You want to make the most out of your travels? Not only the most out of it but also give it more meaning? To explore beautiful places is no longer enough. An in-depth cultural exploration and understanding is what you are looking for.
Your excitement at meeting fellow travelers vanished. All you want to know is how life is in this foreign place. What are the authentic customs and traditions of the locals?
This guide contains 5 tips on how to make your travels more meaningful. Meaningful in the sense that the local economy and culture benefit and you benefit.
1. The way you travel
Staying in chain hotels guarantees you a certain level of comfort, but hardly shows you the authentic local culture. Step out of your comfort zone and book a local inn or hotel. Also, try to avoid travelling at the peak of the high season. Seasons often depend on the destination you travel to.
High season in Austria is summer and winter. European cities are good to explore during November or in February: November before the pre-Christmas time and February the ski destinations in Europe are more popular.
Restaurants are another way to travel more meaningfully. Try local dishes, cooking classes or go explore lesser-known city districts (research first!).
2. Research cultural events
For unique activities and events, you can look at municipally website to find information. That’s how I found a volunteering event in Monterrey/Mexico. Together with around 20 people, I cleaned part of an empty riverbed. It was a great way to meet locals and contribute to a better community. During my research, I also found an animal shelter that was looking for volunteers.
In some countries you can find very informative tourist information webpages. Often, they have a huge amount of information. You can take some time to scroll through and find unique events.
If you aren’t a big fan of huge events, you can probably can also find smaller events. A good idea is to look at libraries. That way, I experienced a small theater event in the library at Sa Pobla in Mallorca, in the Majorcan language. I didn’t understand much, but it was a unique experience.
3. How to join unique cultural events
By participating in cultural events, you can witness customs in the most authentic way. For example, the Sant Antoni Festival in Barcelona and Mallorca, the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the Narcissus Festival in Austria or the typical Almabtrieb in autumn, and the list goes on.
It’s a bit of a counterexample to what I said earlier about traveling in high season (events with lots of people, but many of these events are only known to locals, if at all). Therefore, you can get involved in the local experience.
How do you find such events? Do your research, talk to people, do your research, keep your eyes open as you walk around – flyers, or ask people on Couchsurfing or Facebook groups, etc.
4. Meaningful social connections while traveling
Travel for humanitarian cause, can include volunteering in refugee shelters, homeless shelters, orphanages, schools, kindergartens, or other establishments. But it can also include help to build an infrastructure/provide drinking water or volunteering at an educational center.
But if you don’t feel like working during your travels/holidays, you might visit some establishments or you can visit a community. All around the world are social communities. It is a space where people live together and share common values. Most of the time they live close to nature and are almost self-sustain. In some countries, the culture is based on social gatherings. Other countries have stronger individualistic culture, for instance, Sweden. But while you’re there, you’ll probably figure out the best way to socialize. In the example of Sweden, I would say Fika and Sauna.
If you join a community, you will learn about community life and may improve your language skills and learn about alternative ways of living.
5. Small mindful practices while traveling
Hassling blind from one activity to the next. Forgetting to look up to enjoy the atmosphere of the place you are visiting?
I did a great practice in Spain, when I walked to the train stop in Barcelona city, with Google Maps but not staring all the time at my phone. It was a 30 minutes walk. On the way back, I set myself the challenge of walking back from the train station without looking at Google Maps. It was indeed a challenge. If you are a person without a sense of direction, it might be not such a good idea (or even a bigger challenge – maybe your sense of direction improves).
Another example to improve your mindfulness while traveling would be not looking at your phone while waiting. Some people might find it weird to observe other people. Instead, you can observe your surroundings (buildings constructions, nature, etc).
Or keep a small notebook and make a list in your mind for what you are grateful for. A small, simple practice to feel more gratefulness in your life.
