Travel is a privilege. Those who can explore the world without worries are fortunate. But they should unpack their privilege before they pack their bags. What is the privilege definition? Dr. Peggy McIntosh, who first researched privilege, described it
“as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks.”
Her analogy is about travel, but her privilege definition is about how your identities, such as race or gender, help you ease through all aspects of life. Still, I like how well this quote leads into my topic–the intersection of travel and privilege.
I just returned from a fantastic trip to Italy and a Mediterranean Cruise, seeing destinations on my bucket list.
My privilege let me do this. But not everyone is so lucky.
I’ve traveled to Europe before, and my goal was not to be considered an ‘Ugly American.’ So back then, I was somewhat aware of how my privilege impacted me as I wandered on a new continent.
But as my cruise embarkation date loomed, I found myself dwelling on this and how friends, students, and blog readers might perceive it. So, I shared the details of my trip with only a few people. Otherwise, I was just away from my desk. I didn’t share pics on social media.
What was the nature of my angst? Privilege.
Our Privilege Definition
I am aware of the privilege my husband Pat and I hold:
Race: White
Ethnicity: I am not Hispanic, and Pat is Hispanic
Citizenship: United States
Language: English (spoken pretty much everywhere we went), and I have a little Italian
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Gender: My husband holds privilege because he is male.
Socioeconomic Class: Upper Middle Class. We could afford the trip partly because my Credit Union Director’s travel stipend covered a portion. I attended educational sessions when the ship was at sea.
Ability Status: I have no disabilities, but my husband has Type 1 diabetes and severe food allergies. Mobility is not an issue for us.
Religion: Agnostic
But wait, that’s not all the privileges travelers need to consider.
American dollars were in great demand at our destinations, which meant we got a good exchange rate and more for our money. We were not expecting to buy anything in Turkey because they use the Turkish Lira, but the Turkish vendors accepted both Euros and American dollars.
Passport Privilege
Holding a US passport gets you entry into many countries without a visa. Turkey was not one, but since we were cruise passengers, they waived that (socioeconomic class privilege). I had no idea that other countries’ passports don’t do the same.
In addition, I had researched and procured Global Entry, mainly because our son is living in Europe, and we hope we’ll be back. Global Entry includes TSA Precheck, making our security checks faster and easier. It gives us Priority Pass to access lounges in airports, so we spent our layover in Atlanta eating, resting, and charging our devices. We also bypassed a terribly long customs line when we returned to the US. But you must pay for Global Entry (socioeconomic class privilege) and undergo an interview process, which requires traveling to one of the few locations where this is available.
Body Size Privilege
We both have normal body mass indexes, so we never had to worry about fitting into our seats and the apparent complications and potential shaming that can cause.
Do I Unpack My Privilege Before I Pack My Bags?
Yes and no. I confess to not doing a thorough job of unpacking my privilege.
What I Considered Before I Packed My Bags
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
I researched our destinations to understand the best ways to experience the country. We watched a history Great Course about touring the Mediterranean, which helped us plan our visits.
I learned one of the three languages we would encounter and was able to navigate in Italian.
We visited museums, historical places, and churches to understand our destinations better. But I confess that we avoided several (well, many) religious sites because we are agnostic. For example, most of our ship’s passengers went to the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus, Turkey, where the Virgin Mary was purported to live. We (and a small group of other heathens) wandered the port town of Kusadasi instead. This was one of my favorite tours.
We loved the Michelangelo-designed Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs in Rome. They built this church into the ruins of the ancient Baths of Diocletian. Sort of a snub to the pagans. Pope Clement XI was a tad jealous of the meridian line in a Bologna church and wanted one of his own. Here, the sun shines through a hole high above the floor along a bronze meridian line built into the marble so that they can predict Easter.
Where destinations had dress codes, we abided by them, even if we didn’t want to. For example, our entrance into Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia required a headscarf for me and no shoes. Because of my research, I knew I needed a scarf for this visit, so I was ready. And my husband, who never goes barefoot in our house, was ready, too.
I experienced a lot of angst about sites that are blatant examples of the exploitation of other countries, so we boycotted sites such as the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul. My husband is a recovering Catholic, so we did not put Vatican City on our schedule. However, we ended up atop Castel San Angelo, within spitting distance of St. Peter’s during the Pope’s Sunday Mass. He might even have blessed us from afar.
We wore KN95 masks the whole time. Everywhere. Even outdoors.
What I Missed
I found the Greek and Turkish languages a complete mystery, but I didn’t do anything to alleviate that. I could have learned a few greeting phrases, but instead got intimidated and hoped for the best. That isn’t the best way to avoid being an “Ugly American.”
I didn’t thoroughly research the symptoms of the latest Covid variant. We were so careful about wearing masks everywhere, but were unaware of the latest symptoms. Toward the end of our trip, I had what I thought was a mild cold, but it was Covid. So, I ended up flying back to the US with it and infecting my husband and our son. I’m thankful I wore that mask and am now painfully aware that it doesn’t completely prevent infection if other people don’t wear theirs.
How to Travel with Awareness
My advice is to do your best. Understand your privilege definition before you pack your bags to better prepare for your trip. Broaden your perspectives and keep an open mind when encountering something outside your ‘normal.’
