Cultural Immersion – How To Live Like Locals Wherever You Go
The goal of cultural immersion is to find out what local life is like for the locals.
What are they passionate about? What are their struggles? Seeing how others live gives such a good perspective and helps you to be more empathetic.
Being immersed in a culture is surrounding yourself in the traditional and everyday practices of a place. This means you have to be intentional!
Cultural immersion is a needy affair. You have to be actively participating.
What Is Cultural Immersion?
Cultural immersion can seem like a vague term that get thrown around a lot and have lost their meaning. Some of the confusion could be because it is all about being immersed, which can be different for each person.
Usually, it looks something like this:
- Arrive and get used to your surroundings
- Start getting a feel for the local community
- Talk with locals as much as you can
- Start to understand their way of life
This means that you leave familiarity, step away from what you are used to, and get out of your comfort zone to try something that makes you a bit uncomfortable. This is where growth happens!
Cultural immersion can help you not only learn about another culture but teach you about your own.
Whether you see small differences or even dramatic revelations, experiencing diversity creates perspective and develops empathy.
Related: Experiencing daily life in Denmark with a Danish family
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Though you will never get to fully understand a place like the locals, cultural immersion can give a better understanding which is a step in the right direction!
Some specific things to do for immersion: listen to local music, visit local markets, learn about cultural traditions with an open mind, try to make friends at a local bar, learn some phrases of the local languages, try some new foods, attend a local festival, etc.
Check out my cultural immersion guides below to help you live like locals!
How To Find The Best Local Accommodation
It used to take a lot of time and effort to avoid big chain hotels and give business to the local economy instead.
Of course, you can still find smaller, locally run hotels on Booking.com but there are some other really great options you should check.
Finding unique local accommodation has been made so much easier with the likes of TrustedHousesitters and Homestay.
These online homestay platforms connect you with local hosts that provide accommodation. I have written an article so you can see all the positives and negatives of both and a coupon for free credit!
House-Sitting For Cultural Immersion
House sitting offers a fantastic opportunity for budget-conscious travelers to enjoy a free stay while exploring new destinations.
With house sitting, you take care of someone’s home while they’re away, ensuring their property remains safe and well-maintained.
In exchange, you get to enjoy the comforts of a real home, rather than staying in impersonal hotels or hostels. House sitting is perfect for slow travel.
It’s a win-win situation, allowing you to immerse yourself in local communities and experience life as a resident, all while saving money on accommodation costs.
House sitting fosters a sense of responsibility and trust, creating unique travel experiences and lifelong memories along the way.
If you’re curious to get free accommodation around the world – you need to know what is house sitting? Plus these informational guides to get started:
How To Find The Best Local Food Experiences
Similar to finding accommodation, having local experiences used to be more difficult as well.
By being immersed in a culture with the help of a local, you get to appreciate it, respect it, and share it with others later!
I usually find local food randomly by accident, or maybe through a friend’s suggestion
Now there are plenty of authentic ways to dive deeper into a culture. The best part is that they are right at your fingertips waiting to be discovered.
I have written a comparison article of Eatwith and Traveling Spoon with the positives and negatives of both and a coupon for free credit!
Local Guides By Destination
One of my biggest pet peeves is reading a travel guide that is written by someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
When someone spends a week or even a few days, that doesn’t give enough information to write a detailed guide for others to follow.
I remember first starting to travel and getting frustrated because I would only find superficial blogs to draw on.
I promised myself when I started blogging that I would only write about places I’ve spent an extended period of time, so I can provide accurate information and views.
Here are guides from places I’ve lived (and one guest post from a Ghent local)!
Shkoder, Albania
If you know me, you’ll know I love living in Albania. Shkoder is an amazing city in the north of Albania.
It holds a lot of cultural significance, plus tons of natural beauty and great food. Here are some of my local guides to check out!
Is Shkoder worth visiting? What to know before visiting
Where to stay in Shkoder – Best hotels & best hostels
Montenegro
During my time in the beautiful country of Montenegro, I stayed with a local family that owns a local eco-tourism business. I helped them get ready for the summer season with some painting, varnishing, and lots of other odd jobs.
While there, I tried to shop for locally grown foods and cook special dishes based on the traditional food of the region. Check out my local Montenegrin food guide.
Cork, Ireland
If you have ever wanted to visit Ireland, you will undoubtedly see millions of guides for Dublin, the capital. Though the second largest city in Ireland, Cork city, is neglected.
When bloggers do write about it, they focus largely on attractions in County Cork, rather than the city center.
Since I lived in the city center for a year, I thought I would remedy this with two helpful guides. Check out the best restaurants in Cork City and 15 free things to do in Cork City!
Ghent, Belgium
I love eating like the locals do so I always want to get suggestions from the people who live there. Check out this guest post from a local on where to eat in Ghent, Belgium.
Travel Bloggers Share Their Local Experiences In Europe
Cultural immersion can be hard to wrap your head around, I know it was for me.
It is so normal to see travel displayed traditionally like cruises, resorts, big hotels, that finding more authentic experiences in touristy places seems impossible.
When you think of Europe, maybe the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and the Colosseum come to mind. Though the big touristy sites are so cool to see, there are so many great immersive experiences to discover beyond them.
If you want to hear about some seriously remarkable local adventures that travel bloggers have gone on, check out these articles.
Irish Sea Cliffs, Mud Volcanoes, Olive Farm Volunteering, Visiting A Russian Banya
Armenian Wine Tasting, Danish Chalk Cliffs, Learning Spanish In Spain, Home Cooked Montenegrin Food
Final Thoughts On Cultural Immersion
Cultural immersion is a vital component of travel that enriches the entire experience and broadens one’s perspective.
It allows travelers to go beyond superficial sightseeing and truly engage with the local culture, traditions, and way of life.
By immersing themselves in different customs, languages, cuisines, and social practices, travelers gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity of our world.
Cultural immersion fosters empathy, tolerance, and respect for different perspectives and breaking down stereotypes.
It opens doors to meaningful connections, authentic experiences, and personal growth. Ultimately, cultural immersion is a transformative journey that helps us embrace the beauty of our shared humanity.
I hope this guide has helped or inspired your future travel plans.
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