I totally agree with Damon. Once you have traveled to different places, you can see similarities. It actually solidifies the fact that we're more alike than different.
Yeah once you've spent enough time traveling to different places you see the similarities cross-regionally. There are clearly cultural differences and those matter, but in my experience a tiny village in Turkey is very similar to a tiny village in Czech Republic, for example. Something that I was actually very disappointed to realize is that the environmental landscape of so much of the world is really similar. Clearly there are major differences between a tropical rainforest and the tundra but like the realization that most forests are filled with pine trees, for example, was actually quite sad haha
I have family in Thailand and even though physical life (e.g., houses, transportation, roads, etc.) appears TOTALLY different from the states… life in Thailand still felt like life back where I’m from in America. My family there lives in a pretty rural village that would be a culture shock to someone who’s never been, but once you get used to it, you realize it’s their version of the suburbs in America. We still did things like going to the mall, eating at chain restaurants, and just hanging out with family - watching TV and playing with pets. Just like you would anywhere else. We are definitely more alike than different.
Damon needs to read about orientalism and the French obsession with the “orient” this totally encapsulates this idea that people from different counties are different from us and thus when we visit their counties we have to engage in the exotic. It’s an older academic theory I’ve read a lot in university, but it’s totally applicable today. It’s weird to think that people from other places are different from us.
I was thinking the exact same thing!😂 Orientalism is one of the subjects i read for my Master degree and i am sure Damon would find it interesting because it has to do with the "alterité", les transferts culturels and all these things
My new rule when travelling is that there has to be a nature component to the trip. I’ll rent a car for one day and drive out to the national park or whatever, but nature is the one thing that is genuinely different wherever you go. I’ve never been disappointed by investing my time that way.
I feel like you haven’t seen a place until you’ve seen its nature. I’m from Utah, you haven’t seen Utah until you’ve been in our mountains and experienced our red rock. The highlights of my Hawaii trips have been doing things like the Road to Hona and Haleakala NP. The highlight of my time in France was my time driving through the hills and rivers of Centre-Val de Loire. In Germany it was hiking through the forests of Bavaria. In Switzerland it was exploring Mt. Pilatus and a ferry across lake Lucerne. Despite having been twice I feel like I haven’t really seen England because all I have seen of it is metropolitan London!
I think people in those cultures like Bali detest the assimilation of foreigners as a defense mechanism from years of colonialism. I think the mentality/concept can’t really be compared to White America, as it takes away the respect and ownership to the native people and their land.. one may even say they probably wouldn’t have wanted foreigners on their land either, but alas here we are. I totally get what you’re saying though, and is a difficult and nuanced experience to share. Thank you for opening the conversations, love your videos as always. ❤️
This is why love you Damon, you don't just travel and take us travelling for the heck of it. There is a sense of being present and thinking critically associated with the way how you do it. We really need more analytical think pieces like this for all facets of life.
Whenever I’m traveling I subconsciously always go to the movie theatre and enjoy buying groceries more than going to local restaurants. I realized it makes me both feel “at home” but also “at home..somewhere else.” Doing mundane things in new places is kinda magical
Also Istg going to a grocery store is the most easy and affordable way to eat. When I go to Europe I’ll always try something fun for dinner but half the time for lunch I’m grabbing a lil baby loaf of bread, some local cheese and meat, and making me a lil sandwich to eat with a coffee in a park somewhere.
ALRIGHT! OK! ALRIGHT!!!!! *phoebe buffay outburst* I see that you guys like this format, so I'm turning in my next video essay on the realities of traveling at a marathon pace. Based on a newsletter I sent months ago, I feel like you guys will resonate with a lot. ✨also go here to get notified for the travel course (so you can spend thousands of credit card points on 5 star resorts that hand out Chex-mix + charge you a $60 daily resort fee) → damondominique.com/Global-Citizen-Course
Can’t even begin to express just how much I enjoy and look forward to these thought provoking video essays! Side note: as an Arab, I suggest tuning into some of our podcasts - they’ll definitely help with vocabulary & accent acquisition
Can you do more in depth essay about friendships, making friends and relationships in other cultures? No pressure, just a girl in need of real friends in a foreign country
I appreciate you bringing up this topic, even if I disagree with some of the points you make. Being from a place over-exploited for tourism, I worry about the impact on the environment, minority cultures and languages, and access to fundamental rights. At the same time, I do like to travel and live abroad occasionally so I loved when you said we should travel to places that are actually meaningful to us. That might help slow things down and rethink the crazy consumerism that’s become travelling and vacationing.
A lot of things in this video resonated with me, so I actually went over to my laptop's keyboard to type out some thoughts. My context for my thoughts is hugely impactful: I was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary (mostly) until I turned 14 and went to high school and college in suburban, affluent Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US. In general, one of my reflections is that who you are greatly impacts how you experience a place, but also, these differences are decreasing with the rise of social media and globalization. There are definitely some themes of behavior that have become ubiquitous throughout cultures. I have friends from Chapel Hill and Budapest who, although they have never interacted with each other, share idioms and hobbies because of what they see on social media. Lavender oat latte and thrifting, anyone? However -- there are some major differences because of cultural and societal norms that were handed down, especially in relation to wealth. Hungary's national anthem says, "God, please give us mercy for our people have suffered enough for the past and the future..." Now compare that with the US manifest destiny and stereotypes of being destined for greatness as a country. Most of my Hungarian friends, family, and acquaintances will never be able to afford an iPhone (there isn't even an actual Apple store in the whole country!), but in Chapel Hill, I've seen high schoolers throw their iPhones to the ground so that their parents will buy them a new one when it breaks. Over the summer, I brought my American boyfriend to Europe to meet my friends + travel for fun. We had some interesting observations. For context, for most of his life in the States, he lived in Burlington, NC, which is known for being the densest drive-through fast-food restaurant place in NC. To him, Vienna and Budapest look incredibly similar - which is factual, as they were built by the same architects and used to be under the same nation. I completely agree to a certain extent, but because I am incredibly well-acquainted with Budapest and Hungarians, some differences are astounding. Vienna has consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities across the globe, whereas while most of my friends want to leave Budapest (or already have) because living there under the current economy and political state of things is unfeasible. But seeing how this shows up in the minute differences between the people in cities is way more visible to my eye than to my boyfriend's, who has seen thousands of drive-thrus but no European architecture before. In some ways, all major European metropolises look very similar, but how people live in them differ slightly because of societal structures that remain unseen to travelers. I've been conflicted about what to do while traveling - try to see "local" spots or go to tourist destinations. When American friends visit Hungary, of course I want to show them some of my local favorites, but that honestly may not be as exciting to them as the tourist spots are. Additionally, there are tourist spots that none of my actual Hungarian friends have ever been to because they cannot afford to visit them (because of inflated tourist prices). So should I even direct travelers to tourist spots, as that might eventually push out locals? And then eventually there are two completely different experiences of Budapest - one for the rich traveler, one for the poorer locals. So what does 'experiencing' a place even mean? Anyway. Loved the content and format of this video!
Read your whole comment and I have such similar experiences and conflicts, being from a poorer country to my husband's. Usually no one is interested in real local life, and does not have to be. But we should also be more honest about it at least
@@semihakisisel Cool to hear that someone shares a similar experience! It's a weird dichotomy, for sure. I think having more open conversations about it helps - people usually avoid discussing wealth, even though it permeates everyday experiences.
The man has found his true calling. Eccentric philospher spitting absolute truths (well rounded and well thought-out and well-aimed at an audience HUNGRY for something REAL and THOUGHT-PROVOKING at this point). ....and doing so with the wild vibe of a greek maniac scientist dude giving a monolog to his 2 true pupils :'3 Anyway Love ya, Damon. One of my favorite corners of youtube (and probably the Internet at this point)
Canadian living in Paris. When I travel around Europe and elsewhere, I don’t overthink it and I don’t try to have a goal. I just go where airfare is reasonable and try to have fun. I don’t try to blend in with locals or try to live like them or try to have any type of epiphany. It’s not that complicated, and I’m not out there colonizing anyone. Keep it simple, ignore all unnecessary noise.
Long time viewer, first time commenter :P In terms of the importance of considering context, which you brought up in the video, I do think it'd be remiss not to consider the context of why certain cultures/countries may feel the need to protect their homogeneity or be resistant to foreigners. There's a long, violent history of colonization and exploitation of the global south by western and European nations and so it's wildly unfair to pass judgement on how locals react to something that not only has been historically extremely detrimental to their people, but also actively insidious via neo-colonialism and imperialism (e.g. predatory tourist economies that mostly benefit the west). Even in the comparison between Japan and the US (without forgetting that Japan themselves have been the colonizer of other regions in the Asian Pacific), there's the missing context that there's been strong Western colonial influence in Japan whereas the "White America" you speak of was actually the colonizing force, genociding the Indigenous population in order to become the dominant population in what we now call America.
I think certain cultures dont want foreigners/ expats because of gentrification and appropriation of their culture. Like in Mexico City, the city is so beautiful but has been completely transformed to benefit the wealthier expats, meanwhile real Mexicans are being displaced. This applies to many places across the world.
