Working in Travel: When What You Know Just Doesn’t Matter

“I have been wanting to do a write-up on Jamaica,” my darling, award-winning travel journalist friend shared with me one day.

It made sense to me. It was what she identified as, her cultural pride. She wanted to use her insight and knowledge, as well as her expertise in travel writing to feature her people, her country.

“But the Jamaican tourism department won’t even give me the time of day.”

Till I heard her story I was feeling a tad insecure about myself.

Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic on a press trip. The night before, I had attended a fabulous event hosted by the same agency. Many of the cultural symbols were on display: the cigar rolling, the diablos cajuelos dancing, the merengue, the rum. I could tell a tale from my life and connect the people of the country with each and every one of those symbols. The evening was full of flashbacks and happy memories. I was full of pride. I also got a chance to meet the heads of tourism for the country, and managed to get a picture by doing something I never, ever do (because I am a jaded New Yorker after all): I stalked them for a photo op.

I took pride in being the only one of all the travel writers who was of Dominican descent but who also lived in the country for many years. I couldn’t stay on the island and had to fly back the same day. The trip was very last minute, and sent to me by a PR agency (not by Dominican Tourism), but I accepted despite the somewhat silliness of it all because it was DR.

This had been my second attempt to connect with that tourism agency. I had reached out during the New York Times Travel Show. They were cordial but it was clear they were not very interested. During this trip, everyone was very nice, and I approached them about an idea: sharing with the world the Dominican Republic I know, beyond the resorts and hotels. I had suggested not just a trip, but a piece of my memories brought to life. An insight.

It seemed like a good idea. I am fluent in Spanish. I look Dominican, act the part as well, and understand the culture. I was asked to email and although I think there was more interest in a picture I had taken with several delegates then in my pitch, I couldn’t wait to get home and contact them.

I got home, wrote out a pitch, attached the coveted photo and never heard back again. Not even a thank you for the photo. Not even a rejection. Nothing. Dead silence till this day.

And I get it. Who wants to hear about the Dominican Republic from a Dominican? Or a Jamaican talk about the fabulous food in Jamaica? Or a Japanese explain the cultural nuances so often misunderstood by travelers to Japan? How interesting would THAT be?

It can’t be fun to read or watch a travel video with someone who knows so much about where they are that they could take their audience through a deeper level of understanding and give them a stronger sense of appreciation for that particular culture. It’s cute, I suppose, or funny even, to have someone who struggles with the language.

Like the scene in No Reservations where Anthony Bourdain is in an Italian eatery and one of the owner gets into a loud, verbal argument with a frustrated client, while the camera cuts to Tony, who is completely clueless. Wouldn’t be so funny if Tony understood not only why the man was frustrated (the filming was cutting into his lunch time at his favorite eatery. You don’t mess with an Italian’s meal time -duh) or what he was saying (basically that Tony could go to hell).

And maybe I’m just not much of a big deal yet (my readership is not high enough; my analytics are not up to par; I’m not in magazines or have a book), and thus not worth the investment. I get that too. Totally. Covering a writer for a press trip of any kind is a huge investment, and I understand if a company/agency wants to go for the bigger leagues.

I was totally accepting of this notion until I met a man, another travel blogger, who travels all over the world, and has more stamps on his passport and readership numbers in his stats then I could even imagine possible for myself at this time.

Some how our conversation turned to the Dominican Republic. I asked him what he thought of it. I figured he had gone. He’s been all over the world and back 20 times at least it seems.

“No, never been,” he said casually. “The tourism department over there keeps asking me to go, but I really don’t see what for.”

I wasn’t offended by his remark at all. Because the truth is, beyond Casa de Campo, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, merengue, cigars, rice and beans what else is there really? Especially to someone who doesn’t know like I do.

But what I know just doesn’t matter. It is clear that to those who represent tourism in my country, I am not the person to tell its stories.  And after this post chances are I never will.  And that’s ok too. Because I don’t want to for them anymore. It could be that I have realized that these memories are not to be bartered for a trip and an article. I got caught up in this notion that if I wasn’t sponsored to go, I couldn’t tell my stories. I was a fool. I lost touch with why I do this. I let someone else determine not only my value as a writer, but also the value of my memories.

I can tell the tale still. I don’t need help to do that nor do others who want to tell the tales of their country or anywhere their traveling heart holds dear. I guess for awhile I was hurt by the thought of how worthless it all seemed to others who I expected would be excited, but now I know I was stupid to expect it, but even more so to let it affect me because it is in fact their opinion that matters even less.

I am a storyteller with a wonderful culture full of stories to tell and one day, I will share them with you.

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Tags: opinion, travel
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