What do you think of this video from Fasten Seatbelts to the World?
My opinion after the jump…
When I first started watching the clip, I thought it was great: Clever concept, cute animation, perky soundtrack.
On further reflection, I thought of a friend of mine who I took to a travel gadget shop. She was unimpressed with all the little do-dads and cutey cute pouches that had cartoons of what you’d hold inside.
“What’s the point?” she said, and in retrospect–even though I still love my little cutey cute travel pouches–I think she’s right. You can focus so much on the act of travel that you lose the big picture.
It’s not like if you show up to Germany and give wrapped flowers they’re going to march you to the border.
As a traveler, I get a pass from pretty much anyone for faux pas if I just demonstrate I’m trying. I’ve called misters, misses and vice versa because I got my words confused. People are kind if they can tell that you’re trying. Not always, but a pretty huge percentage of the time.
Sometimes, I think videos like this actually serve to make people nervous, thinking they’re walking a gauntlet of cross-cultural landmines to travel. I hope not.
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