Throughout this semester in preparation for this abroad experience, I spent my time conducting research about what life in South Africa looks like. I was able to learn about their culture, politics, religion, animals, and geography through this research. What I learned about South Africa helped shape my initial impressions and expectations when entering the country for the first time. One thing that stood out to me in particular, was how welcoming all of the locals were to tourists. I initially thought that the locals might not perceive tourist well as we are coming into their home country, which is a place that is so sacred to them. I was pleasantly surprised to see that all locals welcomed us into their country with open arms. They were excited that we were visiting their home place and experiencing their culture which would allow us to see the world in a different light. The hospitality of everyone we interacted with was very positive as everyone went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying our time in their country. When speaking with a leader from the tourist industry in South Africa, he explained to us that tourist help drive their economy and contributes to job creation. Without tourism, many people would not be able to sustain their lifestyle and their economy would look much different. This provided a unique perspective to me as I thought back to the way the United States views tourism in our country. Though we do not have a negative view of tourism, I cannot say that all parts of our country are as welcoming to tourists as they people in South Africa are. I was very encouraged to see the way we were perceived as tourist in their country and my hope is to take this new perspective back with me and make an intentional effort to welcome all people who visit our country with open arms.
