Are You a Traveler or a Tourist?

Are You a Traveler or a Tourist? That is the question I just tried to answer myself. I have been seeing a lot of people in social media condemning one another by being a traveler or vice versa. Well, I really don’t care.

In my attempt to identify which side I belong, I tried to take an online quiz but there were a lot of questions, I aborted it. Why would I even want to answer it when all I really want is to travel and go places (I think I really do not need to make my passion be complicated). Yes, I just simply want to travel, travel, and travel. To be exact, to travel places like a local.

Travel Like a Local
Before I chase a certain place, I make sure that I do a little research about it. A perfect example was when I went to Sagada last year for my birthday trip. I browsed the website of Saggas to learn about the proper attire I should be wearing while roaming around the town and the best clothes that I could wear for spelunking. Just like what they say, we may look chick and cool (for photo ops purposes) without disturbing the local community’s culture.

Actually, I have been traveling solo for sometime and survived, probably because of my attempt on talking like a local, traveling like a local, and dressing like a local. (Just another safety tip for backpacking women).

A Big Help Coming
If you are someone who do not mind about the comforts of 5 star hotels may bring (bed, linens, personal fridge, and room service), if you are someone who would prefer to stay in a local’s home, then this is definitely for you.

Withlocals is a peer-to-peer marketplace where local people offer experiences and their skills as travelers. Their mission is to connect people and cultures through food and unique experiences. Instead of spending hundred bucks in a famous resto, one can experience dining with a local family in their home. Instead of having selfies at different famous destinations, one can experience having the tours of their lives by visiting places that are not mostly seen or detailed in travel books. Places that are usually known by locals only, how about that?