Travel Skills 101

It may seem a somewhat self evident observation, but in my opinion of all the problems a visitor encounters in his or her travels the most difficult is the utter foreignness and inevitable conspicuousness he or she faces on a daily basis while traveling abroad. Although people like to romanticize the experience as the “joys of traveling,” I believe it is at these times when a person’s real “travel” skills – patience, creativity, acceptance, and daring – are put to the test.

Haven’t we always been told, “Patience is a virtue?” This is nowhere so true as in a foreign country. Between conquering language barriers, bartering the price of the fish you need to cook dinner, navigating foreign streets without getting lost (or maybe while already lost), waiting for everything – buses, taxis, people, animals – it’s good to be able to take a deep breath and practice the art of patience.

I have always said that creativity is not one of my strengths – but after joining the Peace Corps I’ve reconsidered this assumption, perhaps I have always been too hard on myself. As any traveler can attest to, replicating even the easiest recipe from home can be a test of a person’s creativity. After all, how does one make chili without chili powder? Answer: lots of hot sauce, some salt and a little hot pepper.

Before embarking on any sort of adventure – the big ones across the world, or the little ones down the street to the store – it is best to accept the fact that you will forever be conspicuous in everything you say and do. Unfortunately, there is no hiding for the weary traveler. Seeing as the visitor is at all times susceptible to attention in all its forms – the good, the bad, and the really, really annoying – it is best to adopt a “go with the flow” attitude. Accepting now that those people in the market will follow you for blocks and blocks trying to sell you the ugly monkey-head statue that you’ve already said, a hundred times, you didn’t want, will save some unneeded stress in the future.

Upon taking that first step out of the front door the traveler must recognize his or her spirit of adventure. This is unquestionably the universal travel skill that will be called upon infinitely more often than all the others combined. It takes daring to jump into unknown and, almost certainly, uncomfortable situations. But, as I’ve found in my limited traveling experience, a good sense of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself are the best recipes for a successful adventure experience.

I recently began my sixth month living in Kosrae. Although I am far from being considered any sort of “local”, every day I am getting better and better at blending in: my language skills are improving every day; my wardrobe is slowly morphing into those of other Kosraean women – I have enough skirts to clothe a small feminist army; my food preparation skills are amazing – I can gut a fish, slice it, salt it and fry it with the best of em. And though I may never escape the visitor status while I’m here, the skills I have learned, the people I have met, and the friends I have made more than make up for the conspicuousness of the title Peace Corps Volunteer.