Backpacking Culture: Just Like a Local

In the discotheques in Santiago de Chile everybody salsas. The dance floor is alive with couples pulsing out that one-two-three rhythm over and over and over again. Sure, every now and then an American pop song might come on, but it's cheers all round when the salsa beat fires up once more.  Chileans are born with the ability to salsa. Australians are generally not.

Chileans will stare at you uncomprehendingly if you refuse a dance because you 'don't know how'. And while they're happy to offer a few tips, for the uninitiated foreigner (with a few Cuba Libres under her belt) learning to salsa from scratch ain't as easy as one two three.

Whether you’re a first time backpacker or a seasoned traveller, heading overseas is bound to offer a few learning experiences. Things you've always taken for granted - like talking, greeting, eating and dancing - start to present serious challenges. So we've put together some tips to help you, if not look exactly like a local, then at least look a little less like someone who just landed.

If you’re heading to a non-English speaking country, the first challenge you’re going to face is communication. Luckily for us, English is fairly pervasive in most tourist destinations, though in many places residents will learn English for the sole purpose of meeting and fleecing tourists. So a grasp of the local language will always come in very handy. There are many courses available in Australia that cater specifically to travellers and are designed to give you an idea of a language’s basic structure, pronunciation and common phrases. It's a good idea to do a course before you leave. Even a few evening classes at your local tesol will help work your ‘Oo ay la bonk’ into a form the Frenchies will understand. 

Local customs can be another big learning curve. For instance, you’d think used toilet paper should always be flushed down the loo. Not so. In countries such as Bolivia and Peru, the drains are too narrow to accommodate it, so toilet paper gets put in a bin or in the absence of such a receptacle, thrown behind the door. Unpleasant as this is, it’s the way things are. (Besides, if you think toilets are going to be the highlight of your South American holiday you’re heading to the wrong place.) While you don’t need to know every custom of every country you plan on visiting, it is worthwhile getting some tips from your Lonely Planet before you leave. There’s generally a bit of leeway given to tourists and the important thing is watch what the locals do and show you’re making an effort.

While you can't be prepared for every custom, having an understanding of the local history can help. To an extent, history shapes a nation's attitudes. So a bit of prior knowledge can stand you in good stead. For instance, while it's acceptable (and often hilarious) to make fun of the royal family in Australia, it's certainly not ok to do so in countries like Thailand and Denmark (where even Our Mary's off limits). Having some idea of a country's past also makes visiting its historic locations a much richer experience. If you can, read up before you leave or if this thought bores you beyond belief, taking guided tours while overseas offers a uniquely interactive opportunity to learn. 

As a backpacker, you should take every chance to learn from the places you visit. My late night salsa lessons may not have led to any improvement in my ability to feel the beat, but they're still some of my fondest memories of Chile. Even though they highlighted my separation from Latino culture, I never felt more like one of the locals.