Pitfalls: Ethnocentrism and White Savior Complex
Be aware of ethnocentrism, the tendency to compare a place you visit with your home.
“Ethnocentrism are perceptions or assumptions that you make when evaluating another culture with your own and determining that your culture’s way of life is correct or the “right way” to live.” –Sojourner White
I managed to avoid this for the most part. But in Italy, I had to traverse a steep flight of stairs without a railing and then almost face-planted when I missed an unmarked step a few feet later. I grumbled, “In the United States, it wouldn’t be this way.”
You can travel with an intention to learn new things, but sometimes travel gifts you with knowledge you never expected.
“When we engage with the communities we travel to, we aren’t just engaging with their present. We have to actively engage with their past and their future.” – Kayla Baptiste
Examples of Learnings We Sought
Pulley system under the Roman Coliseum floor
My research yielded tours of our desired destinations for learning. For example, the Roman Coliseum was enlightening. We received a free upgrade and got to walk out on the floor. This unique perspective made it easy to see the devices that lifted gladiators, animals, and scenery from the tunnels below. Also, a tour of the Coliseum is a lesson in privilege. Although everyone was welcome, women and enslaved people got the nosebleed seats. Also, most gladiators were enslaved.
I’m a gardener, so the number of pictures of plants in my feed was no surprise. I loved learning about the destination’s climate and geology and how that impacts their gardens and food production. It is incredible what you can produce in tiny spots perched on cliffs. Rome’s umbrella pine trees make me happy. And, of course, Athena’s olive tree on the Acropolis.
Surprising Learnings
Of surprising interest to me was the Dardanelles Strait. Traveling here made me look up the importance of this narrow passage to navigation and the area’s history. The ancient city of Troy was located here. During WWI, it was the site of the Gallipoli campaign. It is also home to the longest suspension bridge in the world.
We received a refresher on classic mythology, in the best possible way, with actual examples of why people create myths. For example, the Strait of Messina between mainland Italy and Sicily was the setting for the legend of Scylla and Charybdis. The narrow channel links the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Ionian Sea. The difference in water temperature can make the strait treacherous and create whirlpools. Hence, the Greeks created Scylla (a sea monster) and Charybdis (a devastating whirlpool), which waited for ships on each side of the strait.
When I look back at my pictures, there are way more pictures of rocks, marble, and geological strata than I expected. But I found the unique colors and textures quite beautiful. I confess to having pocketed several pumice stones on Mt. Etna. At the Acropolis, when everyone else was taking pictures upward at the majestic ruins, I was turned downward, taking photos of the glorious marble we walked on.
And a reminder about current events. Just before we arrived in Istanbul, ships with grain were again traversing the Bosphorus Strait because of a deal to ease food supply issues caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Enjoy the Experience
Eating and Drinking
We tried local food and drink when we were able to verify there were no allergens. My husband wanted a cannoli, which was more of a challenge than we expected because many contain peanuts. But he finally got a pistachio cannoli. On Mt. Etna, of all places!
I like to try weird gelato flavors like fig. Sometimes this experiment is a bust, although they still taste good. In Rome, I had my all-time favorite flavor–apple mint.
In Turkey, we enjoyed tea, coffee, and Turkish Delight.
Shopping the Local Goods and Crafts
In Kusadasi, we saw how they make Turkish rugs So gorgeous but not on our shopping list. First, they do not make these rugs from cruelty-free fibers. Second, they cost thousands of dollars. Finally, our cats would waste no time decorating it with furballs.
Our tour guide deposited us at the bazaar and practically shoved us inside, where the storekeepers stood in the aisles and yelled for us to come into their shops (currency privilege). They are wily sellers; a ceramics shop owner was trying to entice me in, and I used the excuse that I wanted earrings, figuring that would fend him off. But no, he personally escorted us to his cousin’s jewelry store in another part of the bazaar.
At the jewelry shop, I explained I had no Turkish Lira, and the cousin said American dollars would be fine (currency privilege.) I bought earrings for a few friends and me because they were made from an interesting gemstone called zultanite, which changes colors in different lights, and is a product of Turkey. Sort of like a mood ring but prettier. Then, the cousin personally escorted us to his cousin’s tea shop, where we enjoyed our drinks and watched the Turkish cats beg for treats (and get them.)
Exploring Gardens and Green Spaces
I loved Kusadasi’s Pigeon Island, where they had placed examples of Turkey’s native plants, with background explanations along the paths. So much better than hearing how it used to be a Venetian fortress. Mt. Etna, while not exactly green, was awe-inspiring. The olive tree grove below the Acropolis in Athens was a peaceful place to escape the crowds. And the Amalfi Coast was covered with lemon tree groves and flower gardens.
I Will Unpack My Privilege Before I Pack My Bags
I am not going to stop traveling, because I love experiencing new places and enjoy learning. But I will do it with as much awareness of my privilege definition as possible.
Since my son is living in Europe, I hope to have an extended stay there someday. Although I’ve never stayed a long time in a foreign country, I imagine this as being a completely different and more profound experience than tourism. I loved Janet Given’s book, At Home on the Kazakh Steppe: A Peace Corps Memoir, about her experiences as a mid-fifties grandmother in Kazakhstan. An excellent introduction for those who wish to immerse themselves in another culture. And a page-turner!
