Cultural Awareness
Many people set off to travel the world specifically to discover the different cultures that exist and experience living within them. It is one of the areas where an effective understanding through experience can give you a distinct advantage when you return, both in everyday life and in your future career.
However when you travel you are thrust into environments which can be very different to what you know and this can result in culture shock. This alone can lead to fear and your trip being ruined.
Cultures vary from country to country and often dramatically within countries themselves. They can be linked to religion, traditional ways of life, to the environments and many other factors. Some cultural difference are no more then traditions that have survived centuries, other are enshrined in the law of the country.
Misunderstanding the culture of the destination you are visiting can easily result in you offending local sensitivities which in itself will result in locals shutting you out from all the experiences you might otherwise enjoy. In extreme cases the resentment can actually make you more susceptible to crime, as the protection of respect from locals is not given to you.
In extreme cases, actions that may be quite 'normal' at home, can actually be illegal and result in large fines or imprisonment. In Thailand where the King is revered, it is illegal to disrespect his image in any way; even talking about him in the wrong light can leave you chastised. A Swiss national was recently imprisoned for 10 years for defacing a portrait of the king on a billboard; he was only released courtesy of clemency of the King himself (see MD Blog story 'Swiss man jailed for Thai insult'). In Malaysia kissing in public is illegal and although tourists are generally shown leniency, in many parts of the country even holding hands with your partner will be frowned upon (see MD Blog story 'Kiss warning to Malaysia tourists').
Considering Thailand and Malaysia are very used to 'western' tourists and 'western culture', it demonstrates how different they still are. Go further a field to less ‘globalised’ countries and cultural differences are much more pronounced, leniency and tolerance of the ignorance of foreign visitors can be much lower.
Understanding and respecting local cultures can have exactly the opposite effect, presenting you with the most amazing opportunities to look at life in a completely differently light. Most of the local people you will meet will be friendly and excessively generous. Respect in many communities is the foundation on which society is built, it determines the hierarchy of the local community. As a visitor if you show respect you will often be treated as a revered guest of the community elders and the generosity you can be shown, still surprises even our most experienced instructors.
Maybe just as importantly if you gain the respect of the local population, it can often afford you protection that nothing else you can do will ever match. By being accepted many communities effectively take responsibility for you. Our experiences include having items stolen from a pack in Papua New Guinea and having them returned several days later because of the degree to which we had been accepted in the local community. The theft had caused such embarrassment, that local elders had insisted the items be found and returned.
There are many different ways to understand cultural sensitivities and act in a manner that respects the culture of the country you are visiting before you set off. Many sources are available and the subject is endless, people have spent their lives studying just one particular culture. However getting a basic understanding by attending our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop (GYITSA) gives you the head start you will need without ruining the excitement and satisfaction of discovery, which you will get from your hosts and the deeper understanding they will give you of their culture.
We examine subjects like appropriate dress, religion, social hierarchies, inappropriate behaviour, not inflicting your culture on others but learning from theirs; ultimately the understanding that no one culture is better then the next but rather just different way of looking at the same question; how should we live our life?
To avoid culture shock and actually benefit from cultural awareness we help you examine different cultures and prepare you for some of the fundamental changes you can expect when you arrive at your chosen destination. This not only helps you absorb the culture more readily it also helps you act in a manner that will see you accepted by your hosts rather then insulting them.
Simple rules such as how to behave in a Buddhist temple, how to enter a Mongolian Ger or how to greet the people you meet anywhere in the world, will allow you to gain the trust of the people in the places you visit. This acceptance not only helps you integrate into communities and therefore helps you to learn about the real culture of your host community, it also helps to keep you safe.
On Returning Home these skills are highly sought after by employers in an increasingly globalised economy. Not to make the most of the experiences available to you on your travels, it is something you will regret and our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop can help you make the experience one that will last a lifetime and change your life.
We believe in a transparent open approach and in and in providing access to useful information through our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop (GYITSA).
A short introduction to each of the subjects we cover during our workshop is published to allow anyone planning to travel to gain an insight into the considerations they will need to make, these include:
For more details on our Workshop / Course Dates and Fees please visit the How to Book section of our website, call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.
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