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Advice for visiting a developing country
William, a loyal MR reader, asks:
What advice do you have for an aspiring development economist visiting a developing country for the first time?
He is a rising sophomore from a very good university and has strong interests in economics. The locale is Cape Town, although the question is about general advice. My tips are the following:
1. Learn as quickly as you can what is safe and what is not. In Brazil taxicabs are pretty safe, in Mexico City they are not. This will take some doing and in the meantime be very careful. Have a prearranged safety net if you lose everything to a thief.
2. Do not get drunk take drugs or patronize prostitutes. Really, It is a path to trouble and if you want to do it save it for a more familiar environment.
3. Try out the various transportation networks in the region, the more inconvenient the better.
4. Attend a religious ceremony or fiesta or both.
5. Make sure you visit some small farms.
6. Immerse yourself in the music of the place -- I don't mean the most commercial musics -- before you go and then of course after you arrive. This is more valuable and more "real" than reading the literature, which is often intended for outsiders. Of course read some non-fiction on the place as well.
7. See if you can teach or attend a class in a local school.
8. Eat the street food.
9. Do not rule out the idea of romance, keeping #2 in mind and noting that cross-cultural romantic signals are often misunderstood. This is a tricky one but it is the #1 teacher if it works out not to mention the romantic benefits.
10. Count the number of Indians and Chinese and Lebanese (and sometimes Koreans) around and draw inferences from that data.
11. If you can, arrive with a well-defined hypothesis in mind. But don't think you can collect all the data on one trip, you probably can't.
12. Realize that you probably won't understand all the times that people are telling you "no."
Learning the language goes without saying. I suspect Chris Blattman can add to this list, can you?
Addendum: Here are Chris's tips.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on June 2, 2008 at 06:19 AM in Travels | Permalink
Comments
Cook it, peel it or forget it. Personally, I would not eat street food in most countries. Forego the ice (even in strong drinks) and only drink from sealed containers. When shopping in local markets (it may or may not apply to bigger stores), assume the prices you're asked are way too high. If possible, take a local with you, they will know what prices are appropriate. On the other hand you may argue the prices are far lower than at home and haggling is not really your thing and just pay what's asked. Some find this to be a sort of development aid. Be wary of discussing politics and religion. Depends a lot on the culture in question, though. Carry sublingual (i.e. the type that can be used without water) diarrhea medication with you (in your wallet or some such) and have a broadband antibiotic in your suitcase.
Posted by: Someone from the otherside at Jun 2, 2008 7:08:33 AM
Maintain perspective about being a mark. Yes, people will try to rip you off, but think of it in absolute terms rather than in percentage terms. My wife and I almost ruined a trip to Peru by getting upset about a taxi driver overcharging us by 60%. The absolute price difference was only $2, however, and certainly not enough to get upset over.
With respect to personal safety, the best advice I've heard is from D. Keith Mano: If possible, be tall.
Posted by: MostlyAPragmatist at Jun 2, 2008 7:14:12 AM
I can't emphasize this one enough, though it's surprising how many people forget it: keep your opinions about the country, its lifestyle, culture, and folkways, to yourself. At least while you are there. What your mother told you is true: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Chances are your hosts are not in a position to do much about the beggars, prostitutes, and stray dogs, so your offer of quick solutions to these problems ("Why don't they hire some dogcatchers around here?") is unlikely to impress them, and will only put them on the defensive.
Posted by: John S. at Jun 2, 2008 7:18:26 AM
About street food: watch how many locals eat it, then try it if it's popular.
They're not collapsing in the street from it, so it won't kill you, either.
Posted by: david at Jun 2, 2008 7:19:18 AM
Mention wanting to visit a neighboring country.
Posted by: Cisco at Jun 2, 2008 7:24:25 AM
I spent a year as a volunteer in Laos and would recommend:
- Being patient. Expect things to be slow or late. Prepare for this.
- Don't get angry. It may get you what you want but it's often extremely unpleasant to the locals and builds a bad reputation for tourists.
- Ask before taking a photo. If you can't speak the language just point at your camera and people will let you know if they're uncomfortable about it.
- Prepare for food poisoning and ask your doctor to recommend you some medicine to bring with you.
Posted by: Adrian at Jun 2, 2008 7:40:34 AM
Thanks for all the advice!
I'm not sure what exactly 12 is supposed to mean, though. Can you elaborate?
Posted by: WillJ at Jun 2, 2008 7:54:46 AM
Speaking from personal experience, you are much more likely to get in trouble doing (8) than (2)
Posted by: nocountry at Jun 2, 2008 8:07:53 AM
The line between (2) and (9) is not always very clear cut...
