[Note: I got permission from my friend to blog about his recent visit to Japan. Then he added, "Well, unless you're going to say horrible things and say 'my friend' in quotes or something." I hope he knows that this isn't necessarily about
him, but rather what his recent visit made me think.
And the other thing—I can only really talk about what it's like being Japanese, traveling abroad; or seeing how people in Japan react to tourists; or being American, and traveling abroad; or seeing how people in the United States react to tourists. So that's the position from which I'm writing.]
So, my "friend" recently visited Japan (just kidding, he really is a friend, no quotes necessary), and I got to do all sorts of touristy things that I hadn't done because, well, when you
live in a city, sometimes you just don't make time for them.
During his visit he spent a part of his time exploring the city by himself, and since my friend doesn't speak Japanese, I asked him how it was for him getting around. He said that there were no problems, that he could order things in eateries, figure out maps and signs, and enjoy Nagoya even if he didn't speak the language.
This conversation and his trip in general got me thinking about those people who might be considered "travel savvy". My friend also travels a lot for work, so he might be a good example of such a savvy traveler. But I got this feeling that there was also something else going on.
When I say "travel savvy", I'm not talking so much about being able to book cheap flight tickets, find good but not-too-crowded lodgings, and pack five-days-worth of luggage into a small carry-on. I'm talking, instead, about that ability to navigate a city that you don't know, that speaks a language you don't know.
And if that's what we're talking about, I'm not so sure that it's because you're necessarily "travel savvy". It might have more to do with who you are, and what you have.
Because you see, I think that how "savvy" you are at getting around depends a lot on the color of your skin. If you're white, especially if you're visiting a country like Japan, I have a feeling that people around town will be a little bit nicer, a little bit more patient, than if you're
not white. I have a feeling that it would be different if you were all sorts of other kinds of Asian, or black, or Middle Eastern, especially in a country like Japan.
I think that how "savvy" you are depends on the language you speak. If you speak English, there are probably a number of countries that you can get around in without encountering too many problems. I mean, just look—most of the major signs in large cities are now written in English (or at least in Romanization). If you're a visitor speaking English in Japan, store clerks will at least feel guilty because they
think they should be able to respond to you, so they'll probably try a little harder to understand you (and forgive you for not speaking the language of that country).
But if you speak, say, a European language that
isn't English, things will probably be a little different. Even comparing something like French with an Eastern European language that isn't identifiable for many, the level of accommodation will probably differ. And if you speak something that is clearly
not what's spoken among pale-skinned people, the point at which people "give up" on you will probably come a lot sooner.
I think that how "savvy" you are depends on whether you're male or female, too. Not because men and women are inherently different, or because certain places are more welcoming or dangerous for one or the other—but because, in practice, it's probably a bit easier for men to be traveling than for women, especially when traveling alone. (I have to think about this a bit more—I'm not convinced by my own point, and I don't want to make assumptions about certain environments. It's just...a guess. And there are, of course, different perks to each positionality.)
I think that how "savvy" you are depends on how threatening
you look to other people as well. You'll probably receive more welcome if you're small and attractive than if you're somewhat large and burly-looking. I mean, if people can't figure out whether you're safe for them or not, the situation gets a bit dicier.
And of course, I think that how "savvy" you are depends on the amount of privilege that is implied in you already getting to travel in the first place. Maybe it's not that you're "savvy", really, but that you're in a position where traveling is a part of what you (get to) do—and it's really got nothing to do with how practical and knowledgeable you are. And since money speaks volumes, people are probably a lot more accommodating to people who
look like they are going to spend some money in their stores.
So the next time I hear someone described as "travel savvy", I'm going to have to wonder—really?? Is it really that you're savvy, or are people just accommodating you because of so many other factors?
Because I think it's probably the latter.
But who knows! I could be totally wrong. I'm curious to hear other thoughts, especially from people who actually
do travel...
[The photo is of Nagoya's famous "golden dolphin" in front of the Kirin beer factory. Although...any idiot can see that that thing is no DOLPHIN...]