@@honeyswinubit's because it also applies to the rest of the world. there's gentrification in NYC, Paris, Berlin, Tokio and whatever other "1st world country" you can imagine. you can't stop the globalization process.
@@honeyswinubto add to this... the reality is that you're not going to mix everywhere, and entitled "global citizens" refuse to accept this... Damon also forgets that America is a settler nation. He speaks a lot about context but forgets this important context.
What you said about globalization really resonated with me, I'm form Mexico city and I've always wnated to go to Japan, i was able to visit last year, and although I was so happy and mesmerized; I felt kinda disappointed because tokyo did feel like NY, like hong kong or Mexico city, everyone was wearing Zara and yes buying at Starbucks and i couldn't quite describe that experience when i came back without feeling guilty about it.
I never typically comment, but Damon you are my favorite youtuber! All of your creations have such deep meaning embedded in them, which is quite rare in the quick content world we live in. I always watch your videos and feel inspired/energetic afterwards. Thank you!
I'm argentinian. If someone goes to Buenos Aires and says it is the same as Bogota or Caracas, I would say they are ignorant or not paying attention, not racist. Of course we have malls and Starbucks; that's globalisation/american imperialism. But we have our own culture and people are unique to the place.
You saying “What a time to be alive” while stuffing your face with avocado toast made my day. 😂 On the real though, I 100% agree with all of your points here. I’ve learned to adopt a “hybrid” Buddhist mentality for life, where I don’t overly attach to an expectation or goal (which they say is the root cause of suffering), but I do have some sort of value or general direction to anchor and guide me towards my future. It’s no fun living with all these expectations you’ve created in your mind and being let down, but it’s also no fun living aimlessly with no attachments either! So I try to be somewhere in the middle
Yes! Traveling with a purpose makes things so much more fun! I want to learn new skills and I've decided to learn them in different countries so I can fulfill my want for travel and want for new skills. Going to a surfing camp at the end of this month.
As someone from Flint, MI (my dad played hockey in Fort Wayne btw Damon, lol), and as someone living in Medellín, Colombia for the last 5 years, it's easy to get offended when a tourist has a negative opinion because it usually feels uninformed or like, incomplete. It's weird that the language we use as tourists is like "I didn't like Paris." as opposed to "I didn't have a good time in Paris." It might seem like semantics but I think it's weird when someone spends 10 days in a place and labels it as if they really got to know it? Especially because in my experience to really know a place is to see it for all of it's colors, the good, the bad, etc. It's why I don't love when travel vloggers tell me that X country/city is amazing or horrible, because it's like, just tell me about the trip in all of it's colors lol. ALSO I think by 'authentic' a lot of travelers or travel blogs are really fetishizing what they like to imagine a culture/places' day to day looks like in a decked out instagram aesthetic-y way. I'm not sure how to put it into words but that's what it feels like. In reality I think what is beautiful about traveling is when we get organically and genuinely invited into that place; getting invited to a local's house for dinner for example, aka getting an actual invitation to see a world that isn't your own.
Omg hi!! Sorry if this is out of topic but my friend is possibly moving to Medellin for job opportunities. She would be going alone and is from the states. She does speak Spanish fluently. Could you please tell me what it is like for you as a woman from the states to move to Medellin or Colombia in general? Are the locals nice? Safety? Are they nice to Americans? I’m sorry if this comes out a little ignorant, she is right now looking into it but our closest thing is our Colombian friend who came to states when we was like 5. I’m so sorry if it is an inconvenience but trust me it would help her so much. 💗💗
Also Damon I wish you would have gone to Santa Fe, Antioquia or Jardín, Antioquia while here in Colombia. Guatape is also amazing to actually go for a boat day and learn about the history (there's so much!) and have some amazing food but the tours are horrrrrrrible and not worth it at all. But I think it's so important to share the reality of traveling, because I've had the same style of experiences you just named while in Paris or elsewhere. Finding the amazing experiences takes time and so the result is sometimes booty
@@monshosepu9229 Hey hey! I moved down here alone in 2019 - I will say that the experience will def be different if your friend fits the stereotype of a 'gringa' here (tall, blonde, blue-eye). They'd also have a way different experience if they are Asian as they'll stand out. In my case, even before I spoke Spanish nobody ever assumed I was a gringa (like on a bus, or in the examples Damon gives above of like rappers in the streets). Colombian people are soooo nice. Like the nicest! Especially here in Medellín. That doesn't mean there isn't danger or reasons to be on the lookout but I would absolutely recommend being here. In my experience I feel safer here as a woman than back home (again, I'm not from the safest part of the US, but even then compared to major cities anywhere in the world). Locals are SO nice to foreigners. There is a lot of talk about gentrification because there is a lot of sex tourist + foreigners that come down to pay huge amounts of money and learn nothing about the local economy or the language. I think it can be hard at first to find loyal or close friendships, but from what I hear that's a problem for all of us adults right now. And once you do have Colombian friends they are fiercely loyal and kind. If your friend needs any more advice or just a person here feel free to DM me and I'll send you my whatsapp!
I really felt this take on travel; from hating my time in Paris to regretting trips to San Diego, I quickly started to get burnt out from traveling until I realized I was visiting these places on the pretense that someone else insisted it was worth it. Once I started traveling for myself and less so “for the gram” I found that traveling could be really meaningful. My favorite trips were exploring my roots in my father’s country, visiting historical locations and finding places of ecological importance. I found my favorite way to interact with the local culture was through sustainable volunteering and more than anything I fell in love with my own home. Now I am a homebody so this is my natural state, but now when I go to travel I know that those experiences will be worth it (which is specifically important to me because of the eco-impact of travel!!)
Im glad you made this! I’ve been ‘travelling’ and living abroad for the past 6 years and it’s so hard for my friends and family at home to comprehend that my life is basically the same in a lot of ways.
Sometimes we, who are working and travel but not as frequently, we romanticize what traveling the world would be like. In reality, life happens wherever we go and wherever we are. Everywhere has the interesting and the mundane. Finding Bliss and Adventure is a challenge whatever avenue we take or wherever we go or are.
I agree with you in many ways, but I also think that to have more ‘complete’ vision of the tourist/local thing is important to think about the effects of ‘tourism’ nowadays in certain parts of the world. The fact that locals in some way take advantage of tourists depends on the relationships created historically. In Colombia we have a very complicated history with colonialism and new ways of gentrification with so many of these ‘digital nomads’ moving to our countries.
I think its so curious, to touch on the difference between or the confusion of what I would call "Traditional vs authentic". At some point it was the same, the traditional things were authentic and vice versa. But with the arrival of globalization, the authentic will not necessarily be the same as traditional - authentic locals all over the world at some point of their day or week will drink starbucks and eat sushi, and the traditional cuisine, dress etc will not play such a part in everyday. Traditional will always be authentic, but whats authentic wont always be traditional. I definitely feel this when having someone visit from abroad and ask :"So what is the authentic local thing to do? ", and I always feel somewhat trapped by the question - as if its expected to put on a show of some historical practise that I don't necessarily resonate with, or risk disappointing the guest by replying that things here are kinda the same as anywhere really...
i literally feel this so hard -- feel like i've traveled more in the past few years post lockdown as some sort of ~live laugh love~ moment. and there's definitely a depreciation return on investment once the travel feels like floating. floating during travel is terrifyingly ungrounding
these kinds of videos prove that without a political understanding of the world, even with all the practical/on-the-ground experience possible, one cannot truly understand what it is they are observing. one can recount and give accurate examples of the "what" of what they are seeing, but will inevitably fail to produce an insightful, accurate analysis of the "how and why". this isn't exclusive to americans, anyone that does not have a real political education (and i don't mean a formal degree) will fall short of having a cohesive explanation for that they are experiencing, but white neoliberal americans seem particularly unable to view reality for what it is, in its historical material context and how that shapes everything today. setting aside the environmental implications of continuous travel (bc individual luxury is obv above everything and setting limits to consumption is akin to oppression in the capitalist's mind) and the starbucks boycott, so many of the arguments here feel hollow and entitled in the absence of understanding the role that (/neo)colonialism played and still plays in most countries and how that shapes their economies and lifestyles. most of these negatives are directly caused by neoliberalism so a lot of this type of mindset (in general not just this video) feels like complaining about the very thing you're perpetuating and that people from others countries either dare to play the same game or try to resist it. side note, there's something very gross about rich westerners complaining about being "priced gauged" given the exchange rates and when tourism and expat culture are contributing to why a lot of locals can't even afford being local anymore (and then they complain that there are no local/authentic/interesting stuff to do anymore). pro tip maybe if westerners want a better travel experience, they should act on their imperative responsability to change their economic systems which are causing the climate disaster, if not for human rights and idk caring about life on earth, maybe so that they won't be priced gauged when natural disasters hit and that there will still be "fun" foreign locals to hang out with and learn from. but ig individualism is only good when it's about personal benefit, once that translates to individual responsability suddenly it's no one's business and the blame gets passed on an elusive collective.
That’s so interesting that you say you observe more when you bring your camera. I experience that when I am taking pictures/videos, it takes me away from being present and observing, and I really dislike that feeling. Thanks for sharing this video!
