The world is a complex, but incredible place. It has many years of history, many thousands of cultures and different peoples, many lands and climates, and many time zones. It’s the world of a lifetime to explore it all, and it’s still likely impossible you ever would do.That’s nothing to feel bad about of course, it just means that you never have to feel bored.

Yet travel, no matter if you’re heading to Sweden, Kenya, Japan, Malaysia, or anywhere else you might spin the globe to land on, it’s good to know how to conduct yourself, and how to make the most from your trips. For example, if you head to Japan and discover a love for seafood you never knew you had, we’re willing to bet most of the locals would be quite pleased with that fact. Moreover, while it seems every country has a thousand rules you need to abide by (and of course, that is the case in general), most people are more than happy for you to visit as long as you’re willing to keep your mind open and listen.

So, in this post, we’ll discuss some great ways to become a better tourist, while also discussing the value of embracing world culture.

Support The Local Economy

While it’s tempting to eat at a familiar fast-food chain or shop at international stores when you’re traveling, you’ll gain much more from seeking out independent shops, restaurants, and cafes that reflect the culture of the area you’re in, if only because they’re more authentic. Of course, you’re not committing a grave moral failing by wanting to see what the unique McDonalds menu offers in a different country, but it’s best to offer as much of your tourist money as you can to the local area. Many people subsist on it.

A good example is buying handmade goods, or eating at a family-owned restaurant, as they both allow you to directly support the people who live in the area, and in return, you’ll experience something far more grounded than you would by sticking to the international companies that might not even pay tax there. During non-peak times, you may even help someone get through the winter.

Keep An Open Mind

There’s an idea that if you go abroad, you should never have culture shock or find your experience to be weird. But the truth is, it’s not like the entire world is going to be familiar to you, or that your cultural norms aren’t going to be challenged. It’s okay to find something strange or even unappealing if it’s different.

But to the best of your ability, keeping an open mind can be worthwhile. If you go there to learn, you might find out a lot more about yourself. Learning to eat with chopsticks, or realizing that curly updo hairstyles are actually perfect for your hair given your ethnic heritage and hair type than you had first imagined. This way you find yourself letting the world shape you as opposed to expecting it to conform to your standards.

Consider The Adjust Pace Of Life

Different cultures often have their own rhythm when it comes to daily life, and researchers can even tell city volume in some areas by how quickly people talk to one another on the street, and how fast they walk. But culture plays into it too. What might seem slow to you could be the norm in a different country. Rather than becoming frustrated when things don’t move at the pace you’re used to, try to relax and embrace it, and try to emulate the pace of life. That might be a post-lunch siesta in Spain, or perhaps the vibrant nightlife culture at the weekend in Japan. Adjusting can be a fun way to open up and experience life from their side of things.

To use another example, in many Mediterranean cultures, there’s a much more laid-back attitude toward time, meaning people may linger over meals, take long midday breaks, or just enjoy chatting to other people of different generations without being quite so divided. It can be healthy to learn from this, even if you don’t follow it to the letter back home.

Take Your Time

There’s always a temptation to see and do as much as possible when you’re traveling, but sometimes, less is more. Think – would a tourist prefer you run from cultural tourist spot to tourist spot without breathing? Or would they prefer you to breathe, explore at your own pace and have fun? Odds are, the latter. As tourists we often feel that the citizens of different cultures expect a great deal from us, but really just having fun and soaking in the culture is enough.

With this advice, you’ll be sure to remain a better tourist and embrace world culture for the better.