, thought, everyday life, etc.
• Promote awareness/understanding among people

Cultural/Travel Mistakes to Avoid

However, cultural heritage tourism can also lead to tensions, problematic tourist behavior, and have detrimental effects on locals. Below are a few examples of mistakes to avoid when traveling in the pursuit of culture (or in general).

• Saying things like “there’s no culture here” – there is culture everywhere even if it’s not so distinct from yours. Culture isn’t limited to poverty and “exoticism.”
• Exoticizing/fetishizing locals and their culture especially if you come from a more privileged background/country
• Cultural insensitivity
• Only photographing/presenting one side (the poverty/”exotic” part) of a country instead of portraying a more holistic picture
• Visiting orphanages
• Volunteering unethically
• Handing things out to children – it encourages unsustainable habits such as begging and truancy (skipping school) and leaves children with long-lasting negative psychological effects especially in regards to race and power (among many other adverse effects)
• Taking pictures of children without their parent’s permission
• Taking pictures of locals without asking for permission first
• Disrespecting rules for entering holy places/local dress codes
• Inappropriately appropriating culture
• Note – that the way you dilineate or define certain things in your country is not all-encompassing or more “correct” than the way others around the world have been taught to do. For instance, the debate about about the applicability of the term “America/American” and geography studies such as how the number of continents varies per school systems around the world.

Fun Ways to Connect with Local Culture as a Traveler

Without further ado, here are some of the unique ways to connect with culture while traveling in an ethical and sustainable manner.

1. Slow Down to Savor More

As travel is becoming more accessible, we no longer need to cave to the fear of missing out (FOMO). Zooming from one destination to the next while checking items off bucket list items can be a fun adventure. But on your next trip, consider the profound value in slowing down to appreciate the nuanced details, the different historical impacts, and the rich cultural heritage. Slow travel can not only help curtail travel burnout but it can also allow you to feel like you’re on a “vacation” too, instead of a marathon race. Most importantly, slow travel can feel more culturally meaningful, sustainable, eco-friendly, and economical.

2. Connect With Locals

Cultural exchange does not have to entail going on a safari deep into a remote village. Simply chatting with those who live in the destination you’re traveling through can open up a world of wonder and cross-cultural interaction via conversations. From your Airbnb host to your taxi driver, you can learn so much by connecting with those around you.

3. Explore the Local Gastronomy

One of the easiest ways to explore local culture and history is through food. Make a bucket list of dishes to try, stop by a local market to try exotic fruits, and/or take a cooking lesson! All wonderful ways to learn about the culture while indulging your taste buds. This is also a great conversation starter with locals! Ask: “What’s your favorite dish here?” or “What’s a fruit/drink I should try before I go?”

4. Contextualize Your Experience With Books & Film

What better way to prepare for an upcoming trip than to contextualize your experience via books, documentaries, and/or movies? If you don’t have time to read an entire book or watch a film, then go on Wikipedia and look up the country… Here you can briefly read up on the country’s history, religion, demographics, etc. This also helps maintain cultural sensitivity when traveling so you don’t, for instance, order a hamburger in India or touch someone’s head in Thailand. Try to read up on decolonized histories and perspectives, too!

5. Pop Into the Museums

So maybe you don’t have time to read through Wikipedia either… that’s OK! Pop into one of the many museums available in your travel destination. What better way to learn about the history, arts, and culture of a country/city than to peruse through a local museum exhibition? With the aid of visual arts, audio guides, and/or interactive learning, you’ll be able to better familiarize yourself with the destination’s cultural heritage. There are different types of museums too, of course. Consider going to more than one: modern arts, classic art, general history, resistance movements, natural science, etc.

6. Visit Cultural Heritage Sites

Here is a list of all the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites around the world. However, please note that not all cultural heritage sites are designated as such by UNESCO. You can stumble upon a cave with ancient hieroglyphics only known to the locals of a certain community… or find a site of natural importance to the local culture which only a few people know about. Landmarks or areas selected by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific other types of significance. The preservation of these sites is deemed of important interest to humanity. China, Italy, Spain, India, and Mexico are some of the countries with the most World Heritage Sites. Famous World Heritage Sites include Great Zimbabwe, Machu Pichu, Chichen Itza, and the Great Barrier Reef.

7. Support Local Small Businesses

What easier way to give back while traveling than to support local small businesses around the world? Stay at a local homestay or Airbnb, shop at family-owned corner stores, go to the local markets, buy from street vendors, and pay local guides for tours.

8. Take Local Workshops & Classes

If you’re someone who loves to learn and channel their creativity in different forms, this one is for you. Consider taking dance lessons, a cooking class, an artwork shop and other forms of interactive education to better understand the creative values of local culture in a fun way!

9. Long Term Rentals via Homestay, Airbnb, Petsitting, etc.

This is one of the BEST ways to really absorb and connect with the local culture while saving a ton of money! Rent out a place long term and live there for at least a month. This way you can slow down, familiarize yourself with the pace of life, become a regular at the nearby grocery store, take public transportation, and learn the rhythm to the everyday way of living.

• Rent an Airbnb
• Pet/house sit for free (pictured above)
• Find a community homestay program to live with a local family
• Volunteer part-time at a farm, home, hostel in exchange for free accommodation
• But don’t make the same mistakes I did read my post on: Important Questions to Ask Before Committing to a House/Pet Sit.

10. Go off the Beaten Path & Visit Surrounding Areas

A great way to connect with local culture while curtailing the negative effects of over-tourism is to visit places that are less popular. Consider going to the surrounding areas of a popular destination, going to more remote towns, driving out 5+ hours away from the crowds.

11. Attend Local Festivals

Cities and countries around the world host famous festivals highlighting special niche interests. Festivals can range from music, activism, dance, film, food, etc. Festivals are also a great space to connect with locals who will likely be more sociable during a special event of share interests.

12. Check Out the Local Arts Scene: Galleries, Live Music, Theatre & More.

Art galleries? Live music? Theatre? Dance? How fun! Here are some of the many exciting examples of ways to absorb and embrace the local culture:

• An evening of live fado music in Lisbon
• Drinks as a live jazz bar in NYC
• Going to see 15-minute plays on Dominican life in Santo Domingo
• Listening to a throat singer performer in Mongolia
• Flamenco performance in Seville, Spain
• Ballet show in Havana, Cuba

13. Join a Heritage Tour

So maybe you’re shy, don’t want to solo travel, and/or don’t have time to build an itinerary for an immersive travel experience. That’s OK. Considering joining a heritage tour or hiring someone to plan your travels for you including cultural attractions.

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See Original Article at Dominican Abroad