The best 45mins I’ve experienced in a while. Not to put too fine a point on it, your vlog is a master class in behavioral science and psychology. Your observations are thoughtful and thought provoking. I’m alway grateful when you share your thoughts and observations. Stay well.🙏👍😎
you’re not wrong about feeling like you’re treated like a fool. but it’s definitely coming from a place of they see your privilege as an american/foreigner/gringo.
I don’t love traveling. I love to appreciate my apartment and how cozy I’ve made it. The majority of my life I’ll be living at home so I want to learn to appreciate it. I just never had the itch to leave my city!!
The temporal friendship part is exactly how it feels when i meet someone from a hostel, get to know them, spending time with him or her at a place and never seeing them again once they check out.
I literally felt like I just took a class on cultural studies, social-cultural anthropology and philosophy. You’re out here saying the most profound, intelligent and wise things like an internet rave-hopping, trendy ass Eckhart Tolle! ;) You really broadened my perspective on so many different things, and said SO many things I didn’t realise I really needed to hear! If I’m being honest I’ve been in a bit of a existential, cynical, pessimistic depression pit to the point where I feel like I’ve had to distance myself from a lot of social interaction because I’ve become like an energy vampire spouting on about the problems, negativities, downfalls of everything.. I don’t know if this is because of the vacuum that social media is, where it’s a constant display of so much toxicity or if I’m just feeling really disillusioned/disconnected from the world.. You also really made me question, like damn, is my world view/ opinion maybe just honestly small because of where I’m from, my lack of worldly experiences and if I’m being honest lack of overall ‘out of my comfort zone experiences’? I’m from a small town in Australia and while I pride myself on having travelled quite a lot, it’s definitely not hard to fall into the very small existences so many lead here and comfort/routine is the goal and reality for many.. It really comes back to that quote “We don’t see the world as it is, but as we are”. And that really is the root to so much of our disconnection with each other, and the root of our own suffering.. See what you’ve done, you’ve got me turning into that Charlie Day conspiratorial rant meme lmao Ps. I’m gonna have to watch this one again just to make sure I didn’t miss anything, and that I actually absorb the bounty of wisdom you are serving us 🙏🏼🙌🏼👏🏼
Look yeah travelling through the same area things will be similar, I'm mexican and there is a lot of Colombia that is similar to my culture, but I also think that noticing the little differences tells you a lot about a culture and a place. On the "ticking countries off a list" I think it depends on how you travel and what you want to experience. Here in México there is such price gouging for tourists because a lot of the areas that have become exploited by tourism rely solely on it and it's a complex issue.
Une vidéo très intéressante, merci. J'ajouterais peut être que beaucoup des aspects négatifs du voyage que tu soulèves sont liés avec la courte durée des séjours. En restant plus longtemps dans un nouvel endroit, tu as la possibilité de réellement t'investir, de découvrir différents aspects de cette vie différente. Il faut du temps pour se lier d'amitié avec des locaux, pour découvrir le monde associatif, pour y contribuer... Les pays de chaque continents se ressemblent pas mal quand on y reste 1/2 semaines, quand on y reste 4 mois+, on découvre tellements plus de choses (bon après, peut-on encore franchement parler de voyage dans un situation comme ça ?) Merci de partager tes cheminements, bonne continuation à toi !
I re-found you through your last video (through Maddie actually) as you were someone I used to watch in middle school, LOL. You’re just so real and I appreciate it. I too am disillusioned with how everything you do or say nowadays can be twisted to be problematic. The acknowledgement of sameness around the world and our common humanity is incredibly important in our very divided world. There’s much more to be said about this topic but I really like your ability to speak on this type of thing knowing that someone is going to take it the wrong way.
Hey, Damon, what you’re talking about at 10:30 is a defense mechanism we learn in medicine called reaction formation! One of the classic examples is killing with kindness
I feel the same as Damon. I went on a 2-year solo backpacking trip around the world in my 30s. And after a while every country started to look/feel/blend in the same, it felt underwhelming. I used to glorify travel so much cause I come from the USA with limited vacation time. But after my backpacking trip my perspective changed. I no longer obsess about traveling and don't feel the need to rush to check off bucket-list places. I travel now for a purpose to see family/friends, to relax, passion hobbies, etc. I now live in Europe and appreciate visiting the US and exploring my own country.
I dont know if you have as much fun filming these kinds of videos but for me these are my favorite kinds of videos you make becuase its real shit. I would watch the whole thing if this video was two hours long.
Russian living in Berlin here 👋 Damn, I agree with you, I didn't travel much, only around Russia and EU, but the more I travel, the more I see similarities. It's so fun to explore the country knowing the language, you get to learn much more about the place and people there. But specifically because of the Mickey Mouses of the touristy cities I don't want to be seen as a tourist, just to be safer, probably because I often travel alone :D
Your travels have imbued you with great experiences and using your intellect to question and ponder the meaning of any given subject will always lead you to answers. I enjoyed listening to you and I hope that you continue sharing with us.
I used to travel a lot and I kind enjoyed the feeling of going out somewhere away from my routine and exploring the "locals spost". After Cuba I felt no need or desire to travel as before, but still have my fav place to go, Tel Aviv. ♥
The first part where he mentioned Globalized Lifestyles and travel made me realize that White Privilege leaves people out of so much. I come from DC. Washington DC has a Culture all its own. That is really hard to Access if you don't know someone from here. It's also the Nation's Capital. So there's that. But every city in the US has these layers. I think of Hawaii there is a culture of Immigration there so that Asian cultures feel central to the culture. This obviously doesn't touch the Indigenous peoples who are both suffering and thriving. I say all this to say, the more places become Global there seems to be an equal opposite reaction to preserve local Cultural artifacts. If you come to DC, I will show you what I mean.
I am yet to travel alot, but I am about to enter my early twenties this year and am so happy that Damon's corner of the internet exists. These videos are developing how I view travel and have helped me not compare the ways I want to experience different countries to others. SO much profound and experienced advice/opinions in this video and I love to hear them ALL. Thank u Damon, we love u 😙
Damon i get what you mean how the world is feeling more similar. I think international cities are more similar no matter where in the world you are and globalization makes the world more homogeneous in a way even if you are in a different country. As a new yorker i feel very comfortable in different cities across the world being in the countryside even in my own country gives me that feeling of depaysé which made me realize I don't have to visit a new country all the time for a new experience therefore I truly have appreciated domestic travel in the states recently. Bonus it's much cheaper for me!
two minutes in and i'm loving the idea that traveling was the only "goal" or aspiration that was in your control and actionable, then it leading you to start an entire business/job out of it, growing your perspective, learning new things...
I don't know, but Damon is definitly a great comunicator. This podcasts are so wonderful and sincere. He is basically saying what we all are thinking ahah.
I remember one time when I was doing a motorbike loop in vietnam. I'd sped up ahead of everyone to get to the next stop before dark but I ended up stranding myself in the middle of nowhere with no fuel. I managed to find this old lady and communicate with her through my phone, and she took me to her neighbour's house. It was practically a open wooden structure in the mountains, with pigs and chicken everywhere. Her neighbour, out the kindness of her heart, emptied the fuel out her scooter to give to me. I was so touched by the gesture but I felt bad for taking her fuel so I tried to give her some money. The second she saw me trying to give money her face was very obviously offended, and I realised that I had almost cheapened this act of kindness by trying to change it into a transaction so I could feel better about this power imbalance, and I felt really bad about that. That moment has always stayed with me and I think it's precisely the type of thing you were talking about re: westerners being super nice to locals in poorer countries. I think the reality is that we feel bad, guilty even, that we have had better access to life and resources than them (not always, but usually) - and overcompensate with kindness. It might not be so much that you feel 'superior', but you acknowledge you've been treated better in your life, and deep down you know what body you are put into is a lottery, and you are no more worthy than anyone else.
I think you would really enjoy reading some human geography, specifically about how "space" and "place" is defined if you havent already:) maybe something from Doreen Massey! And about placelessness in our global world, its very interesting:)) there is human geography theory about tourism also, I really recommend
GREAT VIDEO. I agree with you on so many points there. I have no desire to see all the countries now because realistically there wouldn't be time to see everything. For me to step on x amount of countries is mostly to make myself proud that I was able to come up with the finances and time to see some of the world, just like I always dreamed- coming from a person with humble beginnings.
