Stephen Paul's Guestbook

My Position from the High Horse
Travelblog is filled with people travelling the globe, true "Hardcore Travellers" coloring the visited countries map more red than 10 frogs in a blender. I am not one of them. Self righteous travellers see their way as the only way, whereas I see my style of travelling as only right for me. Strong opinions make for great reading. For me, authenticity in travelling comes from two things- Attempting to learn about the language/culture of the place you are visiting, and learning about the native flora and fauna as well. Im not the first to talk about the Gringo Trail and Gringo Travellers using the America's as a checkerboard to jump their way across two continents- it is quite a well documented phenomenon! I wouldn't expect anyone from Britain or its territories(self-rightousness par excellence) to understand what America is all about. Yes I am white, yes I am from California and yes I claim a stronger bond to Latin and South American countries than anyone in Australia, Germany or England. The Spanish Empire and its ensuing effects on cultures are still being felt today here in the America's. A 18th century Spanish Mission that turned Indians into slaves is 1 km away from my home as I write this, half of the community I live with speaks spanish, and I see America as one family with many branches- North America, Latin America and South America. You said I am an American, and it's true- But I am no more American than Mexicans, Columbians, Brazilians or Chileans. One America, divided. Most people would go to Spain and marvel at the architecture- I would be disgusted at the opulence built on the backs of millions of slaves and Spanish subjects. For this reason yes, I see myself as coming from a position slightly more authentic than most travellers not attempting to learn any Spanish and transiently travelling through Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. For me travelling in America, be it North or South, is something far more meaningful than a trip around the world. Utopia, Conquest, Subjugation, Extermination, Rebirth. These are the social scars common in every inch of American soil- from Alaska to Patagonia.