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Travel has never been more accessible, but are we doing it the right way? In today’s interconnected world, every trip is a chance to show respect for people, cultures, and the planet. This episode shares practical tips on how to travel more thoughtfully and responsibly.
Read more here: https://abusonadustyroad.com/how-to-travel-respectfully-and-responsibly-in-a-globalized-world/
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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 can 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 spend your money
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in a way that uplifts local people eat
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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 um 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 have never been into
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the Starbucks to be honest with you
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there's Burger King also down the street
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i've never been in you know that maybe
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I've been in that Burger King once maybe
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once in in what in five or six years you
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know I eat locally and I and I really
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try to 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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its 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 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 Think before you post
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you know in a world where travel's
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constantly broadcast you know where we
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live in a world where you know travel is
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constantly broadcast on social media you
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know don't geoteag 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
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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
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show gratitude say thank you often
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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
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experiences leave a positive legacy
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whether it's a kind word a generous tip
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or a thoughtful review leave something
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good behind make sure that when you
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travel that you have left some part of
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yourself behind there in a positive and
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uplifting way that you have left your
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mark and somehow made the world a better
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change travel is a privilege it's not a
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right in a globalized world where the
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actions of one person can ripple across
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borders traveling responsibly is more
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important than ever just because you can
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go somewhere doesn't mean you should
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treat it carelessly even if a place
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appears 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
9:49
podcast thank you so much for listening
9:51
we hope that you'll press the subscribe
9:52
button and join with us as you live your
9:54
life as a global citizen and become part
9:57
of our community
10:00
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