Travel to third world countries

[Anonymous]

This should make it into one of top most DCUMish threads of all time. The privilege and the cluelessness. And it says a lot OP (and some of the responses FYI) that you only think of poverty as being something that can be experienced in developing countries. Are the poor that invisible in this area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This should make it into one of top most DCUMish threads of all time. The privilege and the cluelessness. And it says a lot OP (and some of the responses FYI) that you only think of poverty as being something that can be experienced in developing countries. Are the poor that invisible in this area?

The scale of poverty is different in many of these places. I spend a lot of time in west Africa (among other developing countries) and there isn’t a comparison between, say, Liberia and anywhere in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not going to judge you, but I will recommend not just getting on a plane for Africa just yet.

Try Eastern Europe and South America first. Then India and after that Southeast Asia. Once you’ve done all of that, then I’d recommend South Africa/Namibia/Botswana. Feeling okay after that, then Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia. Only once you’ve done all that would I recommend West Africa. And then once you done West Africa I would recommend Central Africa.

Interesting that you put India above so many of these nations that do not have nearly the same scale of poverty.

India can be really tough bc the sheer size of the population, not just the scope of the wealth gap. IMO it's one of the hardest on this metric

Also the treatment of women. As a women , I regularly travel in Africa solo but would be nervous to do the same in India.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've traveled a lot but not to many third world countries. I have been reluctant because I feel as if bearing witness to the grinding poverty would ruin the experience for me. I couldn't sleep at night in India knowing that right outside my window there are people without the most basic means to survive. Yes, I know when I got to sleep here they are still there but somehow the thought of lookign people in the eye and not really being able to help them while touring around the country and treating them as a bit of the 'experience' feels uncomfortable for me. I mean we took a helicopter trip to a tiny island in Hawaii with fancy picnic lunches and I ended up spending the whole time on the island feeding our lunches to the skinny dogs we stumbled upon. I'm not good with proximal suffering. How do others manage this or am I just too empathic?

What? This is the craziest post that I've read on here. Do you really believe that every single person that you meet in a third world (i.e., not US or Europe) is below poverty, living on the streets and begging for money? You do realize that there are lots of well educated, employed, business oriented folks in these "sh&thole countries", to quote our ex-president, that you're talking about, right? These countries have vibrant cities, art museums, architecture, financial districts, historical monuments, nature reserves, great restaurants and the whole shebang. It's not all Slumdog Millionaire.

[Anonymous]

That’s because poor people are not “part of the experience”. They are full fledged humans living their lives. Empathetic? I don’t know, the way you talk about it sounds very distant and robotic to me, even if you do feed stray dogs.

[Anonymous]

The US, with systemic racism, and Canada, which in 2015 refused to investigate the deaths of hundreds of indigenous children, are supposed to be first world or developed countries?

Give me a break.

OP, go to India, speak to poor people. You will find out you have more in common with them than not.

[Anonymous]

OP needs to remember that many of the 'third world' countries are third world for a reason.

Their resources and commodities were stripped from them to make "first world" countries rich. Colonization, slavery, dehumanizing generations of people, using exporting their raw materials...

What makes her uncomfortable is the uncomfortable truth.

[Anonymous]

I find all the criticism of OP odd. I would not go to vacation in the poverty stricken parts of WV and likewise I have no desire to vacation in spots where I am going to encounter destitute people regularly. I am not so into staying I. Just one spot during a vacation like at a resort so the latter is an issue to contend with.

For instance I know some like Puerto Rico a lot. I did not in large part because the very strong poverty once you were off property was really depressing. I support helping the island and wish the people who live there no ill will but being depressed is not how I want to spend my vacation.

[Anonymous]

^ staying in just one spot...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've traveled a lot but not to many third world countries. I have been reluctant because I feel as if bearing witness to the grinding poverty would ruin the experience for me. I couldn't sleep at night in India knowing that right outside my window there are people without the most basic means to survive. Yes, I know when I got to sleep here they are still there but somehow the thought of lookign people in the eye and not really being able to help them while touring around the country and treating them as a bit of the 'experience' feels uncomfortable for me. I mean we took a helicopter trip to a tiny island in Hawaii with fancy picnic lunches and I ended up spending the whole time on the island feeding our lunches to the skinny dogs we stumbled upon. I'm not good with proximal suffering. How do others manage this or am I just too empathic?

OP thinks that if she goes to a third world country she may feel compelled to feed the poor people like the skinny street dogs in Hawaii. This is so unreal. This has to be a troll because no one is this oblivious and privileged. FWIW, the below poverty residents of whatever country you opt to visit are not part of your freaking experience. They are not zoo animals.

Do not travel to anywhere outside of Disney, OP. You cannot handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP needs to remember that many of the 'third world' countries are third world for a reason.

Their resources and commodities were stripped from them to make "first world" countries rich. Colonization, slavery, dehumanizing generations of people, using exporting their raw materials...

