THE BOOK of BECOMING

4. Go off the beaten path. No matter where I travel to, whether it’s domestic or abroad, I always talk to the locals. Not only will you learn more about a location in a five minute conversation with a local, than you would by reading a guide book, you’ll learn where the best places are to eat and to visit.  Sometimes, they’ll invite you into their home where you can eat a traditional meal and really get an in-depth look into how they live. Now I’m a little more adventurous than most, so I’m more than happy to visit a village home in a Third World country when invited—after I get to know a family. But, safety first. Always be aware of your surroundings. Use your street smarts, and your intuition. I was lucky in that I had made connections through CARITAS on this particular trip, and most times had a translator with me. But even when I’m on my own, I’ll usually stay in a place long enough to get to know people, and they will eventually invite me into their homes. I love to see how people live in other countries. I love to see how they cook. I love to see how they interact as a family. There’s no better place to do that than in a person’s home where they’re most comfortable—and this is when you’ll get amazing story telling photos.