A Little Musing… On the Art of Cultural Immersion

Last updated on May 11, 2023

Moments and anecdotes from my travels flutter into my memory at the most random of moments. I’ve talked about this feeling in the past on A Little Adrift. In my post on “How Four Years Traveling the World Changed Me,” the most seemingly odd smell or sound triggers the memory of a conversation had over dish of Thai curry, or a bag of pumpkin seeds shared in the bed a bumpy pickup truck, some without a common language, but with shared smiles.

Memories bubble to the surface every day, and looking back,  it’s the small moments that I recall most often that would have surprised the Shannon of four years ago.

Before I left to travel, I had grand plans for the major wonders of the world I would see, and the adventurous activities I would do.

I would dive the Great Barrier Reef, see the Himalayas, teach English in a monastery, stand in awe of the Taj Mahal. I filled the list with incredible, bucket list worthy things to do—things I am so grateful to have now already done and seen some of the awe-inspiring things in this world.

But I had little concept at the time that the sites and activities were the backdrop to my travels. Living on the road for four and a half years meant four years of eating three meals a day, talking, reading, doing laundry, travel days, and thousands of hours of shared conversations.

What Does Cultural Immersion Mean in Travel?

Cultural immersion is a term used to describe the process of fully engaging with and experiencing the culture of a particular community or region while traveling. It involves a deep level of participation in the local customs, traditions, language, and values of the community, with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of the culture.

At its core, cultural immersion is about more than simply visiting a place and taking a few pictures. It is about actively seeking out opportunities to engage with the people and customs of the culture, and allowing yourself to be fully open and receptive to the experiences and perspectives of others.

If you had asked me in 2008 what the term “cultural immersion” meant, I would have likely honed in on the fact that I planned to travel through countries and would thus meet locals, ask questions, and learn more about each culture’s nuances and peculiarities.

The reality of traveling comes down to much more than that. In many ways, my emphasis on doing things has now changed a bit. If you’re open to learning while traveling, you can’t escape cultural immersion—cultural immersion is embedded in facet of life while travel, down to the way people interact with you in even the most touristy of places.

How Do You Immerse Into Diverse Cultures?

I travel to learn, to observe, and to experience the story of a new place, and many times this is easiest when I slip off the tourist trail, grab the local bus in the wrong direction and simply allow the travel experience to take over. But that’s only one aspect of it. It’s a bit of a romantic notion for me to say that my most enriching experiences happen in rural areas—on buses in the middle of nowhere. Because although I learn a lot during those parts of my travels, it’s often the times in cities that add context.

Antigua, Guatemala is one of my favorite little cities, and I wrote a post about why I love that little town, and as I thought about immersing, it called to mind my conversations over chai and the hilarity that ensued in the most touristy, backpacker-heavy part of Kathmandu.

Though I would deeply love to know every language on earth, I barely know three. English is not always widely spoken in the rural areas of the world—in fact not a single restaurant owner or shop in my tiny volunteer town in Nepal spoke English.

This was fantastic for immersion, but not so fantastic for answering questions about what I was seeing around me each day. And so, it’s both the immersive and the “touristy” experiences—the interplay of the two—that form my most memorable moments in travel.

Do You Have to Travel Off the Beaten Path for True Immersion?

There are many ways to engage in cultural immersion while traveling, depending on the location and the specific culture you are seeking to explore. You might choose to stay with a host family, participate in local festivals and celebrations, take language classes, or volunteer with a local organization. Or maybe you just eat your face off at local street food stalls and get to know the locals who also frequent those places.

At its heart, cultural immersion is about actively engaging with the culture of a particular community, so you can gain a deeper understanding of the local way of life, history, and traditions.

I have thought a lot about cultural immersion and traveling recently because I settled into a tiny expat town in Mexico this past week. And I surprised myself with the decision to stay here. I came to Mexico partly to polish off my Spanish—it’s been years in the making and I am ready to dedicate the time and effort to feeling more fluent.

But I don’t need too much Spanish here. The town is tiny—one main road that leads straight to the beach. And as I said, it’s full of expats. It’s so small in fact, that there is only one coffee shop in town. Yes, one. That was very nearly a deal-breaker, but it makes a kick-ass Americano and I was appeased on that front.

But for some reason I felt guilty when I first chose to stay here, I felt that I should “go more local,” and set up shop in a more “Mexican” town. As if that would make me more of a traveler maybe?

I’m here though, and I want to stay.

I have friends in this town, fellow travel bloggers Steve and Victoria from Bridges and Balloons, and an instant community of locals and expats alike because in a town this small the divide between the two is almost negligible. 

There’s also a wonderful community center here, EntreAmigos, which runs classes for local children, creates art from the town’s recyclables, and is located just outside my doorstep. I started volunteering there my first week in town and will continue tutoring and doing after-school English lessons over the next several months.

How to Define Cultural Immersion for Yourself

Cultural immersion can mean so many things, and there are many travelers who think you have to abandon the mainstream tourism path to experience travel, but there are moments and opportunities everywhere to dive into local cultures.

I’m still learning this. And some places, albeit, are easier than others to really feel fully immersed in the culture, food, and history. I’m happy here in my small Spanish beach town, and after just two weeks the shop owners give me a wider smile when I walk in the door—the hello of recognition, that beginning sign of belonging somewhere, even if it’s just for a few months.

Through it all though, a key to full immersing in local cultures is to put aside your own preconceptions and biases, and be open to learning from the experiences and perspectives of others. Chief among my concerns here in my new home is to be mindful of the potential impact of my actions on the local community—I strive to act in a way that is respectful, culturally sensitive, and humble.

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More reports will be coming in the months to follow on food (expect many taco photos in your future . . . and mine), volunteering, life here, and—as always—I will continue to play catch-up with all the stories and memories over the past four years that haven’t yet made it onto this site.

A friend from Florida asked me last month why I have never shared on my blog some of the anecdotes I tell over the dinner table when I am back home with friends, and his question struck me as true.

Sometimes in search of a good travel story, I forget to share some of the random moments on the road, some of my personal journey. Working on that, and other things, and simply enjoying my new little Mexican town I am calling home for the next few months!