I'M A TRAVELER, NOT A TOURIST

It was a conscious decision before I ever thought I'd travel to Europe. That's the lesson I learned from my well-traveled friends. Don't be the obnoxious American. You are an ambassador to your country and most people will form their opinions of an entire nation based on their experiences with you. And so those values were deeply instilled in me.

And so, you know me I always have to take it down a notch and go even further and more underground and hardcore. Like, OK....Europe or Thailand?

Thailand - I'm Thai, can speak it well enough to get buy. The USD will go much, much further. It's a paradise for surfers and bachelors and foodies. It's paradise for me.

Europe - It's diverse and I'll meet a bunch of other travelers and people and it'll "change my life."

So, instead of between the two, I'm really glad I paved my own road. Eastern Europe...Ukraine where I get my ass humbled and wash my clothes in sinks and hang them up in bunks and eat nothing but oranges and bananas for meals and swig from bottles of vodka and have to kiss so much ass just so that someone will sell me a damn metro token. I swear, I think I'm a high caliber person overall, but in Ukraine I would go days in complete silence -- as if my lack of speech indicated a lack of thought. And now Istanbul, where I am deeply relieved to actually come across smiling faces, helpful people and some motherfucking dialogue.

I stayed in the old town (where all the old mosques are) and felt an overwhelming sense of relief to be among like-minded people. You know, travelers and people that wear non-imitation clothes and what not. I even stayed at a hostel for the first time and met some of the coolest people.

But then, walking around, seeing Americans, hearing the clicking of cameras, walking around on that common ground, it really left me longing for the solitude and reckless abandonment of solidarity that I became accustomed to. I didn't want to see anyone else rocking The North Face. I quickly grew tired of people speaking in familiar tongues. I enjoy it and all, but really, what's the point of going to another country if you're surrounded by the same, like-minded people? There's another train of thought out there, and I want to discover it.

That's where couchsurfing comes in. Through couchsurfing, I am not a tourist, nor traveler. Through couchsurfing, I become a local and a temporary, honorary citizen of the place that I'm at. I am fortunate and lucky enough to see things that aren't posted in any English-oriented
publications -- constellations that Lonely Planet (hopefully) may never discover. I mean, so far, underground bars with people wielding machine guns, traditional homestyle meals served in.....HOMES!?!?!? Have any idea how grateful I am? Fucking amazing. If anyone has any reservations or questions about couchsurfing by all means hit me up; it's the greatest thing. But really though, not everyone is cut out for it because it is very foreign and hardcore. So, here's some advice for people that are considering it:

• Don't be a little bitch. Be grateful. These people are opening their homes up to you.
• You have to trust them and take the chance. Don't worry about getting your digital camera stolen. Dude, you are in their house. You can be peeing in their shampoo bottles for all they know.
  
• Be open minded and open to everything. Not everyone has the wealth and creature comforts that us Westerners are accustomed to. Some folks don't even have hot water at times during the day. Food isn't always stored or prepared in the most sanitary way. But you know what, an entire people live their lives a certain way, and who the hell is an American to say otherwise?
• Just commit and do it. It is the best way to travel. It brings the world closer to you. You will experience a country in ways no one else ever can. This cultural exchange is probably the only glimmer of hope of every achieving "world peace." Hokie, but more plausible than diplomacy.
  

Matter of factly, if someone talks to me about traveling and how much they love a country I will always value those comments the same way I value babies crying, don't really want to hear it. It is not enough to study abroad or stay at a hostel...that's Mickey Mouse shit. And really, who gives a fuck about the Mona Lisa; I know what she looks like (like she can shape her eyebrows and add blush to highlight her cheekbones). Spending time in historical museums or ancient monuments is very enjoyable and all, but investing the bulk of your time to the country's past will only deprive you of its present. To truly experience a country, one must witness it through the senses of the modern, the eyes of the people.