Are You A Traveler Or A Tourist?

On neocolonialism and the consumption of place. Plus, two comforting films.

Apologies for the unexpected hiatus, I was travelling in Asia the last few weeks. As I’m working on a Japan newsletter for next week, here’s an essay from last year I never got around to posting. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

It’s my second day with Jaden, the driver I’ve been assigned for my week in Barbados. When he starts the car and his music comes blaring on, he rushes to turn it off, assuming I don’t want to listen to rap. I tell him, “you can leave your music on, I want you to be comfortable, it’s a long drive.” So he puts his phone on shuffle. The third song that comes on is ‘Dice’—an early aughts indie cult favorite best known as the soundtrack to the swoon-worthy NYE countdown scene in the first season of The O.C.. I freak out with excitement but also disbelief. How could Jaden, this 26-year-old Bajan kid with braids have this song on his phone!? Here I was, making assumptions about what Jaden likes based off where he was from; imagining Barbados on its…