What gives value to travel is fear. It is the fact that, at a certain moment, when we are so far from our own countryŠwe are seized by a vague fear, and the instinctive desire to go back to the protection of old habits. This is the most obvious benefit of travel. At that moment we are feverish but also porous, so that the slightest touch makes us quiver to the depths of our beingŠThis is why we should not say that we travel for pleasure. There is no pleasure in travelling, and I look upon the occasion for spiritual testingŠPleasure takes us away from ourselves in the same way that distraction, as in Pascal's use of the word, takes us away from God. Travel, which is like a greater and graver science, brings us back to ourselves.
-- Albert Camus, 1963

I came to this class as a student from International Development with a love for travel. Throughout my studies I have felt there to be an inherent hypocrisy or conflict between these two interests, and I have always wanted to analyze this position that I, and many others, occupy. As a participant in international development I come from a culturally sensitive position and hence when I travel I tend to often feel like an intruder. Due to this discomfort I believe that there is an interesting discussion to be had in regards to the different connotations that are given to the words traveler and tourist. I feel I have been both, sometimes one and the same, and that each experience offers us, as women, a space in different cultures and a differing sense of embodiment. This site is meant to be inquisitive. I want to introduce and explore the differing notions of traveler and tourist, and conclude with some reflections into female traveler and tourist journals. The following links connect you to each of the sections I wish to exploreŠHappy Travels!


Traveler vs. Tourist: The Debate
Photogallery of 'Travelers' & 'Tourists'
Works Cited and Further Readings...
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