Posted by: Someone from the otherside at Jun 2, 2008 8:18:59 AM
I'd give the same advice Warren Buffett gives for open-outcry auctions. Don't go.
Otherwise, read everything before you go. Everything. No point in going if you don't know enough to know what you don't know (similar to #11.) Get to know your host really well beforehand. Don't put anything in your checked baggage that you wouldn't feel fine dropping off at the Goodwill on the way to the airport. Know the routes of the cabs you are taking- that way you can know the subtle distinction between a cabbie taking you the long way to extend the fare versus being kidnapped. Don't get that fountain drink (with or without ice) on the last day before your flight even if you feel pretty confident because you haven't had any problems all trip. Learn how the local payphones work.
Posted by: Andrew at Jun 2, 2008 8:25:47 AM
Avoid saying how rich you are, or saying anything about how good you live.. pepole will hate ya for that..
Posted by: Tomislav Najdovski at Jun 2, 2008 8:25:58 AM
WillJ--
There are many ways to say "no," without using the word "no". "Perhaps at some other time...", "That would be true if...", "Wouldn't you rather...", "That's interesting, but...", "Thank you for your kind offer...", "I understand, but..." and on and on.
Many non-Western culture's avoid using the word "no" in order to avoid conflict. This is certainly true in Thailand and Japan. Unfortunately, it makes it very hard for someone who doesn't speak the language to understand they've been told, "no". Instead of learning a single word "no," you need to understand the whole language and how it can shade meanings.
Posted by: MostlyAPragmatist at Jun 2, 2008 8:33:59 AM
Also note that you can easily spend weeks in Cape Town without realizing South Africa has poor areas! This is true of many middle-income countries. We tend to think only of the average incomes when comparing countries, when, in fact, there are many, many people in places like Argentina, Mexico and South Africa who live lifestyles that would seem normal to any American.
So mission one if you're interested in development: actually go to the poor part.
Posted by: kevincure at Jun 2, 2008 8:44:00 AM
Learn the language? Margaret Mead found it quite unnecessary.
Posted by: dearieme at Jun 2, 2008 9:01:20 AM
@Will, re 12:
A very interesting (german) blog explaining the U.S. to Germans once offered the following pieces of advice regarding discussion with Americans: "I wonder if this is really the best solution" tranlated “nein”. "I’m wondering if we might need more time" means “nein” and "We might want to review some parts of the project" means “nein”.
I think that illustrates the point: even though most Germans learn English for 6 to 9 years in school, it would never occur to most of them that someone would be that reluctant to say "no" when they mean "no". People in the countries you visit may have the same or even more reservations regarding saying "no" and significantly different ways to, err, paraphrase it.
Posted by: arne b at Jun 2, 2008 9:04:38 AM
- Read a local, daily paper if you can manage the language or if there is an English edition.
- Eat local bread everywhere you go - everyone makes better bread than the average American slice, mostly by virtue of being fresh.
- Ask lots of questions and listen far more than you talk - shoot for a 4 to 1 ratio.
- Where it is safe (Tyler's #1), walk. You can overcome a lot of barriers but speeding by at 40mph in a glass/steel box is a tough one.
- Read local/national bloggers. Try globalvoicesonline.org or, obviously, the goog.
- Browse book stores and news stands to see what people are selling/reading.
- When you visit small farms - ask what they are planting, what they are eating, where do they get their seeds, and who owns the land.
- Visit a clinic or hospital and talk to a nurse - doctor's are helpful but they probably fall into Tyler's #10
- Notice when and why the inevitably long lines form at the banks.
Posted by: J at Jun 2, 2008 9:28:58 AM
If you are in the capital city,
1. Take a look at how nice the central bank building is relative to its surroundings.
2. Note the queue (if any) at the American embassy/consulate of locals who want visas.
3. Spend one night at the theatre, even if you don't know the language.
Posted by: Economono at Jun 2, 2008 9:45:55 AM
As for safety and safety net, keep some money and any critical items separate from your main wallet/purse. Then if you get ripped off, you're still ok.
I don't understand #10
As for street food - this is not true "They're not collapsing in the street from it, so it won't kill you, either."
Remember that people have different sensitivities, and these are strongly conditioned by what we eat in our youth, along with genetics, and what our immune systems are exposed to.
People [used to] carry disease when they travel to new places, because we may all be immune to something here, but in another country they haven't been exposed. Obviously globalization and modern medicine has led to less death by new exposure; but we can still be highly sensitive to the food, preparation and - sorry - bugs that come with foods of another country.
While Tyler might be able to eat street foods wherever he goes, this does not mean everyone will have the same experience.
