10 Ways to Show Outward Gratitude while Traveling

Let’s be honest, if being abroad and roaming the beautiful earth doesn’t render you grateful for being alive, then there’s a good chance you are doing it wrong. Traveling, be it for a week or a lifetime, is great. It reminds you how important the simple things in life are, and makes the less than stellar aspects more palatable. If you are the one who planned your trip, funded it, and for all intents and purposes, made sure that S actually happened, who should you show your gratitude to? The answer, my friends, is yourself, your travel companions, those in the country you are visiting, as well as the random person you passed on the street, the animals walking around, smiling children, and, of course, life overall. Basically, your gratitude should be so overwhelming that you are just walking around thanking everyone you come in contact with. If that seems too much for you, here are 10 solid ways to outwardly show your appreciation for life being super awesome. 

Please help this person look less ridiculous

Offer to take Someone’s Picture: While this may not be as relevant in modern days with this ridiculous piece of equipment being so popular, people like to have their pictures taken. Selfie stick or not, a picture taken by one person of another person or group of people will always look better than trying to get your selfie on. Even if you don’t speak the language of someone trying to get a picture of themselves, use some sign language. Making your hands into a box and saying "cliiiiiccckk," is pretty much universal. Show some gratitude by helping someone else capture a special memory from a trip that they are deeply happy to be on as well.

Learn Some Local Phrases: Ok, ok, so maybe we aren’t all going to become polyglots, but do we really have to be totally ignorant of a language? While English is becoming more and more prevalent (with many people opting to learn it rather than local languages elsewhere), learning at least a few words and phrases in a culture goes a long way. People love to hear words in their own language, especially if you are in their country. Please and thank you are musts, but actually learning words that help you count, ask how much, or even just something silly that can make someone laugh, are all great. The effort put in to learn these phrases shows gratitude more than a thank you in English ever could.

Be a Conscious Tourist: Among all things on this list, being a conscious tourist may be at the top. Learning phrases is keenly important, but actually learning the culture shows true gratitude for being a welcomed guest. Be it dressing culturally appropriate or avoiding activities that are culturally inappropriate but created for tourist purposes (i.e sex tourism in Thailand) learning this dichotomy is a must for a conscious traveler. Along with the former, finding local accommodation, tours, shops, and places to eat are some of the easiest ways to show gratitude and better your travel over all.

Support Street Performers: Without a simple donation here or there, street performers wouldn’t exist. If you find yourself walking down a street and enjoy the music, art, poetry, or incredible physical accomplishment you see, reach in your pocket and put your money where your happiness is. All donations, regardless of denomination, are accepted. While some may argue that this encourages the black market, the truth is that street performers add joy to life, as well as make streets safer by garnering more attention to areas they are performing. Performers bring in a higher volume of people, and, coincidently, normally perform at night. Safer streets = happier people = better existence. 

Support art and creativity

Saving your Leftovers: Why would one save their leftovers? Because wasting food is silly, and even if you aren’t going to eat it, many homeless people like to hangout where the tourists flock. Instead of getting hassled, or getting upset when someone asks you for change, give a person some of your food. You’ll be amazed with how grateful a hungry person will be when given something to eat. This is a very simple gesture, and one that is mutually beneficial to yourself and the no longer rumbling belly of the person receiving the food.

Not Giving Money to Street Children: While this seems harsh, and almost in contrast to the last form of gratitude, it is the best thing you can do for street children. The truth is, there is a large correlation between children receiving money and not returning to school. Children who tend to work or beg and receive money are positively rewarded for doing so. School may be lucrative in the long-run, but money in hand is immediate gratification. Sometimes they are forced by their parents, other times it is on their own accord, but the truth is, as long as it is an alluring option, it will continue to happen. If you do want to help children as a form of gratitude, find a local organization that works with street kids and donate your time or money. While a little bit of money given directly to a child may be somewhat helpful in the short-term, I promise its long-term implications are not positive. 

Artist's welcoming tourists on a local train

Handwritten Notes, Postcards, and Thank You’s: This is coming from a person whose handwriting is nearly illegible, handwritten anything these days will bring a smile to someone’s face. Can you draw? It doesn’t matter. Making your own thank you card, writing a poem, or even just doodling something for someone secretly in their travel journal for them to find later will bring joy to someone's life.

Being Respectful in your Accommodation: While your accommodation abroad is your home at the time, it really isn’t your home. In fact, there is a good possibility you share at least the location, if not the actual room, with other travelers. Show your gratitude by not being a dick! You can do this buy cleaning up after yourself, being quite during the early morning or late night, using a shared room only for sleeping, and most important of all, not trying to hook up secretly when you are in a dorm room. You're not being sneaky, your being obnoxious. Choosing your accommodation according to what your intentions are in a place, as well as treating it as if it was your own, oozes gratitude, and will result in a good karma down the road. 

Being Environmentally Friendly: While not all destinations you visit will be up on their green game, part of showing gratitude is being good to the earth on which you are roaming. One super easy way to do this is by cutting down on single-use items you will definitely come in contact with. If you are street food or drink fan, bring your own container and liquid receptacle, as well as reusable utensils (or eat with your hands, it’s fun!). Do you buy stuff from stores often? Bring your own sack! These ideas, as well as self-powered modes of transpiration, are easy ways to be more green and give this beautiful earth a giant bear hug!

