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How Can You Travel the World Without Disrespecting It?
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Jun 4, 2025
In today’s interconnected world, travel is easier and more accessible than ever. But with great opportunity comes great responsibility. In this episode of Dusty Roads, host Anita shares how to travel in ways that truly respect local cultures, protect the environment, and connect more meaningfully with the places you visit. You can listen now and also click here (https://abusonadustyroad.com/how-to-travel-respectfully-and-responsibly-in-a-globalized-world/) to read more about How to Travel Respectfully and Responsibly in a Globalized World. #TravelResponsibly #CulturalRespect #EcoFriendlyTravel #GlobalTravelTips #MindfulTravel #SustainableTravel #RespectfulTourism #DustyRoadsPodcast Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/globaltradegal)
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[Music]
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hi this is Anita from the Dusty Roads
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podcast today I want to talk a little
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bit about how you can travel with
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respect and responsibility especially as
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we live in this globalized world you
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know today the world is a lot more
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interconnected than it's been many times
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in the past click of a few buttons
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online you can book your
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tickets but you can book your flights
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you can book your
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hotels you can even book your tours but
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I want to talk a little bit about what
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does it mean to travel with respect and
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responsibility and I've listed out here
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10 different things that I believe every
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single traveler can do if you've been
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listening to me you know that I'm a
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great proponent that I believe very much
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in how travel opens up our eyes to the
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world it gives us new perspectives it
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challenges us to act with greater
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awareness and cultural
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sensitivity so you know borders feel
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like maybe a bit closer and cultures
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more connected learning to be respectful
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and responsible traveler is more
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critical than ever so here are some
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things that you could do first of all
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number one respect the local people
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always no matter where you go remember
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that you are the guest respecting locals
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should be
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non-negotiable be kind kindness goes a
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long way avoid treating people as
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spectacles ask before taking photos if
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you're not sure and learn basic phrases
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learn to say hello thank you or other
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things learn a few basic phrases learn
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to also honor local customs and
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traditions you know every place has own
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rhythm rules and values take time to
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learn and be able to adapt a little bit
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to them you know dress modestly where
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needed you know in many parts of the
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world especially in religious you know
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sites modest clothing is expected so
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make sure that you understand and you
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dress
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modestly follow religious etiquette if
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it me requires taking your shoes off
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when entering temples you know covering
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your head when required and stay quiet
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in sacred spaces respect other people's
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religion and traditions don't assume
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that western norms apply not every
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country view time space or behavior
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similarly you know adapt by showing
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respect the other one is be a conscious
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environmental steward even if the place
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you're visiting has pollution or visible
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trash that does not permit you to add it
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your role is to do the opposite leave no
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trace don't litter always dispose of
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waste properly if bins are unavailable
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cover you know carry your trash with you
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until you find one bring a reusable
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water bottle and bag minimize single-use
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plastics as much as you can you know
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avoid harmful souvenirs you know avoid
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you know buying things as coral ivory
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exotic woods or or animal products you
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know purchases which could be seen as
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illegal and you know things which are
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unsustainable practices stick to trails
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and marked areas don't go off onto
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forbidden areas and you know destroy the
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ecosystems that are out there support
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the local economies thoughtfully tourism
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can help communities thrive but it can
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also overrun them you know spend your
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money in a way that uplifts local people
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eat at local restaurants skip the global
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chains i'm a great believer in this that
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you know eat wherever you can eat
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locally eat at local restaurants you
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know here in Vietnam where I live in
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Hanoi Vietnam I there there are a few
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chains here in fact there's a Starbucks
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down the street i've never been into the
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Starbucks to be honest with you there's
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Burger King also down the street i've
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never been in you know that maybe I've
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been in that Burger King once maybe once
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in in what in five or six years you know
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I eat locally and I and I really try to
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support the local
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restaurants buy locally made products
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choose authentic handmade you know goods
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over mass-produced souvenirs hire local
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guides if you're able to hire a local
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guide they'll be able to bring you some
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more profound
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experiences and you know insights and
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keep the be able to keep the tourism
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dollars locally in the community stay at
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ethical accommodations look for hotels
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or hostels that pay fair wages and
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invest in local development you know
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tread lightly in fragile environments
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you know many of the world's most
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beautiful places are also the most
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vulnerable be responsible travel can
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help to preserve them don't touch the
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wildlife even if an animal looks
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friendly touching can harm or disrupt
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his behavior avoid animal entertainment
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you know if you can skip things as
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elephant rides or tiger selfies or you
