INA WO(A)NDERS: About changing perspectives when traveling
Travelling is a wonderful way to practice changing your perspective. Here, Ina talks about her recent experiences in Great Britain.
“You live on a boat? Here? Gosh!”
Whether in Greece, Italy, Portugal or the Caribbean: in all the other places I have travelled to on the water, I have usually been met with a mixture of recognition, admiration and curiosity as a sailing world explorer. And I have always happily and proudly answered the many questions that have arisen about how such a life works. Yes, we cook and sleep on board. Yes, even in the middle of the Atlantic. Yes, I work from the ship. No, it doesn't cost the earth if you know how it works.
When privileges vanish into thin air …
I have now been on the south coast of Great Britain for a month. Family obligations have brought my boyfriend here and I have willingly followed him. But since we have been here, I think I have heard an almost regretful undertone in conversations about my unconventional accommodation. Because anyone who lives on a sailing boat in the UK outside of the short summer months does not have much to laugh about. There are no hours of sunshine to recharge the batteries and keep them in a good mood. Instead, the winter temperatures and the heavy rain are getting on my nerves. And I am sinking into deep musings about how apparent privileges can suddenly vanish into thin air.
… we can suddenly see the world from a different perspective.
I often think back longingly and a little embarrassed to a completely different island. When we anchored off the Caribbean island of Dominica last year, my world was still in order. As a privileged, white, digital nomad who can work and earn money from anywhere, I repeatedly complimented the locals on the beauty of their Caribbean island. I constantly emphasized how much more pristine and wild Dominica was compared to the neighboring islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, which are much better off economically. Looking back, I realize how clumsy these comments were. Because all of this certainly looks different from the perspective of those who live here. After all, there are hardly any sources of income on Dominica other than agriculture and tourism; the unemployment and poverty rates are high and the island is regularly devastated by violent hurricanes.
Everything has several truths
My upside-down world here in England, where I am suddenly pitied rather than celebrated for my lifestyle, has encouraged me to really change my perspective more often. Everything we perceive when traveling has several truths - for the people who live there and for us who are just visiting the places. If I travel to Dominica again, I have made a firm resolution to ask people openly about their worries, wishes and hopes instead of overwhelming them with my enthusiasm for the wild nature of their island. And when I am anchored here on the south coast of England on a summer's day, I will be happy if other people's perspective on me changes again - and from regret to admiration.
Do you manage to change your perspective when travelling and really put yourself in other people's shoes? What did you experience, when did it work, when didn't it? I would be delighted if you shared your travel thoughts and memories with me - either as a comment or directly by email to [email protected].
© Photos: Pexels / ollivves, Ina Hiester, Pexels / Kendell
Ina Hiester
Ina is a digital nomad and travels through Europe by land and sea. The journalist is always on the lookout for special places for Good Travel, philosophizes about travel in her column, takes photographs, makes music and writes articles on all kinds of environmental and sustainability topics.
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