Becoming a Local Around the World

By Holly Hearn

As we pulled into the driveway of our Airbnb in Bridgetown, Barbados, the housekeeper, Ann, greeted us. After asking her for some local recommendations, she insisted on us coming back the next day to have a traditional Bajan meal.

When the next day came, she sat us down and presented us with a meal. It was not anything I would have dared to order off a menu, but everyone in my family thoroughly enjoyed it. She served us salt fish – dried, shredded fish – along with mashed green bananas from her garden and cou-cou, a cornmeal dish, on the side.

As we went back for seconds, we couldn’t help but recognize Ann’s hospitality, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her sharing her culture.

In all the places my family and I have been lucky enough to travel to, we have always looked for the local experience.

From asking a policewoman in New York City for local coffee shops, to finding a little pizzeria on a side street in Rome, some of my favorite travel stories have come from living like a local.

This isn’t to say we don’t enjoy the touristy things – at the end of the day, the Eiffel Tower and the Hollywood Sign cannot be missed.

Using my mom’s flight attendant perks to fly ticket-less around the world, my family always ends up at attractions not advertised on a “Top 10” list, which has given me a different perspective on the places we go.

According to a 2022 survey with Wakefield Research and Travel Agent Center, 95% of travelers want to spend part of their time on new and unique experiences, and 97% expressed the importance of experiencing the local culture.

One’s ability to travel is entirely dependent on the person’s goals and personal situations. But if the opportunity is there, it is something everyone should do to gain a connection to the world outside of what you’re used to.

Reading travel articles – and I say this as someone who hopes to write them in my future career – is nothing like actually being in those places.  

Since we waited to see what flights would have seats for us with my mom’s benefits, I didn’t have time for any real research on Barbados. Because I had no knowledge of the area, I could only picture the big resorts with nice beaches and high-end areas, the typical “spring break” destination.

Actually being in Barbados could not be more different. Yes, of course, all of that did exist, but only in the cruise ship areas. The rest was covered in homes that a typical American would consider rundown or at least badly in need of renovation.

It was getting to stay in a neighborhood that made the experience so memorable. We were able to spend time at the local beaches, shop at the local grocery store and immerse ourselves in the true culture of the area – not the curated culture of a resort.

There was not one person who we came across that showed any hesitancy in talking to us and sharing their culture. From a forest tour guide helping us find nutmeg between his shifts, to a catamaran worker showing his artwork, we were completely exposed to life in such a different place.

According to research by Stanford University, travel helps with boosting your immune system, improving cognitive and emotional health, increasing physical activity and cultural awareness and promoting better sleep.

Before traveling to a new place, I always have a voice in my head wondering how different some of these places can really be, like how different can Barbados be from the Cayman Islands? Or how different can Ireland be from England?

But they always are. While some places are very similar to others, each has something different about them: the people.

Ann’s hospitality was a major part of what made Barbados a great experience, though that was only one of many interactions that have stood out to me over the years. I am privileged to have learned the stories of so many people through my travels, and I feel like that has given me a sense of understanding in a way that not many other things can.