lmaoo im from a latin american country and have visited several others in the region and i think its pretty much agreed between all of us that the accents may change but the vibe and corrupt politicians are the same everywhere
Yes, people that are privileged enough to be able to travel that much to that many countries may start becoming disillusioned or unimpressed by some of their trips. I honestly hope so much that that is never me. I think it's pretty valid though, people are entitled to their genuine feelings. But I feel like I intentionally live my life prioritizing finding meaning in my experiences or even in the music I listen to etc. Like, I don't really want to overconsume on music, movies, tv etc because I don't want to start devaluing my favorite things that I love. When you consume enough of anything, you start noticing the repetitiveness and lack of uniqueness a lot of times. Like the saying goes, there is nothing new under the sun. Not to generalize, but I just prefer to find what has meaning to me personally. Travel is a bit different, I actually do believe that each country has its "thing" that is unique or different. I really try to be grateful for my experiences when I'm in a new place, there's noting worse than travelling with a sour Susan that complains about this, that or the other while travelling, like things are not up to their standard or what they're used to in their 1st world country. Obviously you can be real if something is crappy, hell, I hated staying in an AirBnB with giant roaches in Spain, but I still prefer to make the most of things as much as possible. I loved the sense of wonder I felt while visiting the beaches on that trip and I know there are other magnificent beaches in the world, but I don't wish to ever reach the point of not appreciating the beauty of one place, by comparing it to another. Each country has its own culture, pride, history and richness that shouldn't be dismissed as just another stop on our holiday, there are real people living their day to day that will continue with their real lives long after we leave the country. There's a sense of respect that visitors should have, I l think This was a bit of a random rant from me, I love your videos, thanks for sharing your honest thoughts~
In Latin America, ppl are so prideful of their countries. If you say one is like the other, you better believe there will be trouble. I’m not sure if Damon is diving into each countries “personality”. Sure they look similar, but there are plenty of differences
DAMON YOU ARE A STAR! I truly appreciate your videos. I just went on a 4 month trip and I was expecting to just have a fun time running around the world and living on a commune. It ended up being a really beautiful and chaotic time of personal growth for me, and that wasn't always......fun. It was a shock to the senses, being so far from 'home' was difficult and ecstatic and sad and joyful and exhausting and enlightening and so much more than 'simple fun'. I've been having a difficult time trying to explain this to my friends and family because I don't want to give the impression that I wasn't grateful or happy for the experience or discourage them from traveling, but I've been feeling inauthentic when telling my travel stories and glossing over the highs and lows of the experience. thank you so much for making this video and helping me reflect and unpack this
As someone who has studied anthropology, when you were trying to think of a word to describe a perception that someone from a different culture than yours does “foreign” and “different” things than you, and that you view them as separate from yourself, anthropology calls that Ethnocentrism. It’s perceiving other cultures according to your own instead of actually understanding what their culture is irrespective of your own. In the chance that you see this I hope it helps!!
You are such a good influence on me as a viewer. Watching your videos feels like it benefits my neuroplasticity in probably 5 different ways or something.
I feel like you're point about the similarities makes so much sense especially when country lines are completely arbitrary and based on literally nothing. Whereas culture and traditions are based on many indigenous and local practices that when they were created were not based on nationalism because nations literally didn't exist. especialllyyyyy in latin america
OH also that thing that you're asking for a name for where you think people are different in foreign countries is called exoticism. as in the superficial romanticization of foreign cultures and the othering that happens in that process
100% agree with doing an activity in a place to have a better experience. I booked a week-long hiking trip in the Himalayas during my trip to India and by far best part of my whole trip. When I got the intro email about 2 days before and saw every email was an Indian name - no westerners - it was huge surprise. These Indians were teachers & pilots & Harvard grads who were all in their late 20s / early 30s. Literally incredible & the richest experience I got in India having real conversations with people who were more like peers to me.
Damon, I just wanted to tell you that you’re my inspiration. I’ve been watching your videos since 2019 and as a now 20 year old gay guy living in a small town, your content has shown what’s possible for the future. I hope to start my travels later this year and I can’t thank you enough for showing others like me that life is so full of new and beautiful things.
I love it! Please do more of the videos on this topic. I’m ready to purchase your travel course yay. I find it hard to choose locations to travel, find inexpensive flights and plan for it.
I love being a digital nomad BUT what I realised is that I cannot do it fast paced. I much prefer being in one place for longer, and am so happy so many more countries are coming out with digital nomad visas that allow for you to stay 6 months or a year. I've seen the term slomad being used and I suppose that's more my style. It's too stressful for me otherwise.
@greenytaddict I don't mind at all. I have a print on demand shop and part time work as a league of legends booster 😅💕 if it helps, my friend does data entry remotely for a UK company. If you find a job advertised as "work from anywhere" you can usually use it as a stepping stone until you find something in an area you really love.
Damon, I just found your channel and I feel like I resonate with everything you say so much. Even your thought process. How you start to question things and within that question another thought sparks another level of curiosity on another subject you’ve never thought about. You are so open minded and it’s so refreshing to see on the internet for once. Thank you for top tier content and quality discussions.
OMG yessss to the trendification of "off the beaten path" travel styles. People policing you for doing things in foreign countries that you could've done at home while forgetting these other countries do the same shit, hence why it exists and negating that it might have its own local spin to it.
I like Hitomi’s take on this; yes we travel and we should see and do all of the unique things and immerse ourselves in the culture. but in the end, what makes travel so special is the parts of yourself you get to discover and uncover. it’s being yourself times 10 against a beautiful backdrop and beautiful people you meet once in a lifetime ❤
My goodness, Damon - the amount of truths you dropped in this video are astounding ! Loved hearing your thoughts about travelling and the sort of inner and genuine reflection around it. Plus, for a foreign student of French like me who gets overwhelmed for not knowing all the verb conjugations immediately when I speak, you just took some weight off my shoulders when you said “I didn’t grow up with this language” after trying to remember the gender of the word Green in French. It made so much sense to me and felt less guilty for not being a native like French person (what is a native speaker in this globalised world anyway, eh ?). Thank you and so happy you are back ! ❤
Damon I love this. When I first started watching your videos I was a freshman in high school and I hadn't traveled much besides family vacations, and knew a little about other cultures bc my parents are immigrants. Now I'm about to graduate college and I've spent the last 3 summers working remotely from different countries, and I relate to a lot of what you're saying -- especially the points about temporal friendships (I did a series of paintings about this concept) and travel as a checklist. Your content always drew me in and inspired me and I love that now I feel like I could have a conversation with you about these things because I got that travel experience. Keep up these video essays
I really appreciated your video, Damon!, It’s refreshing to hear someone speak about the not-so-aesthetic side of traveling. I didn’t realize I was guilty of not being honest about my experiences living abroad. Like you mentioned, often times we don’t dare say that we didn’t have a good time because we don’t want to come off as ungrateful; traveling is truly a privilege not experienced by many. I can see now how this is problematic, and being honest can show that we are, in fact, not very different.
Many places in Thailand left me looking around for locals. I was just one more farang meeting others like me and talking about how great Thailand is. I kind of get why Japan is being that extreme. Many places in Mexico aren't affordable to locals because people from other countries are buying the "best" property and raising the cost of living. I agree with finding the similarities between countries/cultures. Ghana, Nigeria, and much of West Africa are alike but we have to remember that the lines drawn all over the map were not done so by the natives. It is like cutting a slice of cake and being surprised that it tastes like another slice from that same cake. Migration, trading etc. will almost guarantee this occurring in certain regions.
Love the part about not looking like a tourist. I used to be so determined to not seem like a tourist, but in some places you get a better experience as a tourist. People are curious about you, want to talk to you, want to help you.
I live in Nashville and I 100P get what you mean. Nashville is a HUGE tourist city, and guess what we do for fun? Go to the mall, go to the movies, walk in our neighborhood, and YES, we go to Starbucks! All the “popular” places are completely flooded with tourists. There is a HUGE divide. They don’t come where we go, and we don’t go where they are. 😅
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one thing i love about damon is he be thinking
He’s a libra yess😅
wym "he's a libra" lol my libra husband has 0 thoughts all day every day @@userl697
I love him so much
@@userl697That’s ironic considering libra’s really aren’t the thinkers of the zodiac, nowhere near. Gemini, Virgo, Pisces and Sagittarius are lol
@@anna05xo he's a libra with leo and sag placements tho like me and lmaooo this man is literally me in a different font
I totally agree with Damon. Once you have traveled to different places, you can see similarities. It actually solidifies the fact that we're more alike than different.
Yeah once you've spent enough time traveling to different places you see the similarities cross-regionally. There are clearly cultural differences and those matter, but in my experience a tiny village in Turkey is very similar to a tiny village in Czech Republic, for example. Something that I was actually very disappointed to realize is that the environmental landscape of so much of the world is really similar. Clearly there are major differences between a tropical rainforest and the tundra but like the realization that most forests are filled with pine trees, for example, was actually quite sad haha
Great point..we all human with hopes dreams n trying to live life
Yup, at the end of the day we're all just human beings living in a simulation called Earth.
I have family in Thailand and even though physical life (e.g., houses, transportation, roads, etc.) appears TOTALLY different from the states… life in Thailand still felt like life back where I’m from in America.
My family there lives in a pretty rural village that would be a culture shock to someone who’s never been, but once you get used to it, you realize it’s their version of the suburbs in America. We still did things like going to the mall, eating at chain restaurants, and just hanging out with family - watching TV and playing with pets. Just like you would anywhere else.
We are definitely more alike than different.
Omg this is so true especially with Europe omg
Damon needs to read about orientalism and the French obsession with the “orient” this totally encapsulates this idea that people from different counties are different from us and thus when we visit their counties we have to engage in the exotic. It’s an older academic theory I’ve read a lot in university, but it’s totally applicable today. It’s weird to think that people from other places are different from us.
I was thinking the exact same thing!😂 Orientalism is one of the subjects i read for my Master degree and i am sure Damon would find it interesting because it has to do with the "alterité", les transferts culturels and all these things
I was about to say it was a form of "fetishization" of the foreign
yessss edward said
Edward Said is so important, especially right now. Free Palestine!
