Traveling respectfully and responsibly

  • Travel in a spirit of humility, with a genuine curiosity about the places you will visit and the desire to meet and communicate (share and listen) with local people.
  • While it is “natural” (and actually academically useful) to make comparisons with home, avoid judging too quickly. Celebrate rather than denigrate difference.
  • Cultivate the habit of listening and observing, rather than merely hearing and looking.  Discover the enrichment that comes from seeing another way of life.
  • Reflect daily on your experiences. Seek to deepen your understanding.
  • Lighten your socio-ecological footprint. Use energy, water, and other resources efficiently.  Walk, cycle, use transit.  Reduce, re-use, recycle.  If you have to - consume local, organic, or otherwise responsibly. Spend money so that it stays in the community.
  • Be mindful when traveling in a large group how we might ensure that we don’t “take over”, intimidate, or overwhelm.
  • Acquaint yourself with the local customs.  Be culturally sensitive, in terms of:
  • photography – always ask permission; ask would you appreciate a similar picture taken of yourself; be particularly respectful when it comes to religious spaces, rituals, practices; offer to send someone a picture (and keep your promise).
  • conversation – be polite, friendly, and patient in conversation, trying to use local languages when possible. While most people will understand English in the countries we visit, don’t expect it and be gracious to them.
  • clothing – take care to dress appropriately, guided by local norms
  • general customs – be mindful of local norms in terms of greetings, touching,  public displays of affection,  whether of not to take off shoes upon entering a home, tipping for service, engaging in political debate etc.
  • Be respectful. Remember you are not traveling alone but as part of a group. Things that you might do on your own (e.g. language you may use, risks you may take, ways you might behave) may not be appropriate in a group setting, Poor behaviour does not only reflect badly on you but on the university and even your country. Above all else show respect for the group, for your instructors, and for the local people with whom we will engage.
  • Be mindful of UVic’s policies on discrimination and harassment Be familiar with UVIC’s policy on discrimination and harassment: http://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/assets/docs/policies/GV0205_1150_.pdf