This is How Not to Be a Jerk When Travelling Abroad

When we travel, we sometimes do things we wouldn’t normally do at home. Maybe we drink too much or act a bit silly. That’s fine. But some people. when they travel, turn into jerks. These are the folks that yell at someone who doesn’t speak English. Or they carve their initials into a historic building. Or they run around naked at a spiritual site.

Don’t want to be one of ‘those’ travellers? Here are 20 ways you can avoid being a jerk when you hit the road.

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A sign with symbols showing no cellphones, no shorts for men, no short skirts for women

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1. Be Respectful

You should always respect other cultures. What is normal for you may be seen as boorish or insulting somewhere else. For example: always dress appropriately when entering a house of worship or visiting a sacred site.

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2. Ask Before Photographing People

The locals aren't models. They're real people, and they probably don't like it when someone starts taking their picture. Imagine if swarms of tourists started taking your picture. How would you feel? All you have to do is ask. That's just being polite.

A shed covered in green and pink spray paint

NordhornerII/Wikimedia Commons

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3. Don’t Tag

Leaving a tag or your crappy 'street art' on public and private property is incredibly disrespectful. How would you feel if visitors came to your town and started spray painting everywhere? Just don't.

Pictureframedude/Wikimedia Commons

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4. Don’t Vandalize

Speaking of vandalism, another don't. It's not cool to carve your initials into that old growth tree or historic church. No one cares that you were there. Take a picture instead.

Bengt Nyman/Wikimedia Commons

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5. Don’t Litter

Yes, the locals may dump trash right out the window, but that doesn't give you carte blanche. Act as you would at home. And if you throw garbage out the window at home, you're a real jerk.

Locals walking around outsdie a store called cheap house

Doug Murray

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6. Don’t Be Cheap

Don't try and grind down everyone to the cheapest price possible. Yes, you may be a group of four, but that doesn't entitle you to a discount. Remember that in many countries wages are low — so be prepared to pay what the locals do.

Currency exchange counter at the airport

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7. Don’t Get Ripped Off

At the same time, don't let people take advantage of you. Avoid the touts and money changers at the border and always settle on the price before taking an unmetered taxi.

Group of protesters and one person holding a sign that says I don't know what we're yelling about

Martha Soukup/Flickr

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8. Don’t Try to Convert People

Whether it's religion, politics or your personal dietary regimen, don't try to convert people to your point of view. Keep your beliefs to yourself.

Cute street dogs sitting outside near trash bin

Feri/Wikimedia Commons

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9. Don’t Adopt Street Puppies Unless…

In many parts of the world you'll find an abundance of street dogs (and cats). But don't adopt a 'spirit puppy' only to abandon it a week later. If you want to help, then adopt the animal for life and take it home with you. You can also donate to local spay and neuter clinics.

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10. Practice Safe Sex

If you're going to have sex, make sure you're being safe. Don't be a jerk — use protection, so you're not helping spread STDs.

Man and woman, a couple, check their phones while carrying large backpacks in the airport

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11. Don’t Complain How it’s Not Like Home

Most places you go will not be like home — which is the whole point of travel. If you expect everything to be a carbon copy of what you've just left, you might consider a staycation.

Travelling means that you have to deal with things going wrong, language and cultural issues and getting sick. It's called experience.

Meat skewers on tray from street food vendor

Goran Ingman/BortaBra.se/Flickr

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12. Don’t Eat at Fast Food Joints

You're hungry, in a strange town and surrounded by the unknown. But in the distance, you see a McBurger. You may want to chow down there because it's familiar — but you're missing out on an opportunity for a new experience. Be adventurous and eat at a local restaurant or grab some street food. You may discover something a new favourite food!

Blonde woman with six large bags at the airport

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13. Don’t Ignore Carry-on Rules

Thanks to airline baggage fees, more and more people are flouting carry-on bag restrictions. This, in turn, makes finding space in the overhead bin more difficult. And it slows boarding and deplaning. Don't be a baggage jerk. Stay within the limit and make everyone's life easier. Also, you really don't need all the stuff you think you do.

The word flawless tattooed on an arm with a backwards E

Matt Baran/Flickr

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14. Don’t Get a Tattoo

Vice points out that getting a tattoo on the road is a bad idea. No doubt you'll make the decision after a few drinks, the tattoo will likely be of poor quality and it will lose its meaning when you get home. Plus, you can get a nasty infection from dirty needles and contaminated inks.

Man passed out drunk next to the garbage can outside a bar

Laura Blume/Flickr

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15. Don’t Get Wasted

Resist the urge to get plastered. It doesn't make you more attractive. You might get in a fight. You may hurt yourself. You make yourself more of a target to criminals. And if you end up passed out in the street or puking in the public fountain, well, you're a jerk.

Woman ready to travel with her boarding pass in hand

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16. Always Be Prepared for Security/Customs/Boarding

Air travel is hard enough without the jerks who are oblivious to the security/customs/boarding process. Don't be one of the numbskulls who can never find their boarding pass or doesn't realize that coins in one's pockets will set off the metal detector. First time? Ask a pro. And take the change out of your pocket.

Brunette woman with glasses typing on her cell phone

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17. Don’t Stare at Your Phone

You're in a gorgeous little town in Tuscany. It's like being in a movie, except you're missing it all because you've got your nose stuck in your phone, telling everyone what a great experience you're having.

Guess what? Your trip isn't for your friends back home. It's for you. Stop posting and start experiencing the world around you — it's why you're here!

Green chalkboard wall featuring the word hello in many different languages

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18. Learn the Local Language

If you travel to a foreign land where English isn't spoken and you expect people to speak English, you're being a jerk. At minimum, you should know how to greet people and say please and thank you. Knowing just a few words will completely change your experience. And the locals will love you for it.

Woman in black top and khaki green drop crotch pants

Cosmosbaba/Wikimedia Commons

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19. Ditch the Harem Pants

Another Vice no-no is harem pants, although I prefer to call them clown pants. They're very popular with backpackers in Central and South America. Along with not bathing, slathering on far too much patchouli oil and wearing the same pair of harem pants for months — it's all part of the backpacker cliche/costume that makes you look like a jerk. Be your own person!