Yes. I was also thinking how the word he's looking for is exoticism.
My new rule when travelling is that there has to be a nature component to the trip. I’ll rent a car for one day and drive out to the national park or whatever, but nature is the one thing that is genuinely different wherever you go. I’ve never been disappointed by investing my time that way.
I feel like you haven’t seen a place until you’ve seen its nature. I’m from Utah, you haven’t seen Utah until you’ve been in our mountains and experienced our red rock. The highlights of my Hawaii trips have been doing things like the Road to Hona and Haleakala NP. The highlight of my time in France was my time driving through the hills and rivers of Centre-Val de Loire. In Germany it was hiking through the forests of Bavaria. In Switzerland it was exploring Mt. Pilatus and a ferry across lake Lucerne. Despite having been twice I feel like I haven’t really seen England because all I have seen of it is metropolitan London!
I think people in those cultures like Bali detest the assimilation of foreigners as a defense mechanism from years of colonialism. I think the mentality/concept can’t really be compared to White America, as it takes away the respect and ownership to the native people and their land.. one may even say they probably wouldn’t have wanted foreigners on their land either, but alas here we are. I totally get what you’re saying though, and is a difficult and nuanced experience to share. Thank you for opening the conversations, love your videos as always. ❤️
Would you say the same thing about white europeans in their home country?
This is why love you Damon, you don't just travel and take us travelling for the heck of it. There is a sense of being present and thinking critically associated with the way how you do it. We really need more analytical think pieces like this for all facets of life.
Whenever I’m traveling I subconsciously always go to the movie theatre and enjoy buying groceries more than going to local restaurants. I realized it makes me both feel “at home” but also “at home..somewhere else.” Doing mundane things in new places is kinda magical
Agreed!! Subconsciously i have also found myself at grocery stores experiencing great joy & also, book stores
Also Istg going to a grocery store is the most easy and affordable way to eat. When I go to Europe I’ll always try something fun for dinner but half the time for lunch I’m grabbing a lil baby loaf of bread, some local cheese and meat, and making me a lil sandwich to eat with a coffee in a park somewhere.
ALRIGHT! OK! ALRIGHT!!!!! *phoebe buffay outburst* I see that you guys like this format, so I'm turning in my next video essay on the realities of traveling at a marathon pace. Based on a newsletter I sent months ago, I feel like you guys will resonate with a lot.
✨also go here to get notified for the travel course (so you can spend thousands of credit card points on 5 star resorts that hand out Chex-mix + charge you a $60 daily resort fee) → damondominique.com/Global-Citizen-Course
Damon are you staying in Paris? Your visa!!! (WHY AM I YOUR MOTHER FOR NO REASON LOL)
Can’t even begin to express just how much I enjoy and look forward to these thought provoking video essays!
Side note: as an Arab, I suggest tuning into some of our podcasts - they’ll definitely help with vocabulary & accent acquisition
Can you do more in depth essay about friendships, making friends and relationships in other cultures? No pressure, just a girl in need of real friends in a foreign country
YES and thank you
Is it possible to read the newsletter you sent?
I cant believe there was no Ad at the start. I forgot creators can choose to not do that 💀 thanks Damon
I appreciate you bringing up this topic, even if I disagree with some of the points you make. Being from a place over-exploited for tourism, I worry about the impact on the environment, minority cultures and languages, and access to fundamental rights. At the same time, I do like to travel and live abroad occasionally so I loved when you said we should travel to places that are actually meaningful to us. That might help slow things down and rethink the crazy consumerism that’s become travelling and vacationing.
A lot of things in this video resonated with me, so I actually went over to my laptop's keyboard to type out some thoughts. My context for my thoughts is hugely impactful: I was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary (mostly) until I turned 14 and went to high school and college in suburban, affluent Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US. In general, one of my reflections is that who you are greatly impacts how you experience a place, but also, these differences are decreasing with the rise of social media and globalization.
There are definitely some themes of behavior that have become ubiquitous throughout cultures. I have friends from Chapel Hill and Budapest who, although they have never interacted with each other, share idioms and hobbies because of what they see on social media. Lavender oat latte and thrifting, anyone?
However -- there are some major differences because of cultural and societal norms that were handed down, especially in relation to wealth. Hungary's national anthem says, "God, please give us mercy for our people have suffered enough for the past and the future..." Now compare that with the US manifest destiny and stereotypes of being destined for greatness as a country. Most of my Hungarian friends, family, and acquaintances will never be able to afford an iPhone (there isn't even an actual Apple store in the whole country!), but in Chapel Hill, I've seen high schoolers throw their iPhones to the ground so that their parents will buy them a new one when it breaks.
Over the summer, I brought my American boyfriend to Europe to meet my friends + travel for fun. We had some interesting observations. For context, for most of his life in the States, he lived in Burlington, NC, which is known for being the densest drive-through fast-food restaurant place in NC. To him, Vienna and Budapest look incredibly similar - which is factual, as they were built by the same architects and used to be under the same nation. I completely agree to a certain extent, but because I am incredibly well-acquainted with Budapest and Hungarians, some differences are astounding. Vienna has consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities across the globe, whereas while most of my friends want to leave Budapest (or already have) because living there under the current economy and political state of things is unfeasible. But seeing how this shows up in the minute differences between the people in cities is way more visible to my eye than to my boyfriend's, who has seen thousands of drive-thrus but no European architecture before. In some ways, all major European metropolises look very similar, but how people live in them differ slightly because of societal structures that remain unseen to travelers.
I've been conflicted about what to do while traveling - try to see "local" spots or go to tourist destinations. When American friends visit Hungary, of course I want to show them some of my local favorites, but that honestly may not be as exciting to them as the tourist spots are. Additionally, there are tourist spots that none of my actual Hungarian friends have ever been to because they cannot afford to visit them (because of inflated tourist prices). So should I even direct travelers to tourist spots, as that might eventually push out locals? And then eventually there are two completely different experiences of Budapest - one for the rich traveler, one for the poorer locals. So what does 'experiencing' a place even mean?
Anyway. Loved the content and format of this video!
Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comment! It was so thought - provoking and really makes me re-think what experiencing a place truly means
Read your whole comment and I have such similar experiences and conflicts, being from a poorer country to my husband's. Usually no one is interested in real local life, and does not have to be. But we should also be more honest about it at least
@@semihakisisel Cool to hear that someone shares a similar experience! It's a weird dichotomy, for sure. I think having more open conversations about it helps - people usually avoid discussing wealth, even though it permeates everyday experiences.
The man has found his true calling. Eccentric philospher spitting absolute truths (well rounded and well thought-out and well-aimed at an audience HUNGRY for something REAL and THOUGHT-PROVOKING at this point). ....and doing so with the wild vibe of a greek maniac scientist dude giving a monolog to his 2 true pupils :'3
Anyway
Love ya, Damon. One of my favorite corners of youtube (and probably the Internet at this point)
Perfect description!
Canadian living in Paris. When I travel around Europe and elsewhere, I don’t overthink it and I don’t try to have a goal. I just go where airfare is reasonable and try to have fun. I don’t try to blend in with locals or try to live like them or try to have any type of epiphany. It’s not that complicated, and I’m not out there colonizing anyone. Keep it simple, ignore all unnecessary noise.
So many words to say: ignorance is bliss
@@Pleunpleunnot just that, but is about expectations.
Long time viewer, first time commenter :P In terms of the importance of considering context, which you brought up in the video, I do think it'd be remiss not to consider the context of why certain cultures/countries may feel the need to protect their homogeneity or be resistant to foreigners. There's a long, violent history of colonization and exploitation of the global south by western and European nations and so it's wildly unfair to pass judgement on how locals react to something that not only has been historically extremely detrimental to their people, but also actively insidious via neo-colonialism and imperialism (e.g. predatory tourist economies that mostly benefit the west). Even in the comparison between Japan and the US (without forgetting that Japan themselves have been the colonizer of other regions in the Asian Pacific), there's the missing context that there's been strong Western colonial influence in Japan whereas the "White America" you speak of was actually the colonizing force, genociding the Indigenous population in order to become the dominant population in what we now call America.
I think certain cultures dont want foreigners/ expats because of gentrification and appropriation of their culture. Like in Mexico City, the city is so beautiful but has been completely transformed to benefit the wealthier expats, meanwhile real Mexicans are being displaced. This applies to many places across the world.
It's colonization 2.0 and honestly the fact that he doesn't understand the implications really shows how he isn't really "mixing" with the culture
@@honeyswinubit's because it also applies to the rest of the world. there's gentrification in NYC, Paris, Berlin, Tokio and whatever other "1st world country" you can imagine. you can't stop the globalization process.
@@honeyswinubto add to this... the reality is that you're not going to mix everywhere, and entitled "global citizens" refuse to accept this...
Damon also forgets that America is a settler nation. He speaks a lot about context but forgets this important context.
What you said about globalization really resonated with me, I'm form Mexico city and I've always wnated to go to Japan, i was able to visit last year, and although I was so happy and mesmerized; I felt kinda disappointed because tokyo did feel like NY, like hong kong or Mexico city, everyone was wearing Zara and yes buying at Starbucks and i couldn't quite describe that experience when i came back without feeling guilty about it.
