One Tip That Truly Makes For A 'Good Traveler,' According To Rick Steves

What makes a good traveler? Is it having the perfect packing list and getting to the airport with plenty of time? Is it a carefully planned itinerary that gets you to all the right hot spots? Is it being open to trying new foods and having a cast-iron stomach? All of these are great and can help immensely. However, travel pro Rick Steves believes that there is something more to it than all of those things. On his Facebook page, Steves says being a good traveler is not about how many attractions you've seen or places you've been. Instead, he says that a good traveler is more about how many people you've met. He writes, "Be an extrovert — even if you're not. If you see four cute guys sitting on a bench, ask them to scoot over. They're just sitting there like they do every day...they'll remember your visit as long as you will. Meet the people — that's what carbonates your travel experience."

The truth is, while monuments, statues, mountains, and museums are all worthy and a joy to see, in the end, a place's ambience and spirit come from the people who live there, how they interact, what they love, and how they experience life. You may find the "real" Italy in a chat with an old man on a bench in Rome or the authentic side to Madrid while talking with university students taking a break in El Retiro Park. There may be a language barrier, but there are ways around that, including using a translation app. However you choose to do it, though, meeting people can change your entire trip for the better. 

When meeting people in a new place, the first hurdle to overcome can be the language. It's always good to learn a few local phrases wherever you go, but you don't have to be fluent. In fact, Rick Steves has some great tips for overcoming a language barrier. First, keeping it simple is important. You can get your point across in a few words if they speak a little English, like asking, "Water, please," rather than, "Can you get me another glass of water?" Keeping slang out of your speech is also helpful. If you know even a few words in the local language, the other person is likely to understand. For instance, if you're asking someone to take a picture of you, Steves says that saying the word "photo" will be easily understood, rather than saying, "Hey, can you take a picture of us?" Body language can help as well, like using your hands to indicate taking a picture. 

Steves also recommends splurging on a professional tour guide, perhaps early in the trip. They may reveal good places to meet people or might be able to familiarize you with local customs. For instance, Steves says the best way to communicate with locals in Italy is to join the passeggiata, which is when people walk through the town square in the evening, catching up and being seen. It's the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation. If you run into a linguistic divide, the Google Translate app has a feature where you can open a live translation screen. You speak English while the other person speaks the local language, and it will give you both an instant translation on the screen for each side of the conversation as it progresses.