Ethical Tourism

For those who have been reading my ramblings regularly, you may recall that I had very mixed feelings about being in Thailand. I found it difficult to deal with the hoards of tourists and though it was a very easy country to travel because of their dependance on tourist dollars, I also couldn't help but feel that I'd walked into a sort of Disneyland park. Western tourists seemed to believe that since their hard-earned money was paying for their trip, they had earned the right to be condescending, leacherous losers. I actually heard a young Brit telling our guide that led us through the jungle that he took offence to Thai people thinking he was so rich because he had to save up for six whole months to travel to Thailand. He went on and on- really trying to communicate how difficult his life was as a young Brit- never even stopping to consider that our guide, who was paid pretty well by Thai standards, would likely never be able to afford to vacation in England.

The experience made me think about what sort of traveller I aim to be. Though I've found myself back in Canada, I know it won't be long before I'm hitting the road again (and by not long, I mean shortly after my boyfriend gets some working organs). Though cheap, trips to Cuba and Cancun have never interested me. I'm not fond of the concept of package trips and resort vacations. It alters the local economy and puts the tourist in an elite category above the local people. I'm not a fan. Without interaction with local people, I would have had very little to say about my year away. In any case, I began to think about how I plan to travel in the future. I want to see it all- which is an impossible feat as time and money are always concerns, but I plan on seeing every continent at the very least. And it seems as though teaching English and drama will be my vehicles. I am so lucky to be a native English speaker (except in Québec), as there is an endless stream of opportunities for me.

I've been thinking alot about volunteering to teach in Africa for awhile. This is the only way that I would consider travelling to Africa. The idea that some people spend thousands of dollars to go on a guided safari gives me chills. I began to look into volunteer opportunities while I was still in Korea and was annoyed that the agencies serving as the middle man were charging thousands of dollars to place you in a community. I'm perfectly willing to pay my own way and donate my time, but I take issue with paying to volunteer. These agencies are quite clearly scams, as far as I'm concerned. Help is so badly needed, I can't imagine I would be turned away if I just turned up there.

In any case, these plans are still in the thought stage, but if any of you have had experiences volunteering in Africa- please leave me some comments about your time there. I've got some leads on some good agencies, but you can never have too many...