I never typically comment, but Damon you are my favorite youtuber! All of your creations have such deep meaning embedded in them, which is quite rare in the quick content world we live in. I always watch your videos and feel inspired/energetic afterwards. Thank you!
I'm argentinian. If someone goes to Buenos Aires and says it is the same as Bogota or Caracas, I would say they are ignorant or not paying attention, not racist. Of course we have malls and Starbucks; that's globalisation/american imperialism. But we have our own culture and people are unique to the place.
Your wit is such a refreshing break from the average world we live in
Awwww shit, here we go again! I am ready for this one. ONCE AGAIN MY PEOPLE, WAKE UP!!! DD HAS POSTED!
You saying “What a time to be alive” while stuffing your face with avocado toast made my day. 😂
On the real though, I 100% agree with all of your points here. I’ve learned to adopt a “hybrid” Buddhist mentality for life, where I don’t overly attach to an expectation or goal (which they say is the root cause of suffering), but I do have some sort of value or general direction to anchor and guide me towards my future. It’s no fun living with all these expectations you’ve created in your mind and being let down, but it’s also no fun living aimlessly with no attachments either! So I try to be somewhere in the middle
INCLUDE THE PRICE IN THE PRICE. €1 baguette, pay €1. $5 baguette, pay $5.25. American economy: Minimize quality and advertised price, maximize profit
"why is the price not the price." Literally!
Yes! Traveling with a purpose makes things so much more fun! I want to learn new skills and I've decided to learn them in different countries so I can fulfill my want for travel and want for new skills. Going to a surfing camp at the end of this month.
As someone from Flint, MI (my dad played hockey in Fort Wayne btw Damon, lol), and as someone living in Medellín, Colombia for the last 5 years, it's easy to get offended when a tourist has a negative opinion because it usually feels uninformed or like, incomplete.
It's weird that the language we use as tourists is like "I didn't like Paris." as opposed to "I didn't have a good time in Paris." It might seem like semantics but I think it's weird when someone spends 10 days in a place and labels it as if they really got to know it? Especially because in my experience to really know a place is to see it for all of it's colors, the good, the bad, etc.
It's why I don't love when travel vloggers tell me that X country/city is amazing or horrible, because it's like, just tell me about the trip in all of it's colors lol.
ALSO I think by 'authentic' a lot of travelers or travel blogs are really fetishizing what they like to imagine a culture/places' day to day looks like in a decked out instagram aesthetic-y way. I'm not sure how to put it into words but that's what it feels like.
In reality I think what is beautiful about traveling is when we get organically and genuinely invited into that place; getting invited to a local's house for dinner for example, aka getting an actual invitation to see a world that isn't your own.
Omg hi!! Sorry if this is out of topic but my friend is possibly moving to Medellin for job opportunities. She would be going alone and is from the states. She does speak Spanish fluently. Could you please tell me what it is like for you as a woman from the states to move to Medellin or Colombia in general? Are the locals nice? Safety? Are they nice to Americans?
I’m sorry if this comes out a little ignorant, she is right now looking into it but our closest thing is our Colombian friend who came to states when we was like 5. I’m so sorry if it is an inconvenience but trust me it would help her so much. 💗💗
Also Damon I wish you would have gone to Santa Fe, Antioquia or Jardín, Antioquia while here in Colombia.
Guatape is also amazing to actually go for a boat day and learn about the history (there's so much!) and have some amazing food but the tours are horrrrrrrible and not worth it at all.
But I think it's so important to share the reality of traveling, because I've had the same style of experiences you just named while in Paris or elsewhere. Finding the amazing experiences takes time and so the result is sometimes booty
@@monshosepu9229 Hey hey! I moved down here alone in 2019 - I will say that the experience will def be different if your friend fits the stereotype of a 'gringa' here (tall, blonde, blue-eye). They'd also have a way different experience if they are Asian as they'll stand out. In my case, even before I spoke Spanish nobody ever assumed I was a gringa (like on a bus, or in the examples Damon gives above of like rappers in the streets).
Colombian people are soooo nice. Like the nicest! Especially here in Medellín. That doesn't mean there isn't danger or reasons to be on the lookout but I would absolutely recommend being here.
In my experience I feel safer here as a woman than back home (again, I'm not from the safest part of the US, but even then compared to major cities anywhere in the world). Locals are SO nice to foreigners. There is a lot of talk about gentrification because there is a lot of sex tourist + foreigners that come down to pay huge amounts of money and learn nothing about the local economy or the language.
I think it can be hard at first to find loyal or close friendships, but from what I hear that's a problem for all of us adults right now. And once you do have Colombian friends they are fiercely loyal and kind.
If your friend needs any more advice or just a person here feel free to DM me and I'll send you my whatsapp!
I really felt this take on travel; from hating my time in Paris to regretting trips to San Diego, I quickly started to get burnt out from traveling until I realized I was visiting these places on the pretense that someone else insisted it was worth it. Once I started traveling for myself and less so “for the gram” I found that traveling could be really meaningful. My favorite trips were exploring my roots in my father’s country, visiting historical locations and finding places of ecological importance. I found my favorite way to interact with the local culture was through sustainable volunteering and more than anything I fell in love with my own home. Now I am a homebody so this is my natural state, but now when I go to travel I know that those experiences will be worth it (which is specifically important to me because of the eco-impact of travel!!)
Im glad you made this! I’ve been ‘travelling’ and living abroad for the past 6 years and it’s so hard for my friends and family at home to comprehend that my life is basically the same in a lot of ways.
Sometimes we, who are working and travel but not as frequently, we romanticize what traveling the world would be like. In reality, life happens wherever we go and wherever we are. Everywhere has the interesting and the mundane. Finding Bliss and Adventure is a challenge whatever avenue we take or wherever we go or are.
I agree with you in many ways, but I also think that to have more ‘complete’ vision of the tourist/local thing is important to think about the effects of ‘tourism’ nowadays in certain parts of the world. The fact that locals in some way take advantage of tourists depends on the relationships created historically. In Colombia we have a very complicated history with colonialism and new ways of gentrification with so many of these ‘digital nomads’ moving to our countries.
I think its so curious, to touch on the difference between or the confusion of what I would call "Traditional vs authentic". At some point it was the same, the traditional things were authentic and vice versa. But with the arrival of globalization, the authentic will not necessarily be the same as traditional - authentic locals all over the world at some point of their day or week will drink starbucks and eat sushi, and the traditional cuisine, dress etc will not play such a part in everyday. Traditional will always be authentic, but whats authentic wont always be traditional. I definitely feel this when having someone visit from abroad and ask :"So what is the authentic local thing to do? ", and I always feel somewhat trapped by the question - as if its expected to put on a show of some historical practise that I don't necessarily resonate with, or risk disappointing the guest by replying that things here are kinda the same as anywhere really...
You could literally just ramble for an hour and I'd watch it. Listening to this while cleaning up my basement. I loved the last video so much!❤
i literally feel this so hard -- feel like i've traveled more in the past few years post lockdown as some sort of ~live laugh love~ moment. and there's definitely a depreciation return on investment once the travel feels like floating. floating during travel is terrifyingly ungrounding
these kinds of videos prove that without a political understanding of the world, even with all the practical/on-the-ground experience possible, one cannot truly understand what it is they are observing. one can recount and give accurate examples of the "what" of what they are seeing, but will inevitably fail to produce an insightful, accurate analysis of the "how and why". this isn't exclusive to americans, anyone that does not have a real political education (and i don't mean a formal degree) will fall short of having a cohesive explanation for that they are experiencing, but white neoliberal americans seem particularly unable to view reality for what it is, in its historical material context and how that shapes everything today. setting aside the environmental implications of continuous travel (bc individual luxury is obv above everything and setting limits to consumption is akin to oppression in the capitalist's mind) and the starbucks boycott, so many of the arguments here feel hollow and entitled in the absence of understanding the role that (/neo)colonialism played and still plays in most countries and how that shapes their economies and lifestyles. most of these negatives are directly caused by neoliberalism so a lot of this type of mindset (in general not just this video) feels like complaining about the very thing you're perpetuating and that people from others countries either dare to play the same game or try to resist it. side note, there's something very gross about rich westerners complaining about being "priced gauged" given the exchange rates and when tourism and expat culture are contributing to why a lot of locals can't even afford being local anymore (and then they complain that there are no local/authentic/interesting stuff to do anymore). pro tip maybe if westerners want a better travel experience, they should act on their imperative responsability to change their economic systems which are causing the climate disaster, if not for human rights and idk caring about life on earth, maybe so that they won't be priced gauged when natural disasters hit and that there will still be "fun" foreign locals to hang out with and learn from. but ig individualism is only good when it's about personal benefit, once that translates to individual responsability suddenly it's no one's business and the blame gets passed on an elusive collective.
That’s so interesting that you say you observe more when you bring your camera. I experience that when I am taking pictures/videos, it takes me away from being present and observing, and I really dislike that feeling. Thanks for sharing this video!
