Meeting Locals: 2002
Good travel requires connecting with people. Get creative: bring a Frisbee, look up a bridge club, assume a fake last name and get out a phone book. Connecting with locals puts a shine into your travel memories. How do you make sure you connect with the locals in your travels?
The French aren't rude — just shy
Who says the French are rude? My husband and I have been to France three
times now, and most people (like everywhere else in the world) are polite
and gracious when treated with friendliness and respect. The difference:
Many French are shy or slow to warm up, opposite from the typical "American"
style of "Howdy, I'm Joe, who are you?" Local French we befriended, plus
a few French we knew from when they visited the US, were (after the initial
reticent period) warm, welcoming, and willing to go way out of their way
for near-strangers. So nice! I guess a quiet rock-ribbed Yankee like myself
can relate!
Lisa <email>
N. of Boston, MA USA 12/11/02
Same last name!
On a trip a few years ago, my brother and I had to change trains in Dusseldorf,
so instead of hanging around the station for a few hours, we walked to a
nearby restaurant/brewery founded by a family whose surname is the same
as our mother's. I'll admit we got some funny looks as we brought in our
packs, but when we told them why were were visiting, we were instantly welcomed
with a rousing "Welcome to Germany!" No one would let us buy our own beers,
and we brought home a brochure outlining the brewery's history. Sure beat
hanging around a train station...All because we had done some research and
learned about the brewery, and decided to be a little extroverted.
Paul
USA 10/07/02
You must eat bread with meat!
The best time we had was sitting on a patio in Lyon. We sat outside and
three people joined our little table. There was a couple from Amsterdam,
and a little old man who was from Lyon. I brought out some bread and was
eating it plain when the little old man jumped up and said something in
French and pointed at my bread. I was so startled as he walked away. Moments
later he returned with some fresh meat for me to eat with my bread! He said
that in Lyon you must eat bread with meat or cheese! I still get a big smile
thinking of that day!
Christi
Chandler, AZ USA 08/28/02
meeting locals
Any body travelling in the Czech Republic can easily meet friendly locals
just by attending a hockey game. I am a 26 year old woman who vacationed
alone in Prague last winter, and spent most of my time lonely until I ventured
out one evening to do something I would normally have done at home. Knowing
a few words of czech helped, and I'm sure sharing enthusiasm for sport would
work in any country. I'm planning my second solo trip for October, and the
hockey arena will be my first stop!
Jenny <email>
Charleston, SC USA 08/25/02
If you prefer to live like the local people during...
... your vacation and not like a tourist, you can arrange a home exchange
or a hospitality exchange. You will have your home-away-from-home and not
feel like a stranger in a hotel! I had 2 successful exchanges (to Maine/US
and to Manitoba/Ca.) and would prefer this kind of vacation! I am still
looking for someone to exchange in autumn 2002 and the next year! When you
are from Northern America please contact me!
Birgit Wolf <email>
small town near Hannover, Germany 07/20/02
Meeting People is Easy... in Italy
i can't even tell you how many locals my friend and i met on our trip through
Italy! some of them i am corresponding with even now. it takes a good deal
of boldness and willingness to look like a fool from time to time, but it
was so unbelievably easy. i was quite charmed by this culture. here are
some examples of people we met along the way: Paolo, in Corniglia, who gave
us the low-down for two hours on the making of wine. he told us that "life
is too short to drink cheap wine." . . . some old ladies who sat with us
on a bench in Vernazza for an entire afternoon. spoke no english, but talked
to us just the same. . .Simone, a native of Torino who helped us out of
a serious jam having to do with trains. . .people our age in Vernazza who
took us to parties and sang Dylan songs with us (VERY amusing). . .shmoozy
men in Florence who claimed to be artists. . . people at train stations,
on the trains, in cafes, in piazzas. . . in other words, it doesn't take
much to meet people in Italy. they are so lovely. if you are a woman, men
will talk to you randomly every five minutes (which can get annoying), but
when they realize that you aren't interested, they either (usually) leave
you alone or decide just to be your friend. learn a few Italian words. it
amuses them and makes you feel like a little bit less of a tourist. sit
still and people-watch for hours at a time... someone is bound to talk to
you. partake of the local wine. in other words, learn to stretch out time
and enjoy yourself like the Italians do. what a life...
