“WARNING: THIS STORY JUST BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE”
As a solo backpacker and an asian, have you ever heard this question?
Are you traveling alone? Wow!
Why? Can’t I? When I just arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, one of my dorm mate asked me this question ” Are you traveling alone?” or you got this kind of question ” Where is your selfie stick?”. Being an asian woman who traveling solo has its own unique stories. Some other travelers from other continents believe in some “myth of asian traveler” and maybe they would ask you those questions when they meet you. These are some myth I’ve experienced:
- We always have a selfie stick
When I was in Chu Chi tunnel, I met 2 indonesians, 2 dutch girls, and 1 vietnamese. When we were eating our boiled cassava served by the local tour guide, one of the dutch girl asked me to take a group selfie with my selfie stick.
Me : “I dont have it”
Her : “How could you don’t have it. Asians always have a selfie stick”
The first myth is “asians love to take selfie so much, so selfie stick is their basic need when they travel”. I cant say this is wrong, but not all of asians have the same character. Maybe most of us love to take selfie but not all of us. Anyway what’s the bad thing about having a selfie stick, you could have the best group picture with it.
- We travel in group, always.
Maybe the first thing that appears in non-asians travelers mind when they know that you are asian is ” Where are your friends?”. At least, I need to answer that question several times when I just came in a new place. Asian tourists are famous for their group travel trip. They have their trip organised by tour agencies and they go to tourism place by bus, by group, with a tour leader. But I met so many asian solo travelers along the way, and they are awesome. So, you cant judge someone’s traveling style by this myth. And I do travel solo.
- Rice and noodle is an obligation for asian daily menu
When you come to Asia, yes, our main menu is rice. But that doesn’t mean that asians only eat/ have to eat this kind of food everyday. We can survive with all kind of food, but yet I still love my fried rice more than anything. Hahaha.
Beside all of this myth (some of them are true, and some aren’t), asian travelers are famous of their character. Most people said to me that asian mostly are friendly, helpful and sweet. We could blend with our new environment so fast. Most of my western traveler friends who have been in Asia or met asian traveler told me that they miss Asia and asian,
then I asked “Why? You miss the heat?”
And guess what they answered ” More the friendly people”.
hahaha ! Fibria busting stereotypes – that’s just what she does. Hope everything is going well!!
Haha.. Thanks dude.. Hope your life is going great too… Would text you if I am around Santa Barbara 😀