The best 45mins I’ve experienced in a while. Not to put too fine a point on it, your vlog is a master class in behavioral science and psychology. Your observations are thoughtful and thought provoking. I’m alway grateful when you share your thoughts and observations. Stay well.🙏👍😎
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I hear you through and through.
you’re not wrong about feeling like you’re treated like a fool. but it’s definitely coming from a place of they see your privilege as an american/foreigner/gringo.
I don’t love traveling. I love to appreciate my apartment and how cozy I’ve made it. The majority of my life I’ll be living at home so I want to learn to appreciate it. I just never had the itch to leave my city!!
I’ve said the same about going back to the Caribbean. Once you go to one island you’ve been to them all with different variants
Love the colour palette in this video!! You put energy and intention into it and it showsss ✨
The temporal friendship part is exactly how it feels when i meet someone from a hostel, get to know them, spending time with him or her at a place and never seeing them again once they check out.
This video needs more views. I’m so relieved that someone can express this in its intricacy and simplicity
You’re one of the best creators left on YT, I’m loving these video essays thank you ❣️
I literally felt like I just took a class on cultural studies, social-cultural anthropology and philosophy. You’re out here saying the most profound, intelligent and wise things like an internet rave-hopping, trendy ass Eckhart Tolle! ;)
You really broadened my perspective on so many different things, and said SO many things I didn’t realise I really needed to hear! If I’m being honest I’ve been in a bit of a existential, cynical, pessimistic depression pit to the point where I feel like I’ve had to distance myself from a lot of social interaction because I’ve become like an energy vampire spouting on about the problems, negativities, downfalls of everything.. I don’t know if this is because of the vacuum that social media is, where it’s a constant display of so much toxicity or if I’m just feeling really disillusioned/disconnected from the world.. You also really made me question, like damn, is my world view/ opinion maybe just honestly small because of where I’m from, my lack of worldly experiences and if I’m being honest lack of overall ‘out of my comfort zone experiences’? I’m from a small town in Australia and while I pride myself on having travelled quite a lot, it’s definitely not hard to fall into the very small existences so many lead here and comfort/routine is the goal and reality for many..
It really comes back to that quote “We don’t see the world as it is, but as we are”. And that really is the root to so much of our disconnection with each other, and the root of our own suffering..
See what you’ve done, you’ve got me turning into that Charlie Day conspiratorial rant meme lmao
Ps. I’m gonna have to watch this one again just to make sure I didn’t miss anything, and that I actually absorb the bounty of wisdom you are serving us 🙏🏼🙌🏼👏🏼
DAMON IS BACK, LET ME GET MY TEA AND CHANGE MY LIFE! 🍵📝
DAMON THIS IS PHENOMENAL!!! I need you to get on a Ted Talk or TinyDesk! Like this is FAR TOO GOOD!! ❤
Look yeah travelling through the same area things will be similar, I'm mexican and there is a lot of Colombia that is similar to my culture, but I also think that noticing the little differences tells you a lot about a culture and a place. On the "ticking countries off a list" I think it depends on how you travel and what you want to experience.
Here in México there is such price gouging for tourists because a lot of the areas that have become exploited by tourism rely solely on it and it's a complex issue.
you're the only person i ever wanna listen to lol i feel so smart after listening to you
Une vidéo très intéressante, merci. J'ajouterais peut être que beaucoup des aspects négatifs du voyage que tu soulèves sont liés avec la courte durée des séjours. En restant plus longtemps dans un nouvel endroit, tu as la possibilité de réellement t'investir, de découvrir différents aspects de cette vie différente. Il faut du temps pour se lier d'amitié avec des locaux, pour découvrir le monde associatif, pour y contribuer... Les pays de chaque continents se ressemblent pas mal quand on y reste 1/2 semaines, quand on y reste 4 mois+, on découvre tellements plus de choses (bon après, peut-on encore franchement parler de voyage dans un situation comme ça ?)
Merci de partager tes cheminements, bonne continuation à toi !
Please keep posting these!!!! I love them 🤩🤩
Seriously podcasts are IN
I re-found you through your last video (through Maddie actually) as you were someone I used to watch in middle school, LOL. You’re just so real and I appreciate it. I too am disillusioned with how everything you do or say nowadays can be twisted to be problematic. The acknowledgement of sameness around the world and our common humanity is incredibly important in our very divided world. There’s much more to be said about this topic but I really like your ability to speak on this type of thing knowing that someone is going to take it the wrong way.
Who's maddie?
Hey, Damon, what you’re talking about at 10:30 is a defense mechanism we learn in medicine called reaction formation!
One of the classic examples is killing with kindness
I feel the same as Damon. I went on a 2-year solo backpacking trip around the world in my 30s. And after a while every country started to look/feel/blend in the same, it felt underwhelming. I used to glorify travel so much cause I come from the USA with limited vacation time. But after my backpacking trip my perspective changed. I no longer obsess about traveling and don't feel the need to rush to check off bucket-list places. I travel now for a purpose to see family/friends, to relax, passion hobbies, etc. I now live in Europe and appreciate visiting the US and exploring my own country.
I dont know if you have as much fun filming these kinds of videos but for me these are my favorite kinds of videos you make becuase its real shit. I would watch the whole thing if this video was two hours long.
YES!! I love these too!
I honestly love these documentaries style videos. Such a breathe of fresh air on the TH-cam space. Argh loved you before and love you even more now
Omg I felt exactly the same when I went to Bali last summer !!
The price gauging is what I hate the most.It's so seedy.
Russian living in Berlin here 👋
Damn, I agree with you, I didn't travel much, only around Russia and EU, but the more I travel, the more I see similarities. It's so fun to explore the country knowing the language, you get to learn much more about the place and people there. But specifically because of the Mickey Mouses of the touristy cities I don't want to be seen as a tourist, just to be safer, probably because I often travel alone :D
I love this candid take. Your travel content is unique and I look forward to your insights!!
Your travels have imbued you with great experiences and using your intellect to question and ponder the meaning of any given subject will always lead you to answers. I enjoyed listening to you and I hope that you continue sharing with us.
I used to travel a lot and I kind enjoyed the feeling of going out somewhere away from my routine and exploring the "locals spost". After Cuba I felt no need or desire to travel as before, but still have my fav place to go, Tel Aviv. ♥
The first part where he mentioned Globalized Lifestyles and travel made me realize that White Privilege leaves people out of so much. I come from DC. Washington DC has a Culture all its own. That is really hard to Access if you don't know someone from here. It's also the Nation's Capital. So there's that. But every city in the US has these layers. I think of Hawaii there is a culture of Immigration there so that Asian cultures feel central to the culture. This obviously doesn't touch the Indigenous peoples who are both suffering and thriving. I say all this to say, the more places become Global there seems to be an equal opposite reaction to preserve local Cultural artifacts. If you come to DC, I will show you what I mean.
I am yet to travel alot, but I am about to enter my early twenties this year and am so happy that Damon's corner of the internet exists. These videos are developing how I view travel and have helped me not compare the ways I want to experience different countries to others. SO much profound and experienced advice/opinions in this video and I love to hear them ALL. Thank u Damon, we love u 😙
Wow, this is deep! As a full time traveler, I feel a lot of this. There's a big difference between 'postcard traveling' and real travel.
So refreshing to hear your perspective and thoughts on travel! Looking forward to more video essays :)
Your hair *chef’s kiss* it’s so luscious like a dense forest (this is a compliment)
Damon i get what you mean how the world is feeling more similar. I think international cities are more similar no matter where in the world you are and globalization makes the world more homogeneous in a way even if you are in a different country. As a new yorker i feel very comfortable in different cities across the world being in the countryside even in my own country gives me that feeling of depaysé which made me realize I don't have to visit a new country all the time for a new experience therefore I truly have appreciated domestic travel in the states recently. Bonus it's much cheaper for me!
two minutes in and i'm loving the idea that traveling was the only "goal" or aspiration that was in your control and actionable, then it leading you to start an entire business/job out of it, growing your perspective, learning new things...
I don't know, but Damon is definitly a great comunicator. This podcasts are so wonderful and sincere. He is basically saying what we all are thinking ahah.
I remember one time when I was doing a motorbike loop in vietnam. I'd sped up ahead of everyone to get to the next stop before dark but I ended up stranding myself in the middle of nowhere with no fuel. I managed to find this old lady and communicate with her through my phone, and she took me to her neighbour's house. It was practically a open wooden structure in the mountains, with pigs and chicken everywhere. Her neighbour, out the kindness of her heart, emptied the fuel out her scooter to give to me. I was so touched by the gesture but I felt bad for taking her fuel so I tried to give her some money. The second she saw me trying to give money her face was very obviously offended, and I realised that I had almost cheapened this act of kindness by trying to change it into a transaction so I could feel better about this power imbalance, and I felt really bad about that. That moment has always stayed with me and I think it's precisely the type of thing you were talking about re: westerners being super nice to locals in poorer countries. I think the reality is that we feel bad, guilty even, that we have had better access to life and resources than them (not always, but usually) - and overcompensate with kindness. It might not be so much that you feel 'superior', but you acknowledge you've been treated better in your life, and deep down you know what body you are put into is a lottery, and you are no more worthy than anyone else.