laurel <email>
baltimore, MD USA 07/04/02
Make overnight train rides enjoyable
On a trip to Spain in 1996, we shared a compartment on an overnight train
from Barcelona to Granada with a Spanish family on holiday and a woman travelling
with her daughter. Although there was a bit of a language barrier, we managed
to communicate we were from Chicago, and hearing this, there was a instant
connection — Michael Jordan — who they knew from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Our Spanish friends knew a lot about American pop culture and our conversation
allowed us to practice Spanish as well as to make the 14 hour trip go by
much quicker. Also, when the the young girl travelling with her mother got
a stomach ache, we came to the rescue with some Tums. The woman was so grateful,
she shared her shawl with us when the temperature dropped in the middle
of the night and gave us her fan — which many Spanish women carry with them — as a gift. Moral of the story — don't sit there like a bump on a log.
Try to make conversation. Many Europeans want to practice English as much
as you may want to practice their native language.
Matt <email>
Chicago, IL USA 07/03/02
Locals in Paris
Meeting locals in Paris.. 6/1 Saturday night, we noticed 100 or so people
on the Pont Nuef bridge (the pedestrian bridge just downstream from Notre
Dame) so we checked it out. Locals aged 18 to 30 were just hanging out drinking
beer/wine/Coke (even some pot smoking). Everyone was simply relaxing on
this very warm evening. My wife and I found a nice spot to sit (Notre Dame
ahead, Eifel Tower behind) bought a few beers (1 euro each) from a vender
and hung out until well past 1:00 am. No police and no trouble, just alot
of fun.
Jim <email>
Manasquan, NJ USA 06/06/02
Meeting Locals
The best part of traveling to Europe is meeting the locals. We have found
most people to be very nice and friendly if you are the same way to them.
We found the Dutch to have a great sense of humor, and the Irish, English
and Scottish to really like Americans. We still communicate with some folks
we met in London from Northern Ireland about 7 years ago. People in England
were extremely interested in us and wanted to talk. In Dublin we were made
honorary members of the "Tartan Army" by fans of the Scottish football team,
who we partied vigorously. They were there for a game with Ireland (and
won). For a real coincidence, while eating lunch in a pub in Dingle Ireland,
we overheard two ladies talking about Florida. They were from our hometown — and we met them again in our hometown last St. Patrick's day! While we
were talking to them at the pub in Dingle, a man came up who lives 3 doors
down the street from my son in another town in Florida!
Ken <email>
FL USA 06/04/02
Gifts/names
My son (11) seemed to be able to meet other boys quite easily. I had wished
that I had taken skateboard/surfer type stickers for him to give as gifts.
They would be easy to pack, and the boys were all so impressed with his
ability with their skateboards that this would have prabably been a great
farewell touch. Tip: I wish that I would have written down the names of
the special individuals we met at the time. I forget so many of them now,
and have no names to put with the photos.
Manya <email>
Covina, CA USA 06/02/02
Europeans are difficult!
I have found the Europeans to be generally difficult to get to know. The
friendliest people — at least, toward me — have been the males. I have also
noticed, as a non-white, that the non-whites in Europe are not as friendly
as the whites, and I have wondered why this is so? I found the Spanish some
of the nicest so far, followed by Italian men, recent immigrants (you can
tell them by their accents), and some Austrians (I was buying gluhwein,
so maybe that's why they were smiling).
Carmen Smith <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 04/27/02
Eye Contact
After the first week in Rome, I hadn't really met a soul. I phoned up a
Venetian pen pal who basically said that as a woman travelling with a small
child in rome — if I hadn't met anyone, I must be, in some way, serious
abnormality (he was nicer than that — but that was essentially the message).
