I don’t know about you, but I feel even more uneasy to see people suffering in the streets when I travel. Maybe it’s because, they show me how privileged I am to spend money and time on luxury such as traveling. And even if my budget is far from any spa week in the Alps or Maldives, I am convinced that holidays are a good chance not only to receive but also to share the joy we can get from them.

That’s why HTD brainstormed some thoughts and different resolutions that HTD will try to put at least partly into practice during this traveling season. Of course, such gestures are not only meant for the holidays, but we believe that summer trips are a great opportunity to build up good habits and to make our character grow.

A lot of the following actions depend strongly on the places we visit and sadly there is a huge difference between Western metropolises and developing countries. But after all, why not choosing for example

• A good deed (a day): Why not helping a person in need with food or money? Or what about buying a bottle of water also for the homeless fellow next to the supermarket entrance, especially when the heat starts to be unbearable?

• Bring something to the place you visit that less privileged locals might need: I was told about a man who especially enjoy visiting places that are full of culture, but rather neglected in touristic and economic terms. As he also loves to travel with cabin-baggage only, he decided to support economically those areas by always buying the pair of sneakers he needs for the trip directly on spot. At the end of his journey he leaves it to less privileged inhabitants. Another man I heard about, regularly carries his old but still nice looking clothes to the places he will visit and leaves them to people in need. These might seem like almost ridiculously little gestures, but let‘ imagine everybody would do something similar!

• Buy handmade souvenirs from the area: Those little gifts truly support the local economy and moreover, they will allow your family and friends to get to know a bit better the culture you could discover.

• And if this all is not „enough“, donate – from home or on location – e.g. to organizations that help to develop the region. And /or if you still feel you would like to help beyond these possibilities

• get informed on how to help e.g. for a day or longer in a social institution on spot.
  

  

“Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow” – Swedish proverb (ger)