Just take a moment and watch. Observe

Tom Broughton
3 min readJun 28, 2019

Without people, life’s boring. We should talk and interact with humans. If you don’t like interacting, just take a moment and watch. Observe.

People think differently all over the world. Numbers and colours mean different things.

I would never open an umbrella inside.

My wife would never point at something using her feet.

When travelling it is important to respect where you are. You are a visitor. I believe that respecting the culture and living how the locals live is all part of the travelling experience. You should add value to where ever you go and whatever you do. I contribute 80% and take 20% from society. I try to listen more than I speak.

The surrounding landscape is beautiful, and its great to see things through your own eyes but also try and see things through the eyes of the locals. Ask questions.

This lady moves around cutting up coconuts, a few days ago it was Jackfruit. I hope I’m this energetic at 85!

Be positive, express yourself. Make people feel special. Be nice. I always compliment.

I believe that people don’t compliment enough. It is a privilege to be able to explore countries other than where you were born. The world is very accessible, more accessible now in this generation than your grandparents generation. Utilise this privilege. See things in a different light.

English is the second Most Spoken Language in the World, this makes me lazy. Learn the local language. Start with greetings. It’s important to research how people in different cultures say hello and goodbye. From experience, a handshake may come across quite strange.

If the local people eat a certain way, adapt to it. It’s the little things. I’m now pretty good at using chopsticks…I adapted.

Respect religion: The majority of Thai people are Buddhist. Religion plays a massive part in Thai culture. Visit a temple. Thailand has a rich history. Understand.

The Predominant religion in Bali, Indonesia is a form of Hinduism. Seeing the local people in Bali waking up early and presenting offerings to the gods is a delight to watch. Embrace heritage.

I believe that people should take the best from every culture so you can build a solid mindset. Spend time talking with people. Everybody has a story.

--

--

Tom Broughton

One evening after work I decided to visit the supermarket and treat myself to some food. This encounter led onto many adventures.