Yesterday at the Visit Europe Media Exchange, held at the Hollywood Diplomat, I had a hard time explaining the kinds of stories I write. By about the sixth visit - every 15 minutes you changed tables, sort of like speed dating - I finally said: "I write anti-travel stories." "Very good," the woman from Zagreb said, before showing me pictures of palaces in a region of her country not many tourists visit.
But that wasn't what I meant. I'm not looking for sights in unvisited places, I'm looking for the commonplace, the everyday - the nonsights - in touristy places.
Many of the representatives gathered spoke of interesting festivals in their countries. But most festivals - unless they're like carnival in Trinidad - do not feature the widespread and creative participation of the locals. At most festivals, the locals become like tourists. I write stories in which the tourist (me) approximates the life of a local. They are travel stories that focus on the people who haven't traveled. And tourist boards don't know how to help with that.
