Travel With an Open Mind and a Respectful Heart

What’s one piece of travel advice you always follow?

My answer is simple: Wherever you go, respect the people, their culture, and the place they call home.

Whenever I travel, I try to remind myself that I am entering someone else’s everyday world. What may seem new or unusual to me is simply part of another person’s life.

I believe travelling is not only about visiting beautiful places or taking photographs. It is also about meeting people, listening to their stories, and learning something that we may not have understood before.

Coming from Vietnam and experiencing life in Australia has made me appreciate how differently people can express kindness, hospitality, and respect. Sometimes we do not speak the same language, but a genuine smile, a little patience, or a thoughtful gesture can help us understand one another.

I also try not to compare every new place with somewhere I have already been. Each community has its own history, traditions, and way of life. I think we miss something valuable when we expect everything to feel familiar.

Of course, travelling does not always go as planned. There can be misunderstandings, unexpected changes, and moments when we feel uncomfortable. I try to see these experiences as opportunities to become more patient and understanding.

One thing I have learned is that we do not need to know everything about a culture before visiting. But we can make an effort to learn, ask respectful questions, and be considerate of local customs.

For me, the most meaningful part of travelling is often not the destination itself. It is the people we meet and the small moments that remain with us long after we return home.

Wherever life takes us, I hope we remember that we are visitors in someone else’s home, even when that home is an entire country.

And perhaps that is the advice I value most: travel with curiosity, but always carry respect.

A question for you

What is one lesson travelling has taught you that you still carry with you today?

Vo Thi Nhu Mai