Posted by: liberty at Jun 2, 2008 10:13:05 AM
in the main, this advice also works well for getting to know a developed European country -- I've done a lot of the positive things quite rewardingly in Paris, for example.
Posted by: mae at Jun 2, 2008 10:17:40 AM
As a Capetonian (someone from Cape Town) reading this I find it immensely funny (I am an Econ grad student studying in Europe) even now when I tell people that English is the 'official' language of South Africa they are taken aback. Obviously if you want to learn Xhosa, Zulu or another South African language then it is beneficial if you plan to do development work. Afrikaans and Xhosa are particularly useful in Cape Town (aside 'I study Economics' roughly translates as 'Ndifunda ezoqoqosho' in Xhosa).
There are several 'local language' (English) newspapers to read: www.iol.co.za, www.news24.com and www.mg.co.za.
With respect to 2. Don't do it. Ever. Not in South Africa at least. I'd say #3 could also be problematic as there are numerous issues with public transport.
Lesser known SA fact: it has three capital cities (really). Cape Town is one of these as the seat of parliament and you are free to visit parliament if you so choose as a member of the public.
With respect to Economics in South Africa and connecting to it in Cape Town, the three most prominent schools are The University of Cape Town, the University of Stellenbosch and the University of the Western Cape. The former two substantially better ranked (1st and 2nd in the country respectively, depending on who is rating).
Posted by: Simon Halliday at Jun 2, 2008 10:29:26 AM
Feel free to get tipsy. Avoid at all costs becoming incoherently drunk. Prostitutes, if you are willing the disease risk, are generally safe if you arrange them through your hotel, or tour guide. These people make a good portion of their income from setting up these dalliances. Also, while taxis in Mexico City may not be safe, this is not the case for Mexico's mot beautiful city, Guadalajara.
Posted by: Mdesus at Jun 2, 2008 10:59:13 AM
Above all, take advice from someone who has _been_ there or lives there, rather than someone who has read about it in story books. :-)
Generally good counsel for first-time visitors to any tropical country:
1. Do not drink tap water. That is the fastest route to a stomach upset. Best carry water with you in a bottled form, when leaving hotel etc so as not to be caught in a state of desperate thirst.
2. Do not take ice in any drink, or for that matter, on its own.
3. Do not eat street food or pre-cut fruit/ vegetables (say, in a salad). You cannot guarantee freshness, things spoil rapidly in the heat and a diarrhoea is going to waste your precious travel and research time.
4. If going in hot weather, pack sunscreen and mosquito repellent cream/ device. Malaria tablets too, if available.
Apart from that, no generalisations actually work. Remaining polite, asking permission and not getting into fights with locals usually work universally.
Good Luck!
Posted by: Shefaly at Jun 2, 2008 11:15:16 AM
Carry some small gifts for children of people you meet. Nothing too fancy -- you don't want to seem patronizingly affluent, nor do you want to create situations of jealousy or fighting over things. One of those things where you pull the string and it makes different animal noises, or a Transformers figure for slightly older kids, that kind of thing.
Of course gift customs vary widely so you need to find out first what is appropriate. (But that is just necessary in any case -- you can end up in just as bad trouble for failing to give something when you should.)
Posted by: Christopher M at Jun 2, 2008 12:06:46 PM
I spent a semester in Cape Town. Definitely be sure to meet locals who can show you the "developing" part of SA. It is very easy to enjoy the first world life in Cape Town and never see the impoverished areas.
You should visit the townships, but not without a local friend or guide. If you are white, you will be an obvious target for crime there. There are commercial tours, but you will not get the same experience as visiting with a resident or someone who has friends and family there.
From an economic perspective, the minibus taxi industry fascinated me. These are the ubiquitous vans filled far past capacity that travel established routes and cost next to nothing. In anticipation of the World Cup, the government is attempting to clamp down on the safety and operation of the minibuses, which is how most of the lower class travels.
Posted by: CFS at Jun 2, 2008 12:08:10 PM
My best advise is to live as similar as you can to the locals. Have an open mind, forget about your domestic lifestyle, and try to assimilate yourself into their culture for as long as you are there. Eat what they eat, listen to what they listen, celebrate what they celebrate (and in the same manner). Take every opportunity to talk with the locals, assuming language barriers are not high. It has been my experience abroad (most extensively in Russia, and most recently in Indonesia) that people are open to talk about their life in general terms and thoughts about the future. Lots of times they are as curious about your thoughts as you are theirs. Try to makes friends that will let you "hang out" with them and their friends. Finally, know the history of the country. It is fascinating to "see" how their history has influenced their culture and perspective for the future. If you show that you took the time to learn about the county and the people, then they will open up much more to you.
Posted by: TK at Jun 2, 2008 12:16:36 PM
