Tourist for a Day

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How do we know when someone doesn't belong to the country they're visiting? There are certain aspects of one's behavior that are a dead giveaway. Tourists usually have a greater appreciation for surroundings. Everything seems new and exotic to them, so you usually see them wandering around or getting lost easily. When hearing them speak, an accent or different language is usually perceived. More often than not, they're seen wearing clothes that tend to stick out like a sore thumb. In Puerto Rico it's often floral shirts, crocs, flip flops, capri shorts, hiking bags, safari hats, basically anything you would almost never see on a native. 

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As an experiment, I took some of these stereotypical qualities and tried them out at a random location in Puerto Rico. I put on some sunglasses, a polo shirt, capri shorts, a fedora and a pair of flip flops. First I went to Old San Juan, where tourists are usually expected. I entered one of the many restaurants there and asked where the nearest restroom was with a fake American accent. One of the waiters directed me in a polite manner with complete detail so I wouldn't get lost. After this response, I changed into my normal everyday attire and did the same thing in a different restaurant but as a Puerto Rican. The waiter just pointed to the back and said, "there."

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Regarding my clothes, when I had the tourist getup on, I walked around taking pictures of everything. I noticed certain people gawked at me as I walked by. Some even chuckled and pointed from a distance. When I changed clothing, I was like another sheep in the herd.

Being a tourist had some advantages and disadvantages. Although employees tend to be polite towards tourists in commercial establishments, some normal citizens weren't as nice and tended to be slightly judgmental. I enjoyed being a tourist but after a while I started feeling like a fish out of water in my own home.