Reasons to go Asian =^_^=
June 28th 2007 03:23
There are two kinds of people in this world-- those who want to travel to Asia, and those who don't.
Okay, so not true. Sure, there are some people who are focused, even fixated, on the idea of travel to an Asian country, and there are some people who are adamantly against it (and probably most travel opportunities). But A LOT of people think that traveling to an Asian country would be a really rewarding (and it would) but fear that the cultural barriers are too great or that the language differences are too difficult. But as someone who has traveled in Asia with virtually no language experience and on a low budget at that, I'm here to report that it can be a great decision.
Travel to Asian countries can hold special interest for a huge variety of people-- there's Asian art that anyone can appreciate, history buffs may be fascinated by the ancient Chinese history that comes alive in places like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, fans of politics would love to sit down and have a chat with any South Korean about American presence and relations with North Korea, people interest in religion can witness Buddhism that varies greatly in practice and ritual depending on the country, and public health advocates have found locations in Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and elsewhere to both learn about model public health systems and advocate public health improvement. I know people who have spent anywhere from a week to a year in an Asian country and done everything from language learning to volunteering to a Buddhist templestay. There is literally something for everyone to enjoy and learn about in an Asian country-- and no really good reason not to go.
Yes, customs in Asian countries may differ profoundly from what an American or Australian traveler may be used to, but you should never let a fear of culture shock keep you away. Pick up a good guide book and it will have a section devoted to explaining what cultural differences to be aware of and how not to offend people in the country to which you are traveling. Many south Asian countries receive a great deal of Australian and New Zealander tourism, and some (like South Korea) still have an American military presence, so there are many reasons why certain places in Asia may be more accustomed to non-Asian tourists than others, but things will work out best if you plan to not always be understood and accommodated. The success of travel in a country that is very different from you own is highly dependent on your ability to relax and be flexible when things don't work out exactly like you wanted them.
I'm serious about this-- if you're flying out of China and your flight gets cancelled and you can't find a new one leaving before your visa expires and can't find an airline employee who speaks English, relax. It might happen-- it happened to me-- but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. And eventually, it all got worked out. You won't always be comfortable in Tibet or in South Korea or Japan. But if you'll relax and not place your comfort zone as your first priority, you'll find that you gain a lot for the comfort you lose.
Personal comfort aside, there are a lot of logistical incentives to travel in Asia. If you are in to backpacking aorund, Asia is an awesome place to do it. The largest cost in traveling to Asia is almost invariably the plane ticket. While the plane ticket will be expensive, once you arrive, depending on the country and the exchange rate, you can usually get pretty good rates for food and accommodation. China is one of the cheapest places I know of to travel-- the daily costs are almost inconsequential compared with the plane ticket-- and so the longer you stay, the more you reap the economic benefits, so Asian countries are a great choice for extended travel to multiple countries. Also, if you're a student traveling to Asia, there is a lot of scholarship money available for study exclusively in Asian countries, not to mention any number of organizations that run study abroad programs (both language learning and no languag requirement), volunteer programs, templestays, and internships. Not to mention that travel to an Asian country as a student gives you some cool stuff to put on a resume and discuss in a job interview-- that's beside the point, but if you're considering travel as a student you should think long and hard (and lean in an Asian direction-- who needs Europe).
For more specific travel experiences, see my post on Tibet, and I'll hopefully have a post on South Korea coming soon, so check that out. But the first step in having an awesome experience in Asia is to find something there that you're really interested in seeing or learning about-- so start looking!
Okay, so not true. Sure, there are some people who are focused, even fixated, on the idea of travel to an Asian country, and there are some people who are adamantly against it (and probably most travel opportunities). But A LOT of people think that traveling to an Asian country would be a really rewarding (and it would) but fear that the cultural barriers are too great or that the language differences are too difficult. But as someone who has traveled in Asia with virtually no language experience and on a low budget at that, I'm here to report that it can be a great decision.
Travel to Asian countries can hold special interest for a huge variety of people-- there's Asian art that anyone can appreciate, history buffs may be fascinated by the ancient Chinese history that comes alive in places like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, fans of politics would love to sit down and have a chat with any South Korean about American presence and relations with North Korea, people interest in religion can witness Buddhism that varies greatly in practice and ritual depending on the country, and public health advocates have found locations in Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and elsewhere to both learn about model public health systems and advocate public health improvement. I know people who have spent anywhere from a week to a year in an Asian country and done everything from language learning to volunteering to a Buddhist templestay. There is literally something for everyone to enjoy and learn about in an Asian country-- and no really good reason not to go.
I'm serious about this-- if you're flying out of China and your flight gets cancelled and you can't find a new one leaving before your visa expires and can't find an airline employee who speaks English, relax. It might happen-- it happened to me-- but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. And eventually, it all got worked out. You won't always be comfortable in Tibet or in South Korea or Japan. But if you'll relax and not place your comfort zone as your first priority, you'll find that you gain a lot for the comfort you lose.
Personal comfort aside, there are a lot of logistical incentives to travel in Asia. If you are in to backpacking aorund, Asia is an awesome place to do it. The largest cost in traveling to Asia is almost invariably the plane ticket. While the plane ticket will be expensive, once you arrive, depending on the country and the exchange rate, you can usually get pretty good rates for food and accommodation. China is one of the cheapest places I know of to travel-- the daily costs are almost inconsequential compared with the plane ticket-- and so the longer you stay, the more you reap the economic benefits, so Asian countries are a great choice for extended travel to multiple countries. Also, if you're a student traveling to Asia, there is a lot of scholarship money available for study exclusively in Asian countries, not to mention any number of organizations that run study abroad programs (both language learning and no languag requirement), volunteer programs, templestays, and internships. Not to mention that travel to an Asian country as a student gives you some cool stuff to put on a resume and discuss in a job interview-- that's beside the point, but if you're considering travel as a student you should think long and hard (and lean in an Asian direction-- who needs Europe).
A South Korean toll booth 
For more specific travel experiences, see my post on Tibet, and I'll hopefully have a post on South Korea coming soon, so check that out. But the first step in having an awesome experience in Asia is to find something there that you're really interested in seeing or learning about-- so start looking!
Korean Air food-- the best thing I've ever put in my mouth on an airplane!!!
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Comment by Nina
Comment by Lesley
I think the food I most disliked initially was in South Korea, but once I got used to eating vegetables for breakfast it was fine. But there I was staying with Buddhist nuns, so we ate vegetarian, which reduces the scariness of foreign food a lot I think. So there's a thought-- you could always be vegetarian while you travel.
Comment by D. Armenta
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It's true--you shouldn't go anywhere (especially Asia) expecting things to be like (western) home. I thought this was a given, but have seen plenty of tourists from all over the world there bitching about the food and the language and the service and the weather..I always wanted to ask them why they came in the first place.
To me, Asia was a fascinating, lovely, mysterious place; from Thailand to Korea to China to (then British, later Chinese) Hong Kong to Macao to Singapore. It was all good!
Great post--thanks!
Comment by Lesley
I know what you mean about taking it for granted that people will respect the culture that they're visiting, but I feel like with Asian countries especially there are a lot of tourists who are drawn by this kind of mythification of Asian cultures and think they are encountering this magical thing that really is just the home of other people.