Travelling is one of the (if not the most) fulfilling things you can do in a lifetime. It's always amazing to be able to be out of your comfort zone, experience new things, try new food - basically just being in a new place will almost always give you a strong dose of happiness that you truly deserve.
A lot of times it gets too exciting that the only thing that's in our mind is getting to our destination and getting our itinerary done. However, there are still a few reminders of what we should never do while travelling.
Upload photos of your boarding pass
If you're one who does this regulary and never experienced any trouble with it, you might think that there's nothing wrong with posting photos of your boarding pass. According to this article published in The Sydney Morning Herald, "Private details, such as an email, home address and phone number linked to an airline account could be exposed and even give a cyber criminal the ability to change your travel plans"
Uploading photos of your boarding pass does not really change anything about people's impression, if that's what your concerned about, so I suggest not doing this for your own security.
Asking the flight attendant to place your bag in the overhead compartment
A lot of people may not be aware but it is not the flight attendant's job to place your bags in the overhead compartment so do not treat them like they're your personal assistants or cargo personnel. Unless you are physically unable to place your bags in your overhead compartment due to an injury or disability, you should never ask any flight attendant to do so.
Never pack beyond what you can lift over your head comfortably.
When packing, practice holding your bag up against your head and lifting it up for a few seconds and see if this is something you are able to do. If not, then it makes a lot of sense to make your carry-on lighter until you are able to lift it up. It does not even matter if it does not reach the 7kg limit. It does not have to be 7kg if you cannot lift 7kg.
Disrespecting or being ignorant of your destination country's cultural beliefs and practices
I thought this was already common sense but over the years I have seen influencers blatantly disrespecting a foreign country's cultural beliefs and even filming themselves doing so. This is why I thought it's important that we continue to spread awareness that this is not acceptable and there are no exceptions.
For example, in Thailand, there are temples that you cannot show your buddha tattoo and almost all temples in Asia will require you to be in modest clothing. In the UK, it is not okay to stand in the way of the royal guards because they will not stop for anyone even your children.
Being ignorant of your destination country whether you are travelling as a tourist, a worker or a student is not okay. With the power of the internet, it only takes very little effort to research about common faux pas in your destination country so it wouldn't hurt to have a look at it.
Littering
No matter how filthy your destination is or what kind of citizen you are in your home country, it is not right and sometimes even punishable by law for you especially as tourist to be littering. If there's not a trash bin in sight, keep your trash in your bag or pockets until you can find one. Being a foreigner does not entitle anyone to special rights in a country.
Overstaying your visa or applying for jobs
A tourist visa or a visitor visa (as the name obviously suggests) entitles you to visit the country temporarily. For most countries, you can legally stay as a tourist for up to six months and apply for extension beyond that. However, you cannot apply for visa or try to gain the privilege of the residents and citizens in that country.
If you're wondering why as a Filipino it is difficult to apply for tourist visas for some countries, the answer is that too many Filipinos choose to ruin it for us by overstaying their visas. And there really are those who find no shame in doing this.
If you have a tourist visa, enjoy being a tourist in the country and if you want to stay permanently, apply for visas that will allow you to do as such.
Making locals feel inferior
Being a foreigner does not give anyone the power to make locals feel inferior. Whatever your race is or how much spending money you have, it does not give you the right to just go around feeling like a king. If the locals have difficulty understanding your English, be patient. If they are respectful towards you, it is because they are naturally respectful or they chose to do so - not necessarily because they are hailing you for being a foreigner.
I know there will be locals who find the idea of foreigners exciting but even if that's the case, it still does not warranty a superiority complex.
Happy travels!
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