Beautiful share❤
I think you would really enjoy reading some human geography, specifically about how "space" and "place" is defined if you havent already:) maybe something from Doreen Massey! And about placelessness in our global world, its very interesting:)) there is human geography theory about tourism also, I really recommend
GREAT VIDEO. I agree with you on so many points there. I have no desire to see all the countries now because realistically there wouldn't be time to see everything. For me to step on x amount of countries is mostly to make myself proud that I was able to come up with the finances and time to see some of the world, just like I always dreamed- coming from a person with humble beginnings.
lmaoo im from a latin american country and have visited several others in the region and i think its pretty much agreed between all of us that the accents may change but the vibe and corrupt politicians are the same everywhere
Yes, people that are privileged enough to be able to travel that much to that many countries may start becoming disillusioned or unimpressed by some of their trips. I honestly hope so much that that is never me. I think it's pretty valid though, people are entitled to their genuine feelings. But I feel like I intentionally live my life prioritizing finding meaning in my experiences or even in the music I listen to etc. Like, I don't really want to overconsume on music, movies, tv etc because I don't want to start devaluing my favorite things that I love. When you consume enough of anything, you start noticing the repetitiveness and lack of uniqueness a lot of times. Like the saying goes, there is nothing new under the sun. Not to generalize, but I just prefer to find what has meaning to me personally.
Travel is a bit different, I actually do believe that each country has its "thing" that is unique or different. I really try to be grateful for my experiences when I'm in a new place, there's noting worse than travelling with a sour Susan that complains about this, that or the other while travelling, like things are not up to their standard or what they're used to in their 1st world country. Obviously you can be real if something is crappy, hell, I hated staying in an AirBnB with giant roaches in Spain, but I still prefer to make the most of things as much as possible. I loved the sense of wonder I felt while visiting the beaches on that trip and I know there are other magnificent beaches in the world, but I don't wish to ever reach the point of not appreciating the beauty of one place, by comparing it to another.
Each country has its own culture, pride, history and richness that shouldn't be dismissed as just another stop on our holiday, there are real people living their day to day that will continue with their real lives long after we leave the country. There's a sense of respect that visitors should have, I l think
This was a bit of a random rant from me, I love your videos, thanks for sharing your honest thoughts~
In Latin America, ppl are so prideful of their countries. If you say one is like the other, you better believe there will be trouble. I’m not sure if Damon is diving into each countries “personality”. Sure they look similar, but there are plenty of differences
DAMON YOU ARE A STAR! I truly appreciate your videos. I just went on a 4 month trip and I was expecting to just have a fun time running around the world and living on a commune. It ended up being a really beautiful and chaotic time of personal growth for me, and that wasn't always......fun. It was a shock to the senses, being so far from 'home' was difficult and ecstatic and sad and joyful and exhausting and enlightening and so much more than 'simple fun'. I've been having a difficult time trying to explain this to my friends and family because I don't want to give the impression that I wasn't grateful or happy for the experience or discourage them from traveling, but I've been feeling inauthentic when telling my travel stories and glossing over the highs and lows of the experience. thank you so much for making this video and helping me reflect and unpack this
Agree 100% love hate travel and globalization makes me kinda sad 😔
YES DAMON!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS STYLE OF VIDEO I COULD WATCH THIS FOREVER!!!
As someone who has studied anthropology, when you were trying to think of a word to describe a perception that someone from a different culture than yours does “foreign” and “different” things than you, and that you view them as separate from yourself, anthropology calls that Ethnocentrism. It’s perceiving other cultures according to your own instead of actually understanding what their culture is irrespective of your own.
In the chance that you see this I hope it helps!!
You are such a good influence on me as a viewer. Watching your videos feels like it benefits my neuroplasticity in probably 5 different ways or something.
I feel like you're point about the similarities makes so much sense especially when country lines are completely arbitrary and based on literally nothing. Whereas culture and traditions are based on many indigenous and local practices that when they were created were not based on nationalism because nations literally didn't exist. especialllyyyyy in latin america
OH also that thing that you're asking for a name for where you think people are different in foreign countries is called exoticism. as in the superficial romanticization of foreign cultures and the othering that happens in that process
I’m so happy you exist
100% agree with doing an activity in a place to have a better experience. I booked a week-long hiking trip in the Himalayas during my trip to India and by far best part of my whole trip. When I got the intro email about 2 days before and saw every email was an Indian name - no westerners - it was huge surprise. These Indians were teachers & pilots & Harvard grads who were all in their late 20s / early 30s. Literally incredible & the richest experience I got in India having real conversations with people who were more like peers to me.
Damon, I just wanted to tell you that you’re my inspiration. I’ve been watching your videos since 2019 and as a now 20 year old gay guy living in a small town, your content has shown what’s possible for the future. I hope to start my travels later this year and I can’t thank you enough for showing others like me that life is so full of new and beautiful things.
I love it! Please do more of the videos on this topic. I’m ready to purchase your travel course yay. I find it hard to choose locations to travel, find inexpensive flights and plan for it.
Thank you for alerting us about resort fees in the middle of your existential crisis 🙌
I love being a digital nomad BUT what I realised is that I cannot do it fast paced. I much prefer being in one place for longer, and am so happy so many more countries are coming out with digital nomad visas that allow for you to stay 6 months or a year. I've seen the term slomad being used and I suppose that's more my style. It's too stressful for me otherwise.
What do you do as a digital nomad if you don't mind me asking?
@greenytaddict I don't mind at all. I have a print on demand shop and part time work as a league of legends booster 😅💕 if it helps, my friend does data entry remotely for a UK company. If you find a job advertised as "work from anywhere" you can usually use it as a stepping stone until you find something in an area you really love.
I’ve been thinking about your last video since you posted it. This is what we call QUALITY
omg same!! and now I won’t stop thinking about this one until the next video drops haha
Damon, I just found your channel and I feel like I resonate with everything you say so much. Even your thought process. How you start to question things and within that question another thought sparks another level of curiosity on another subject you’ve never thought about. You are so open minded and it’s so refreshing to see on the internet for once. Thank you for top tier content and quality discussions.
OMG yessss to the trendification of "off the beaten path" travel styles. People policing you for doing things in foreign countries that you could've done at home while forgetting these other countries do the same shit, hence why it exists and negating that it might have its own local spin to it.
Professor Damon at it again!
I like Hitomi’s take on this; yes we travel and we should see and do all of the unique things and immerse ourselves in the culture. but in the end, what makes travel so special is the parts of yourself you get to discover and uncover. it’s being yourself times 10 against a beautiful backdrop and beautiful people you meet once in a lifetime ❤
My goodness, Damon - the amount of truths you dropped in this video are astounding ! Loved hearing your thoughts about travelling and the sort of inner and genuine reflection around it. Plus, for a foreign student of French like me who gets overwhelmed for not knowing all the verb conjugations immediately when I speak, you just took some weight off my shoulders when you said “I didn’t grow up with this language” after trying to remember the gender of the word Green in French. It made so much sense to me and felt less guilty for not being a native like French person (what is a native speaker in this globalised world anyway, eh ?). Thank you and so happy you are back ! ❤
i really enjoyed this video, damon!! thanks. topics, thoughts, cinematography, coloring, sound - it's all so nice to watch.
Damon always speaking facts!!
Damon I love this. When I first started watching your videos I was a freshman in high school and I hadn't traveled much besides family vacations, and knew a little about other cultures bc my parents are immigrants. Now I'm about to graduate college and I've spent the last 3 summers working remotely from different countries, and I relate to a lot of what you're saying -- especially the points about temporal friendships (I did a series of paintings about this concept) and travel as a checklist. Your content always drew me in and inspired me and I love that now I feel like I could have a conversation with you about these things because I got that travel experience. Keep up these video essays
I really appreciated your video, Damon!, It’s refreshing to hear someone speak about the not-so-aesthetic side of traveling. I didn’t realize I was guilty of not being honest about my experiences living abroad. Like you mentioned, often times we don’t dare say that we didn’t have a good time because we don’t want to come off as ungrateful; traveling is truly a privilege not experienced by many. I can see now how this is problematic, and being honest can show that we are, in fact, not very different.
Many places in Thailand left me looking around for locals. I was just one more farang meeting others like me and talking about how great Thailand is. I kind of get why Japan is being that extreme. Many places in Mexico aren't affordable to locals because people from other countries are buying the "best" property and raising the cost of living.
I agree with finding the similarities between countries/cultures. Ghana, Nigeria, and much of West Africa are alike but we have to remember that the lines drawn all over the map were not done so by the natives. It is like cutting a slice of cake and being surprised that it tastes like another slice from that same cake. Migration, trading etc. will almost guarantee this occurring in certain regions.
Love the part about not looking like a tourist. I used to be so determined to not seem like a tourist, but in some places you get a better experience as a tourist. People are curious about you, want to talk to you, want to help you.
I live in Nashville and I 100P get what you mean. Nashville is a HUGE tourist city, and guess what we do for fun? Go to the mall, go to the movies, walk in our neighborhood, and YES, we go to Starbucks! All the “popular” places are completely flooded with tourists. There is a HUGE divide. They don’t come where we go, and we don’t go where they are. 😅
serving us w these podcast-y video essays 😍