Growing up in a tourist island like Bali, I've made friends with my share of tourists over the years. Socializing with the locals can be one of the most rewarding experiences for any traveler. Whether you meet them at the beach or a watering hole, there's almost always an opportunity somewhere. A fun night out normally builds the strongest bonding experience in the shortest time.

Trust me, there is no better friend than someone who lives there and knows the lay of the land. They become your friends and tour guides all at once. From their perspective, showing someone around isn't all work, its like seeing the magic of your own place for the first time vicariously through someone else. But don't ask your new buddies to go to super touristy sites, this would be squandering you new found buddies. Instead try to see what they do for fun and really get a feel for the culture and and what its truly like to come from the place you are at.

Coming from a tourist island like Bali and traveling to other places gives you a unique perspective on what it is to be a tourist and how to get the absolute most out of where you are. Traveling means so many different things to different people, whether your taking an all inclusive tour or trailblazing through the unknown, you would really be cheating yourself if you left out the human aspect of travel. Acclimating yourself to the culture will even give you a unique perspective of your own culture and who you are. This to me, is why traveling can be such a great growing experience.

But I digress, all I really want to say is, don't get sucked into a tourist trap mentality. Get to know where you are, meet people, and understand them. Move into their rhythm of life. Trust me, its a lot more rewarding than a bunch of postcards in a scrapbook.