What makes her uncomfortable is the uncomfortable truth.

Nailed it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've traveled a lot but not to many third world countries. I have been reluctant because I feel as if bearing witness to the grinding poverty would ruin the experience for me. I couldn't sleep at night in India knowing that right outside my window there are people without the most basic means to survive. Yes, I know when I got to sleep here they are still there but somehow the thought of lookign people in the eye and not really being able to help them while touring around the country and treating them as a bit of the 'experience' feels uncomfortable for me. I mean we took a helicopter trip to a tiny island in Hawaii with fancy picnic lunches and I ended up spending the whole time on the island feeding our lunches to the skinny dogs we stumbled upon. I'm not good with proximal suffering. How do others manage this or am I just too empathic?

What? This is the craziest post that I've read on here. Do you really believe that every single person that you meet in a third world (i.e., not US or Europe) is below poverty, living on the streets and begging for money? You do realize that there are lots of well educated, employed, business oriented folks in these "sh&thole countries", to quote our ex-president, that you're talking about, right? These countries have vibrant cities, art museums, architecture, financial districts, historical monuments, nature reserves, great restaurants and the whole shebang. It's not all Slumdog Millionaire.

NP. Of course but a lot of the people you DO encounter are the ones begging because they go where tourists are. And lots of them are being exploited by their own people so you can’t “fix” or even slightly help people. You end up enriching the corrupt in the country rather than truly helping with your tourism dollars. Some people don’t consider that a pleasant experience. It is downright depressing to feel helpless dismay. Anyone thinking they are helping are fooling themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've traveled a lot but not to many third world countries. I have been reluctant because I feel as if bearing witness to the grinding poverty would ruin the experience for me. I couldn't sleep at night in India knowing that right outside my window there are people without the most basic means to survive. Yes, I know when I got to sleep here they are still there but somehow the thought of lookign people in the eye and not really being able to help them while touring around the country and treating them as a bit of the 'experience' feels uncomfortable for me. I mean we took a helicopter trip to a tiny island in Hawaii with fancy picnic lunches and I ended up spending the whole time on the island feeding our lunches to the skinny dogs we stumbled upon. I'm not good with proximal suffering. How do others manage this or am I just too empathic?

What? This is the craziest post that I've read on here. Do you really believe that every single person that you meet in a third world (i.e., not US or Europe) is below poverty, living on the streets and begging for money? You do realize that there are lots of well educated, employed, business oriented folks in these "sh&thole countries", to quote our ex-president, that you're talking about, right? These countries have vibrant cities, art museums, architecture, financial districts, historical monuments, nature reserves, great restaurants and the whole shebang. It's not all Slumdog Millionaire.

NP. Of course but a lot of the people you DO encounter are the ones begging because they go where tourists are. And lots of them are being exploited by their own people so you can’t “fix” or even slightly help people. You end up enriching the corrupt in the country rather than truly helping with your tourism dollars. Some people don’t consider that a pleasant experience. It is downright depressing to feel helpless dismay. Anyone thinking they are helping are fooling themselves.

This is just untrue. It is not all beggars in Bogota, Buenos Aires, CDMX, Montevideo, BGK, etc. The broad brush of complete poverty that you’re painting over 100 countries with is obscene. You know where OP should avoid if she hates homelessness and poverty? LA, Austin, Miami, NYC, and downtown Washington DC. Homelessness is through the roof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To start, you could stop calling them "third world" countries.

People are living in extreme poverty all over the world whether you see it or not or travel to those countries or not.

I think everyone should see how other people live, so you can acknowledge your privilege and learn the reality of the world. Yes, it's hard to see suffering, but it can also give you important perspective.

So do you think that poor people exist just to make us aware of our privilege? So it is like a field trip so you can see the slums and then go home oh so enlightened by how humble and happy and hard working these people are despite their poverty?

I'm a longtime volunteer at a food site that serves hot meals. We HATED the holidays due to the influx of volunteers who just wanted to do it, usually as a family, so that they could feel more validated in their lives and thankful for their privilege.

They always want to be on the serving line for any photo ops by media and for their own personal social media accounts. They get very grumpy when they are given a menial, but very much needed task, like dishes or garbage or prepping silverware packets.

The amount of completely clueless and disgusting things I have heard normal, middle-class parents say to their kids while volunteering on Thanksgiving is insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
NP. Of course but a lot of the people you DO encounter are the ones begging because they go where tourists are. And lots of them are being exploited by their own people so you can’t “fix” or even slightly help people. You end up enriching the corrupt in the country rather than truly helping with your tourism dollars. Some people don’t consider that a pleasant experience. It is downright depressing to feel helpless dismay. Anyone thinking they are helping are fooling themselves.

Indian-American here who grew up traveling to India frequently. Not going to pretend I didn't see poverty there, but the place I visited as a kid that most stands out to me for the number of people begging for money is actually Washington DC.