Forever a Tourist

Tourists at Charles Bridge

Tourism hardly allows a glimpse into local life. There are those who travel with the intent to understand a country, a culture, and a group of people better. While the very act of being in that place may increase their knowledge, it is only to a certain degree. As a visitor, you are only exposed to a limited portion of the place. With tourist season hitting Prague in full force, clumps of sightseers clutter the cobblestone roads leading to the historic Old Town Square, the center of the storm where NYU happens to be conveniently located. Having to navigate through the groups while precariously juggling a steaming cup of coffee in one hand, the image of Prague as an exploding hub of tourism has never been more emphasized than on my daily dashes to class.

And the question is, how much of Prague do you really see while on these group excursions? So much of it centers on visiting a handful of sites – Prague Castle, the Astronomical Clock, and so forth. It is a list recycled season after season, because these are the famous sites one absolutely must visit while in Prague. And for good reason – these sites are interesting and carry historical weight. But then there are museums. They are fascinating, of course, but by then you are drowning in a sea of history which has been carefully packaged for the passing visitor. To have this be the crux of most trips means exposing yourself to very little. Other than taking a few pictures at these historic monuments, what more of the city do you know?

Even as a study abroad student, it is hard to crack the local lifestyle. And really, how hard am I trying to? At the back of my mind, I know that my time here is temporary and there is no pressure to really adapt to everyday life. Conversational English and simple Czech phrases like “dobry den” and “dekuju” suffice in most of the places I go. There is really not much of an urgent need to learn more than that because what I’m doing here – studying, eating, going out – doesn’t require much more than that. In so many ways, study abroad is like an extended session of tourism. You understand more about a place than you otherwise would, but at the end of the day, you still are but a mere observer, watching everything through a very narrow lens.