Travel Advice: How to be a Respectful Tourist in Europe

Speaking as an alum of Forum Nexus, if you have the chance to travel to Europe, I hope you don’t pass it up! Overall, studying abroad taught me the importance of firsthand experiences, being in control of my own life, and doing the work to make things happen the way I envision them. I gained fundamental life lessons like being able to adapt to different environments quickly and respectfully.

Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity are vital in order to respect ways of living that are different from how one may have been raised. In preparation to go abroad, I spent a lot of time learning what I could about each culture in order to be a respectful tourist, along with other research, and you should do the same!

For example, I did what I could to understand the basics of each language, mostly learning mannerisms, greetings, and questions for things like directions. In preparation for your time abroad, make it your own fun responsibility to:

Educate yourself on:

Key phrases and mannerisms in the local language (i.e. Hello, Goodbye, Thank you, Right, Left, numbers 1-20/50, etc.)
Cultural Differences (food, attire, everyday activity, etc.)
History behind places you plan to visit

Go Local! Get The Full Experience!

Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone by eating local food at a local restaurant.
Shop at local shops and market
Have a day in the life! As if you lived there