Your Traveler's Persona is RDTI!

You enjoy researching a new destination before you go. You learn as much as you can so that you can avoid the worst tourist traps, but you’ll still go out of your way to see the things that simply can not be missed. You take great pride in saving time, which allows you to accomplish one or two extra things in a day, even if those extra things are really just to help you relax. You are known to have some habits and routines, but you are willing to trade comfort in order to check off a bucket list item. You are a collector, whether of particular things, or of experiences. There are some things you like to do/taste/feel no matter where you are.

You tend to worry about missed opportunities. If a day doesn’t turn out as planned, you need extra encouragement in order to be at peace with it. You may find that it can be made better by an unexpected gift, or by changing other plans to make sure that you have another shot at the day you designed.

When it comes to new experiences, the things you value most tend to be the ones that open up a new category for you.  A new food ingredient, a new way of cooking, a new genre of music or art – these are the things that surprise and delight you.

While you travel for the same reasons as most – to learn something new, to grow and to change, you prefer to minimize risk while doing so. This means you will tend to stick to well established routes, guides and experiences. This doesn’t mean you won’t try new things – far from it! It does mean you don’t intend to be the first person to climb that mountain, or to find that scenic overlook. You read guidebooks or blogs and have a keen sense of what your own limits are before you set out on a new activity. You pay close attention to movie trailers because you don’t want to risk losing those two hours and never getting them back.

When you encounter a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable, you are typically prepared for it. You keep your phone charged, you study maps, timetables, and you always have a phone number to call in an emergency. You’re happy for your friends who seem to live off the adrenaline from thrill-seeking activities, but you’re just as happy to watch and cheer from the sidelines.

When you’re traveling, you write home often. You feel comfortable writing about your experiences in detail. You often reflect back on an adventure with a deep sense of gratitude. You learn intently, paying a deep respect to every culture you encounter.

You see cities as works of art. Where others hear noise and want to escape, you can find the hidden symphony of car horns, laughter and the dance floor. You love a late night out, but you can also revel in a beautiful sunrise. You enjoy dessert. You REALLY enjoy it. You make sure everyone at the table knows how much you are enjoying dessert, and why not? You are a connoisseur – your friends turn to you for the latest and most relevant information about a subject everyone should care more about! You love to savor a good moment, and you are not afraid to express your feelings. When you encounter a new culture, you pay attention to the details – their clothing, their food, their dance, and their music. You’re likely to try to experience a bit of it for yourself, even if that means taking a class or making a fool of yourself just trying. You don’t claim to know the answers to life’s biggest questions, but you are encouraged most by an unexpected smile, by a gesture of kindness, or by observing simple beauty. You cry at movies more than you’d like to admit.

When it comes to relationships, you dare to prove your style of interaction is worth it. Some say it’s frivolous, but you take joy in seeing people let loose. You drag your friends out and encourage them to live a little. You push boundaries, because they were made to be broken.  Your friends tell you that you are a force of nature. You’re not so sure because deep down you don’t feel very well rooted. Your friends give you a lot of advice, even when you aren’t asking for it. You tend to avoid conflict, but have been known to blow off steam when it all just feels like too much.

You believe one person can change the world. You enjoy a good biography, because the entire history of the world really can be explained through the internal struggles each individual faces. You seek solitude, even if that means you can only carve it out in your own mind. You volunteer in order to take personal responsibility for making the world a little bit better. You’re more likely to donate money to a museum or to a University endowment fund than you are to a charity.

When you learn something new, you internalize it by imagining yourself in another person’s shoes.  You pay attention to small details as you learn. You are keenly aware of your own sensory perceptions – things like texture, sounds, aromas. These details help you to personalize your learning process and to identify more readily with others.