Two Cents : Advantages Western Travelers Have Over the Easterners

Write up by Sir Cheapskate.

This can be answered really short. MONEY.

But of course, there are definitely other factors. There always are.

You can just open up your Instagram feed for just 5 minutes and you'll see dozens of world travelers and backpackers with their picture-perfect posts and hashtags at amazing places around the world. Look further into their profiles and you'll learn that these people have managed to escape their 9 to 5 and embark on the journey around the world, most commonly for a year - a gap year.

Now, look again and you'll see that many of these amazing people are from the West and also, have traveled and stayed for weeks in the East.

Honestly, we do not see many precedence of Easterners (or Asians if you agree to generalise ethnicity with geography) that are able to engage in the gap year and travel full time.

I have been asking myself and asked of this by friends from the West, since they know I like traveling so much and how very in love I am with European cities, cultures and history. Why haven't I taken a gap year and travel?

From what I see, this option is not the case for us from Asian countries. I'm going to list out some very personal reasons that I believe many would relate. Also, from what I have learned from various travel bloggers' profile on how they started.

1. Money

Income is important. Many travelers from UK and USA have prepared for travel life years prior. However, having coming from a country of lower currency value, this is definitely very challenging. Our income is not as high in comparison and leaving working life in pursuit of travel life is definitely not favoured, although a few case studies have proven otherwise.

"Just buy a ticket and leave your job. You can't travel if you don't start." Well, with all due respect, it's not that simple. A lot of things are at stake.

I believe that at this point of my life, I have identified that visiting places to be a sort of happy pill and self/soul-enrichment agenda but my core will still remain to be working life as the power source instead of just a support.

"But you can work while you travel..." aahhh come on. Let's discuss that later.

2. Traveling is a Luxury

Many of us grow to believe that traveling is a luxury. It's definitely seen as an escape from reality and not a reality in itself. We are still taught that a proper career is having a label or title before your name (i.e Doctor, Engineer, Architect). Even nowadays, it's hard for non-mainstream business and career paths to be taken seriously. I guess, this is a political issue, so I won't elaborate more.

However, thanks to the recent age of social media, going places has definitely become a norm especially amongst youngsters, but still as holidays and vacations, and definitely not long-term traveling.

3. Culture

Ever seen that viral infographics comparing people of the West vs the East? No doubt we are the more reserved ones. That infographics have explained a lot of issue accurately and perhaps made me realise more of this different qualities than I already had.

Most of the times we would go around a problem rather than walk over it. Putting that into the context of traveling, it takes a lot of effort for the us (Easterners/Asians) to adapt with the needs and requirements of traveling.

By nature, we would avoid confrontations instead of handling it, hence the constantly active and engaging requirements while traveling become a great challenge.

Again, this is the stereotype. You don't need to tell me how politically incorrect I am just because you are one of the few that managed to break out of this, because you too do not represent the whole archetype.

Don't let me get started on the typical Asian parents' expectations on their kids. You know... the "get into university at 18, graduate by 22, married by 25, kids by 28...." Now where does traveling fit into that?

4. Geopolitics

This might be sensitive but I'm gonna go ahead and mention it. The West has always been seen as a standard to be followed. Main factor would be the exposure and power of Western countries have over the whole world. This have always stressed many of us out.

The English language becomes a medium of communication. This has always been an advantage to people from countries like UK, USA, Canada and part of Europe as they travel, so that's already a hundred steps ahead at conquering the challenges of traveling. They simply don't need to further study a local language because in 8 out of 10 situations could be solved with just them speaking. Massive respect to those who took effort to learn more than just "Thank yous" and "Hellos."

I personally have seen an English man in Japan who got frustrated with a Japanese man of high ranking in a company for not understanding his questions which he delivered in English. It just didn't make sense to me.

Why must that Japanese man be blamed for the English man's inability to speak Japanese while in Japan?

5. Destination

On top of the advantage of having a higher currency, traveling halfway across the globe from the West to the East does not put Western travelers in great financial impact like we do. An American would really enjoy staying in Cambodia - cheap transport, cheap booze, great weather.

Now think of a person from Indonesia who decides to travel and stay for months is Europe. He or she might either be rich or is working there, generally.

This has easily diverted towards a comparison of advantages and privileges Westerners have over Easterners but all in all not aimed at pointing out who's luckier. I'm only highlighting my truth as an aspiring traveler who choose to stick to working while eyes prized upon traveling.

Unless I get to cancel off these 5 reasons to why I don't travel full-time, I won't be leaving my career. Traveling full-time surely has its own challenges, since most of the case studies of full-time travel bloggers do not make money from blogging. This is a truth that many aspiring travelers should know.

All we need (for us Asians/Easterners/Millennials) is a more realistic and relatable examples. These travel bloggers that we are following on social media are already long-time established while we are just starters and followers. It's stupid for many of us to just abandon life and head off.

My advice - there is still hope. You can travel and keep hold to your careers too. Find the way. Just like I am now.

Also, why are you even keen to travel anyway?

- Sir Cheapskate