“Taking Cheerful Selfies In Inappropriate Places”: 25 Major Travel Mistakes Tourists Still Make

#1

TW: Holocaust / Concentration Camp Years ago, I was in Auschwitz KZ. It's hard to describe how particular this place is. It's not a nice place. Entering the gas chambers where so many people were murdered feels solemn. Seeing clear clawing marks at walls is disturbing. When you enter, a somewhat simple yet clear information sign is translated in over 25 languages. It's direct: you're about to enter a small space where a ton of people were murdered for who they were. We ask you to respect this place. Do not run around, do not laugh, do not play games and avoid talking. I took a deep breath and entered. My brain quickly making all sorts of connections with my family history as the hair on my neck perked up from how eerie the place is. How instantly terrible I felt on this desecrated ground. I was immediately physically unwell. About two hot seconds later a gentleman struts in wielding a selfie stick cell phone on some Skype call with some family members was speaking very loudly, his high pitched voice resonating loudly on the walls as he obnoxiously yapped on in mandarin even throwing in a few laughs about who knows what. He was touching the walls and his partner, also with a selfie stick, was taking selfies with him. Murder suddenly made a tiny bit of sense in my mind. I never hated anyone so much in such a short amount of time. If you visit a KZ. Be respectful.

#3

People who get to a scenic viewpoint or landmark with a narrow/small angle for the photo everyone wants, then proceeds to do a full on model shoot with dozens of poses and retakes for the Instagram. Most of the time I don't even want a selfie, just the viewpoint without a teenage girl in it.

#5

Dudes going to poor countries acting like they're god's gift towards local women. Super cringe :/.

#7

Taking cheerful selfies in inappropriate places (saw this happening in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park for instance) Generally bad camera etiquette (shoving your camera in local people's faces, posing tastelessly in some bad imitation of "local" fashion based more on stereotypes than reality, taking up too much time on a photoshoot and blocking other people's way, etc).

#9

Europeans: please stop wandering into our deserts and dying from severe lack of preparation and research. It’s a massive bummer, because we love that you’re fascinated by the American Southwest and we want you to have a safe time. The information is readily available, so please educate yourselves before coming here. Thank you :).

#11

Don’t take photos of locals without permission ESPECIALLY children. I see it a lot in African countries and it bothers me a lot.

#13

Expecting waiters in France to check in on you every five minutes during your meal. Restaurants are not like in America. The waiter will come when they see that your plate is empty or if you've stopped touching your food for a while. And waiters let you take your time to order food, so they give you the menu with all the dishes and come back a while after. To signal that you've made your choice, you close the menu and put it on the side of your table.

#15

Everywhere: watching videos on your phone and talking on the phone with the speaker on.

#17

(Usually in major cities) walking very slowly while taking up the entire sidewalk, making locals who actually have to get somewhere walk into oncoming traffic just to get by. Same effect when stopping to check a map or guide or to take photos. Walking on the road, assuming it's pedestrian only because it's cobblestone. Walking on cycle paths.

#19

If you're a tourist, don't trash-talk about other people (tourists and locals alike) thinking that no one can understand your language (unless it's Ayapaneco). I, a non-Hispanic American, was once in Costa Rica. At the cash register of a grocery store, the cashier asked me for my ID. I had been hiking in the rain and had put my U.S. passport inside a ziplock bag. When I took it out, the Spanish tourist behind me made fun of my ziplock trick to her partner. My Spanish is basic but I have a good ear for Spaniard accent (have friends in Valencia). I didn't say anything back but made sure to chat with the friendly cashier loudly enough for the Spanish woman to hear me. Yeah, Spanish is such an unknown language...

#21

Saw a group of Italien men try to pick up women while visiting Auschwitz. That was beyond cringe.

#23

In Athens, Greece and many other big tourism cities, if someone randomly tries to “give” you something - a blessing, a bracelet, etc. just don’t accept. You’ll end up being surrounded by them and their homies demanding money.