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know those type of things where you know
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they're obviously exploiting the animal
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in some bad way for profit practice
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eco-friendly habits you know conserve
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water use less energy and avoid
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excessive towel changes or long showers
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travel with humility i think this is
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really a great one you know like travel
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isn't about imposing your standards on
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the world it's about learning be humble
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have humility learn from others don't
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complain about differences things will
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be different that's the point instead of
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judging try to understand you know it's
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so interesting there's so many people
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that travel and then they spend the
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whole time comparing what they're seeing
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there versus what it is at home you know
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I I remember I was once in in China and
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this is before China had a lot of
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McDonald's this was many many years ago
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and I remember sitting in this
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restaurant listening to family talk and
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they were saying how oh well we need to
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go to Hong Kong to get some McDonald's
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because it's just not the food just is
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not good here you know I mean don't
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compare in fact enjoy the differences
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stay curious and open ask questions with
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genuine interest not superiority you
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know really be curious want to find out
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don't try to fix things you're not there
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to correct or criticize a country's
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system you're there to learn your
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digital footprint
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Think before you post you know in a
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world where travel is constantly
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broadcast you know where we live in a
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world where you know travel is
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constantly broadcast on social media you
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know don't geotag sensitive places you
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know over tourism can damage sacred or
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ecological sensitive spots share stories
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not
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stereotypes highlight the positive and
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acknowledge complexities you know share
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the beauty you find but don't gloss over
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you know real issues but really share
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the beauty that you find within your
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travel so others can learn from it
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understand the impact of your presence
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where possible limit your carbon
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footprint um visit lesser known spots
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help spread the tourism revenue this is
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one of my favorite things to do is go to
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places where maybe it's not on the the
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main track it's off the beaten track
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this is one of my favorite things to do
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travel offse you know destinations
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overwhelmed during high season can
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benefit from visitors during quieter
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times engage with the community not just
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the sites don't just visit attractions
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get to know the people who live there
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this is also one of my big things that I
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love i have always loved and appreciated
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getting to know local people as I've
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traveled attend local events from
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markets to festivals local gatherings
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volunteer responsibly if you're able to
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and you have the time find a way to
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volunteer responsibly stay longer fast
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travel can be shallow if you're able to
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have slow travel where you go deeper and
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you appreciate more be grateful and not
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entitled you are not owed a perfect trip
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delays miscommunication discomfort are
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part of the experience practice patience
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take a deep breath and practice patience
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this I feel is very important respond
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with grace show gratitude say thank you
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often appreciate the chance to be there
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realize what a great opportunity it is
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that you're able to travel and to be
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there and to have these experiences
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leave a positive legacy whether it's a
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kind word a generous tip or a thoughtful
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review leave something good behind make
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sure that when you travel that you have
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left some part of yourself behind there
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in a positive and uplifting way that you
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have left your mark and somehow made the
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world a better change travel is a
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privilege it's not a right in a
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globalized world where the actions of
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one person can ripple across borders
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traveling responsibly is more important
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than ever just because you can go
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somewhere doesn't mean you should treat
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it carelessly even if a place appears
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polluted disorganized or
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underresourced that is never an excuse
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to add to the problem it's the opposite
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it's it's a call to be better treat
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every country culture community you
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visit with the care you'd want visitors
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to show in your home when you travel
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this way with humility respect and
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responsibility you don't just take
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memories you leave a place better than
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you found it and that's my challenge to
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all of you that as you're traveling
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leave wherever you go the place wherever
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you go leave it better than where you
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found it be that kind of traveler that's
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what it means to live your life as a
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global citizen and that's what we talk
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about here in the dusty roads and on my
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blog a bus on a dusty road it's all
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about living your life as a global
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citizen and leaving wherever you travel
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better than how you found it
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this is Anita from the Dusty Roads
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podcast thank you so much for listening
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we hope that you press the subscribe
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button and join with us as you live your
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life as a global citizen and become part
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of our community
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[Music]
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