Bringing home gifts: Everyone loves gifts, even people who say they don't. Buy or make some gifts for people, especially those who least expect it. Even if you don't see the happiness they get from receiving said gift in the moment, it will absolutely mean something to the receiver. 

Photos courtesy of: Wall Street Journal and author

The Last Time I Actually Cut my Hair - Burmese adventures through boats and sheers

Manly men with manly buns

Taking in the sun setting over the Ayeyarwady River

It’s a funny experience to find yourself in the middle of a fashion trend when your entrance to the world was actually based on laziness. Well, more so, your entrance was actually based on your favorite skateboarder's influence as a kid. Alas, sometimes you are incidentally hip. For those who have experienced said phenomena, this is a time to milk your coolness for as long as it lasts. While I’m definitely enjoying the social repercussions of the man bun rage, as a person who loves to tell travel stories, it’s a great opportunity share the cherished tale of my last haircut.

On a hot and sweaty day in 2012, sometime around September, I decided to cut my hair. At the time, I did not realize this would be a milestone. In fact, it was pretty similar to the day previous and what would inevitably be the next day. That is to say, though, at the time I was traveling via cargo ship down the Ayeyarwady River in Myanmar. My companions at the time were people I had met only days prior. One was German, who I would grow to disdain and bid adieu to with the travel version of an Irish goodbye , and one was Australian, who has grown into a lifelong friend. The stage was set and the floor ready for the most epic haircut tale of all time!

On this particular day, we found ourselves in the small river town known as Bhamo. We had met previously under the spell of a French Canadian traveler who convinced us (with utter ease) to literally hop up off our seats in a guest in Mandalay, and participate in a 24-hour, rickety wooden train ride to the northern most tourist-friendly city known as Myitkyina. He had been entranced by the tales of a beautiful girl from the Maldives reporting on military installments there, and his enthusiasm quickly poured over us. In 2012, only certain places were open to tourists. We had met other travelers who boasted tales of being arrested, leading to hefty transportation fees from their temporary lock up to Yangon to be expelled from the country, only to come back a few months later and attempt the same trip. For us, Myitkyina and a multiple-day boat ride back to Mandalay sounded like as much adventure as we could take. 

The view from the rickety train

After spending a few days trying to retrace our muse's footsteps, the French Canadian was at the end of his visa, and myself, the Aussie, and the horrible German were ready to travel down the river. To get to Bhamo, we somehow ended up on a cargo ship. It was empty besides the crew, us, and a boatload (get it?) of packaged merchandise. With this being a cargo ship, there weren’t extra sleeping compartments, so the three of us staked claim on the main deck, and pooled together our warm clothes and travel blankets to make ourselves cosy. Much like the other days in Myanmar, this experience was one to remember.

When we arrived in Bhamo, we were hoping to only spend a day or two, yet found ourselves caught in the mix for upwards to 4 or 5 days. Bhamo is a sleepy town that boasts two or three possible tourist destinations, but that isn’t what made it so appealing. The feel of the small town, and the ability to rent bikes and explore as far as our legs would take us, was the allure. After finding the only hotel that accepted tourists (a swanky spot with hot showers, a room unlike any we had seen, and a large buffet breakfast) we set out. Through a few days journey we found beautiful temples, a miniature rendition of the Golden Rock/ Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (a holy site for Buddhists, and a horrible tourist trap for visitors), and the most epic, outdoor roller disco in existence. When in town, we also found ourselves dining on delicious Indian food and enjoying both local and western cinema at the charming, make shift 3D movie theater, adorned with lawn chairs and whatever cuisine you wanted to buy on the street before coming in. 

Roller Disco

As our days in Bhamo dwindled, we found ourselves granted one extra due to the fact tourists weren’t actually allowed on cargo ships. While we beat the system once, we would have to wait for the river “cruise” boat with the rest of those heading down stream. This was the day, the fateful day, that I found myself combing the streets for the best salon to get my hair did. Surprisingly, main street in Bhamo was host to multiple salons. Upon inspection, it was obvious the one salon, with all female stylists, stuck out amongst its peers. When I entered, the ladies fell into a giggle fit, unable to accommodate my request for what seemed like minutes. After righting themselves, through an obvious language gap we worked our way to an agreement of a shampooing, a head massage, and a haircut. This is where the fun began.

The session started just was one would expect: I was placed in a reclined seat, where my head was submerged in warm water, followed by a deeply engaging shampoo. But things took a drastic turn as the shampooing came to a close and the head massage began. The previously intoxicating fingers increasingly came more aggressive. The soothing massaging transformed more into poking, which then evolved into pounding, before reaching the crescendo with the masseur seemingly punching me in the side of the head. I started to ponder through right hooks if this was all some joke, or that the stylist came to the conclusion this would be her only chance to clock a foreigner. Alas, after a few jabs, I was no longer reclined and was receiving what would only turn out to be a pretty solid haircut. As I paid, it became apparent the giggle fit earlier encountered was due to the fact that men cut men’s hair in Bhamo, and women cut women’s. The stylists had never cut the hair of the opposite sex, and maybe the masseur also assumed that males enjoyed being bombarded with blows to the head as a form of massage. As it seemed to give the women a laugh, though, I left feeling only slightly embarrassed and silly…

While my haircut in Bhamo was one to remember for many reasons, this story always reminds how great life is if you chose to revel in the little things. Not everyday is going to be a milestone, but if we chose to live like it is, life seems just a bit more celebratory. 

Photos courtesy of US Magazine and author