Travel is Not Neutral
As spring break approaches, I would like to write a short piece on how traveling and visits to other countries are not places of neutrality. I was inspired to write this after viewing the 2001 documentary Life and Debt which documents “the ways that policies of the International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.), the World Bank, and other aid organizations have changed the Jamaican economy over the past 25 years”. This documentary, narrated by Jamaica Kincaid (author of A Small Place), goes back and forth between a luxe island resort filled with privileged western tourists, and scenes from the local islanders in disarray over a failing economy. One of the key takeaways I took from this film was the idea of human movement and privilege that certain groups of people hold. Throughout the documentary the ideas of relaxation and boredom are contested and investigated. The white tourists use their vacation on the lands of the locals, yet they are not afforded the same luxury. Instead the locals are kept on the margins outside the resorts and pristine beaches. The western travelers may come and go as they please, yet the Jamaicans have to jump through hoops if they even want to consider visiting or staying in the United States. This leads into my next point of the responsibility that comes with holding an American passport. No matter the lot we have in life, there is an extreme privilege that comes with being traveling as an American. With this privilege comes responsibility. But how does one remain aware and responsible during travel? Isn’t vacation supposed to be a time away from the stresses of everyday life? To this I reply a loud no! Vacation and getaways can still be relaxing and intentional. I am not claiming to be an expert who has it all figured out about how when can be socially conscious during travel, but I do have a few pointers.
Before you leave become educated on where you are going in terms of history and context. Even if you are just going to a nice resort and beach, a nice resort and beach did not just fall from the sky. How did it get there? Was it from foreign developers? Were locals pushed out of their homes in order to make room? To avoid feeding into the machine that is Western development consider a local hotel or an Airbnb where money and resources are allocated at the local level. Look into the social standing and its history on the place you are about to visit. Is it or was it a former colony or colonial power? How would either of these two positions impact the way in which you will travel and interact with the people there? Look into the economic standing of the location. Does its economy rely heavily on tourists? How far back does the tourist industry go in said place? Look into the cultures and religions of the place you are visiting. How can you respect and appreciate these without appropriating it for your own pleasure? Lastly, I would urge you to be aware! Be aware and become familiar with the privilege you hold in being able to travel and move across borders and oceans freely without question. Do not let your spring break travel plans be in vain- allow them to become starting blocks for a greater awareness and appreciation for the global community. Think of your own ways that you can turn your travel into action and extensions of responsibility. Please leave any comments and questions below.
In solidarity,
Sarah Homan