So, I sat a while and thought about it — and I realized that I simply hadn't
actually looked at anyone! Being a big city dweller, I was in the habit
of avoiding eye-contact with people on the streets.... That evening, I squared
my shoulders, washed my kids face — and quite literally, within an hour,
was having the time of my life with the locals at a nearby tratoria! So — it's like Rick says — Extroverts really do have more fun~
Kiri <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 04/19/02
Meeting Locals- Graffiti Wall
Ireland is one of my favorite places to visit. The nightlife does center
around the pubs. Here's a great tip to meet locals. Arrive a bit early to
snag a big table so that there are several extra chairs. As the night gets
busier, people always ask to share the table. Every time I've tried this,
I've met great people who have then taken us on a whirlwind tour of local
nightspots. (Usually ending at about dawn feasting on really bad fast food
at Abracadabra's.) Try it, you won't be disappointed!
Anne McDermott <email>
Chicago, IL USA 04/16/02
regret
well, one should be always vigilant about grabbing opportunities. five days
ago in pompei i was at the window to buy a audioguide in english and there
was a cute lady (seemingly alone) standing behind me. the lady at the counter
told me that there was a discount if i bought two audioguides and i told
her that i was alone. i missed the chance of asking the cute girl behind
me if she wanted to save some money. who knows, if she wud have liked me,
i could have asked her out!!
jambs <email>
san francisco, CA USA 04/06/02
A Few Ideas
1. Eat by yourself. You may be seated at a table of locals with an empty
chair, or they may come and sit by you. 2. Buy the weekend train pass good
for multiple travelers. Some young people may ask if you are traveling with
it in hopes that they can get a free ride. 3. Fake ignorance: even if you
know the answer, just go ask that cute German girl a question. It could
lead to a long conversation.
me
USA 04/01/02
Ask Questions
Whenever we board a bus or train that is taking us more than 3 blocks, I
verify my destination with a passenger..." Is this bus going to (fill in
the blank)" or something more like "Roma, si?" or "Munchen, ya?" I like
to engage people by asking simple questions which serves as a signal I'm
looking for help since I'm a traveller. On the train from Sopron, Hungary
I asked a compartment load of people " Budapest??" and was joined by a college
student trying out her English. We talked for almsot two hours before she
got off to attend school. But before she left, she gave us her number to
cal lif we came back through Sopron. We made a point of it and spent a wonderful
evening with her parents who spoke a little German(and who miss Communism).
We all had a marvelous time. That was 2 years ago and we still correspond
(in English).
Terry <email>
Carrollton, TX USA 03/28/02
Meeting and Greeting local folk
Probably the easiest way to meet locals is to be where they are. Sounds
stupid, I know, but locals are not watching the 10:10 a.m. bell ringing
festival, or prowling through souvenir shops. They're living ther normal
lives, and can be found anywhere you would go in your normal life. The guy
at the car wash, people at the local town pool (visitors are almost always
welcome for a buck or two), or just wandering the shopping area of any little
town. Be friendly, ask a question, make the first move. The worst that can
happen is the person doesn't want to speak with you and you move along.
The other thing is that Europeans (as a whole) are more formal than Americans.
People can be friends for years and still not be on a "first name" basis.
If you speak a language that has a familiar and a formal tense, use the
formal one unless invited to use the more casual one. If you make a mistake,
that's okay — just don't assume that everyone wants to be called by their
first name immediately
Kathy N-V <email>
Boston, MA USA 03/16/02
locals
missed opportunities — the things you will always regret!!!!! we had just
arrived in st goar germany and as we parked our car, a kindly gentlemen
walking by made a comment about the tight squeeze and how lucky we were
to find a place — in chatting with him, the comment came out that he had
served with rommell in north africa — -our schedule was suffering so we said
good-byes — it finally dawned on me, i had just missed one of the great
opportunities in life of discussing real history with a participant and
i was too concerned with my plans to take the time, buy the guy a beer,
and have an experience i can never recapture —
jim <email>
dallas, tx, USA 03/05/02
This and visiting the Vatican at 7am. What a great experience!
Brian Weston <email>
Raleigh, NC USA 01/25/02
Meeting people in God's house
It is always wonderful to see so many people from other countries and beliefs
in church celebrating. Church is about the finest opportunity to meet a
diverse group of people. If you visit Vatican City, you may wish to attend
a papal public audience. Remember all of these lovely places of worship
are just that. On Sunday, mass is held. Go, if not for mass, perhaps for
another service.
Father Christian <email>
Vatican City, Vatican, Rome, Italy 01/13/02