Going to a city on your own? Consider booking a greeter. Free of charge, greeters are volunteers, a friendly face for visiting a city. It’s a mutual cultural exchange that connects ordinary people.
Greeters welcome individuals free of charge for a few hours to share what their home town is like from a local’s perspective. My greeter in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam was a University student majoring in English.
All it took to book was to fill out an electronic form and then a few quick emails with a
contact to confirm meeting location and priorities.
As agreed, my greeter met me in my hotel lobby. She rode me around town on her
motorbike to explore city highlights. She helped me navigate and shop at the local
indoor market and order a really good Pho. Conversation was happy and effortless.
Over a cup of coffee we spoke about life, family, friends and travel. It was one my
best travel experiences ever. No monetary donations were accepted. When I do this again, I will bring a small appreciation gift from my home town.
Certain locations and times of year require more advance notice than others to book a greeter.
