The most welcoming people? (page 7 of 8)

meeting people while traveling wasn't her priority.

Yes.

She also said that being only with tourists while traveling didn’t bother her.

No.

What bothers me is the crowd, the masses. Tourists or locals, it’s all the same.

Thanks! :)

Hello,

Latin Americans are generally very sociable (Indigenous peoples are still more reserved), they’ll tell you their life story really quickly, and we’re on a first-name basis right away. But they’re not "welcoming" in the sense that it’s very rare for them to invite you to their home—to eat or have coffee, for example.

And the only Latin American country where the people I met would say "welcome" to me was El Salvador.

Otherwise, as explorer and writer Alexandra David-Néel once said, "He who travels without meeting others isn’t traveling; he’s just moving around."

Hi,

Yes, you could put it that way, but "meeting the other" in the anthropological sense doesn’t mean "having great encounters" or building warm, friendly, or cordial relationships. For an anthropologist, "meeting the other" means much more broadly experiencing alterity—discovering that what we consider normal isn’t universal. It’s mostly about perspective, listening, and observation.

Hospitality is a cultural construct, so in that sense, "the most welcoming people" for each of us is often the group where we find the closest match to our own idea of what hospitality should be.

Michel

Hello,

For me, meeting others while traveling means exchanging and learning more about the country I’m visiting—and that’s exactly what happened. For example, in Guatemala, I wrote about it in my travel journal on Myatlas. On a bus, I met a woman who works in Human Rights with Indigenous peoples. She had known Rigoberta Menchú, the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner, for a long time. That encounter at the end of my trip was incredibly enriching; it gave me the chance to ask her lots of questions about things that had struck or shocked me during my journey.

What’s more, by talking to locals, they can also learn about the countries tourists come from. Still in Guatemala, a young Indigenous law student (also met on a bus!) was amazed that in France, 13- or 14-year-old girls aren’t mothers. She thought it was the same as in Guatemala.

In El Salvador, chatting with people taught me so much about the *maras*—horrors I had no idea about (at first, I even thought people were lying). I also learned about the civil war by talking to those who lived it (former guerrillas, refugees, etc.).

And in 2022, I was in Panama during the massive protests. There, too, I learned a ton because people were furious with the government and wanted to talk.

But I know many travelers focus mainly on landscapes, monuments, etc., and don’t engage with the local population. That’s a shame because travel is so much more rewarding when you connect with people. For me, it’s the best way to truly get to know a country.

And sure enough, talking to people makes you realize that what seems normal to us isn’t universal. But to meet others, you first have to be open to exchange.

On another note, for a woman traveling alone in Latin America, it’s not uncommon to get all kinds of invitations from men, but that has nothing to do with a country’s hospitality.

"But to meet others, you first have to be open to exchange."

Open to exchange—or not, or not too much, or less—it’s already a judgment, an intellectual construct. For me, there’s no need to exchange words, arguments, or experiences to meet others in the anthropological sense you mentioned. That was just it 🙂.

Michel

Hello,

If I understand correctly, your point aligns with this Seneca quote I also like: "What’s the point of traveling if you bring yourself along? It’s your soul that needs to change, not the climate."

But you should give some concrete examples....

Hello,

Concrete examples of what?

Michel

Totally agree with you. Book knowledge isn’t really my thing... at least not for me. What matters is what you actually experience—the day-to-day reality.

Sometimes it’s pointless trying to explain... There are those who overanalyze everything and those who only care about landscapes and animals... 😏

If you speak Spanish in Latin America, conversations really go off the beaten path.

Hi there,

Yes, I’m bilingual, and it’s true that in Latin America, you don’t have to push people to talk to you—they’ll chat about anything and do it willingly, especially in Colombia, El Salvador, and Brazil (I get by in Portuguese but I’m not bilingual).

Indigenous communities tend to be more reserved, though.

On the topic of invitations, I just remembered that in Colombia, a Colombian family I met at a tourist site invited me to join them at some thermal baths. I turned them down because I wasn’t sure if the offer was genuine and I didn’t know the social norms there. Later, I asked some Colombians, and they told me the invitation was sincere and I could’ve gone with them without any issues.

He who travels without meeting others doesn’t travel—he merely moves.

Meh.

Some people only meet others during their travels, ignoring everything else.

Some only engage with others when they seem different, snubbing those who are like them.

Others only meet fellow travelers but never—or barely—locals.

Personally, I don’t travel to meet people. But I inevitably do (the customs officer, the cop who fines me, hotel/restaurant/museum staff, train station clerks, pharmacists for traveler’s diarrhea, taxi drivers, hitchhikers, exhausted hikers, gas station attendants, mechanics, etc.).

It’s impossible not to cross paths with anyone, especially in overpopulated countries.

Sometimes, it’s really unfortunate.

I could do without crowds at tourist sites (so many potential encounters in one place: Chinese, Indians, Germans, Italians, Americans—*gulp*—French...) and certain people on hiking trails (silence is the best music on a trail).

Personally, I don’t travel to meet people.

It’s impossible to never cross paths with anyone, especially in overpopulated countries

Hi there,

Personally, meeting people isn’t my main goal when traveling either, especially since you can’t plan encounters—they happen by chance. But the way I travel, alone and using public transport, means I inevitably meet people.

That said, encounters really enrich a trip—it’s a big plus. I notice the difference when I travel to countries where I don’t speak the language. Without exchanges with locals, something’s missing.

