It May Be Vacation Season, But You Don't Have to Be a Travel Snob

Photo: Joshua Earle

When you travel, you're going to want to tell stories. That's not only normal but it's also perfectly and wholly understandable. What isn't okay, though, is forgetting about the privilege of traveling when you're telling those stories. People can chock this up to sensitivity if they like — because it doesn't change the truth — but the reality is that traveling is one of the greatest things in the world, and sadly, it's simply not available to everyone.

I learned this, powerfully, at my college. My school was number one in the nation for study abroad programs, so it was expected that I would be doing some traveling at one point. I was disillusioned by promises that traveling was easy as long as I saved money and was super passionate about it. The truth of the matter didn't sink in until I was making plans, that went with my major, to go to Australia. I found out that the USD was weak in Australia AND that I wasn't guaranteed a work study job at the University I'd be attending. Essentially, I found out that traveling, to Australia or otherwise, was simply not an option because I didn't have the saved income to take care of myself.

But that didn't stop the people around me from talking about their experiences. Especially in the summertime. People post pictures and share every little anecdote, unaware of how shitty it makes other people feel that you're on an island somewhere, and we're stuck at home, or in the city, or the middle of nowhere.

It's not hard to be inclusive in this way, and if you'd rather not, you probably have some issues if you believe yourself too good to think about the feelings of others. Here are two major things to keep in mind when you want to talk about traveling, either as you plan, while you're there, or after the fact. (They are literally so simple.)

1. People don't always have time

It must be really nice for some people to take time off from work to go on a vacation. Unfortunately, some of us don't have that luxury. It doesn't mean we don't know how to save money or that we're somehow financially inept. It means that we struggle through living paycheck to paycheck as too many Americans do. So that week or so you need for a decent vacation is off the table, and anything less has to be pretty close, or else you're wasting travel money to go somewhere to stay one day.

And you know what they say, time is money...

2. People don't always have money

Speaking of money, YOU NEED IT TO TRAVEL. You can't pay for that airplane ticket (or for your food, or your hotel, or for any other unplanned expenses) with excitement and a well-planned itinerary. There are a lot of expenses associated with traveling, and the fact that you can pay for all those things is a privilege. Sure, it might not feel that way if you worked hard for it, but believe me, there are millions of people who are ready to work who don't have anyone willing to employ them.

Consider yourself one of the lucky ones who gets a paycheck. And if someone else is paying for you, that's a whole different level of privilege (good for you, but you also probably shouldn't be surprised if some people who'd love to travel resent you).

That's all. Literally, just remember those two things and be thoughtful and compassionate.