Anyway, in Latin America, not interacting with the locals—who are very sociable—means missing out on something, or even missing the whole point, I’d say.

In Brazil, I met some Spanish tourists who’d spent 9 or 10 days in the country, split between the Pantanal and the Amazon, staying in remote lodges. They saw tons of animals, but to me, they missed the essential part: Brazilians!

And when I talk about encounters, I don’t just mean "crossing paths" with people or meeting tourism professionals (hotel staff, restaurant workers, guides, etc.) or the pharmacist if I get traveler’s diarrhea. A real encounter means having meaningful exchanges about the country (or other topics), and people are even more willing to talk and share if they see you’re genuinely interested in what they have to say.

And meeting other travelers doesn’t bother me either.

Hi,

it’s really about having exchanges about the country (or other topics), and people talk even more when they see the other person is interested in what they’re sharing.

Yes, you can listen, but in that case, take things with a grain of salt—you have to read between the lines. Between clichés, stereotypes, and polite small talk, there’s often not much of real interest to take away.

Michel

Hi there,

I think it really depends on the countries and continents.

In Latin America, while Indigenous peoples tend to be more reserved, that’s not the case for most locals.

In El Salvador, I heard some really critical and harsh opinions about Bukele, even though that’s not the dominant narrative. In Guatemala, I had conversations about machismo, the influence of evangelical churches, and more—these weren’t just superficial chats.

And some people open up even more because they know they won’t see you again.

Something's missing.

There's an "me" missing in that sentence.

Anyway, in Latin America, not interacting with the locals—who are very sociable—means missing out on something. I’d even say it means missing out on the essence of the experience.

That’s just my personal opinion.

For me, discovering the countries is essential. I don’t understand people who take the bus, or worse, night buses, which don’t let you see the landscapes at all. I think they’re missing out on the whole point of traveling. Especially since this mode of transport doesn’t take you everywhere.

When it comes to the people you meet, the workers, they’re the ones most likely to open up and communicate. I’ve learned so much more from them than from random encounters. Language barrier, cultural barrier—everything stays superficial.

Personally, I never take overnight buses—I don’t recommend them in Latin America.

In Latin America, buses go pretty much everywhere since many people can’t afford a car. Otherwise, you finish the trip by taxi or tuk-tuk, and for visiting sites, you can occasionally book a tour with an agency.

Traveling by bus is traveling in immersion, at the pace of the locals, in direct contact with them. And in Latin America, riding the *chicken buses* is a real journey within a journey—I’ve seen so many things on those buses!

I’m not sure what you mean by "workers"??? Aren’t the people who take the bus workers too?

Anyway, you can meet locals in places other than buses, but it’s an excellent way to do so!

For me, the locals are the soul of a country. Ignoring them means missing the essence of the place.

Yes, night buses are even more dangerous than daytime ones, and not just in South America.

In Latin America, buses go almost everywhere

They don’t go where I’m headed—that is, vast, nearly deserted natural spaces.

For there to be a bus, there need to be people.

If there aren’t any...

Buses restrict travel to populated areas. That means forgetting a good part of the world’s land.

Plus, buses are actually rare in parts of the world where buying an individual means of transport has become possible thanks to rising living standards.

I’ve noticed that since my first trips, about thirty years ago, public transport options have become increasingly scarce in many countries.

For visiting sites, you can occasionally take an excursion with an agency

Not at all the ideal solution for an independent traveler... On top of that, it’s usually more expensive, and you stay on the well-trodden paths. For peace of mind, you’ll often have to do without. I really only take these when I have no choice! (Places only accessible by boat, for example).

Traveling by bus means traveling immersed, at the pace of the locals, in contact with them;

In the past, it was indeed a good way to observe people for those who enjoy that, for those with a more ethnographic view of travel.

That’s less and less the case now, as tourists increasingly take over public transport.

And while old buses at least let you see the landscapes, that’s no longer true today.

Travelers find themselves in a moving coffin, their view blocked by dirt and grimy old curtains. Up front, the space is closed off, and a TV plays some noisy flops.

I did the same route in Ecuador by rental car and by bus. Long live the rental car...

I’ve had my fill of buses when it wasn’t financially or safety-wise possible to do otherwise. It could be fun, but also often grueling and tiring. Plus, I don’t like being a sideshow. It’s really uncomfortable being stared at for an entire trip because people have never seen Westerners before.

Now that renting a car has become much easier and cheaper, I don’t regret only using public transport occasionally.

In cities, it’s perfect!

I don’t know what you mean by "workers"???

All the people who have a job, whom you meet in the context of their work.

Otherwise, you can meet locals in places other than buses

At an airport, in a hotel, at a restaurant, while grocery shopping, on a walk, breaking down by the side of the road, when you’re sick, at the movies, in a museum...

For me, the locals are the soul of a country; ignoring them means missing the essence

For you.

There are many types of travelers and many reasons for traveling.

The locals are *your* focus. But not necessarily everyone else’s—others might not feel they’re missing the essence by not focusing on people.

That’s just how it is, and it’s great that we’re not all the same.

Imagine a world where everyone thought the same way, where everyone went in the same direction.

A nightmare!

The hardest part is accepting that others are different, that their path is just as valid as any other.

That’s why it’s essential to clearly state your question when opening a thread on this forum.

We often get the impression there’s only one way to travel, so it doesn’t seem necessary to specify what kind of traveler you are.

But it’s crucial!

The answers won’t be the same at all!