We had the chance to interview influencer and videographer Arthur Wei about his values and the positive impact travel has had on his life. The path he leads today serves as an inspiration to us all, and we are proud to be able to share his experiences with our community. Here is what he had to say:
How has travel inspired you to become a better person?
Travel has opened my eyes to see perspectives and cultures that no books can. It’s one thing to read about it, and it’s another thing to experience it. Travelers tend to follow a similar mindset of acceptance for all. I’ve seen a lot of biases and predisposed negative outlooks on people change after they have traveled. Beyond that, travel has shown there is a lot more to life than what’s at my home city, and that there are many different ways to live life. With that knowledge, I feel like I have chosen a better way to approach life.
What one travel experience changed your life and why?
I got caught in a thunderstorm hiking in Guatemala’s mountainside, and a family of Mayan’s let me seek shelter in their hut. A family of 12 lived under one roof, with only the most basic necessities. The mother let me stay over and she gave me the only private room. We connected over broken Spanish as they spoke Eq’chi as their primary language. Our friendships blossomed and I ended up staying one week. Their life was simple. They grew corn and ate tortillas 3 meals a day, but they were happy. They taught me to live presently, simply, and to forego many of life’s unnecessary distractions.
Why should people care about conservation?
We are a product of our environment. Therefore we should care about our environment as we care for ourselves and our future generations.
What does the word ecotourism mean to you? And how do you play your part in that movement?
Ecotourism means traveling with respect to my environment. It means that I leave the place as it was or better. It also means being mindful that as a tourist, my money goes to places that do not damage the local community.
What three pieces of advice would you provide to someone who is about to start an international tour or experience?
The first one would be to just do it. It’s overwhelming to think about, but after the first step of purchasing the plane ticket everything else comes easy. The second is to take what you see on the news with a grain of salt. Places that are labeled as dangerous are usually overexaggerated in their magnitude because all we see is what we fear in the news, because fear sells. Places that are “dangerous” have people who think the United States is just as if not more dangerous than their home country a lot of the time. It’s pretty funny and ironic. The third advice is to pack lightly. You can buy most things you need at whichever place you go to and probably for cheaper.
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden is the first of its kind in Laos dedicated to biodiversity conservation and ecotourism. Why is their focus important to you?
This is important because it helps provide knowledge to a future generation on how to keep our environment beautiful and clean. We can give a man a fish and feed his hunger, but if we teach a person to fish we feed him for life. The same applies to conservation of our environment. I believe the botanical garden will not only be a beautiful garden, but also show the importance and knowledge behind biodiversity conservation and ecotourism to have a positive impact in the world.
Follows Arthur’s inspirational work on facebook here, and a special thanks to Arthur for allowing us to interview him.
Pha Tad Ke recently launched Green Thumb to enable people to participate in a crowdfunding tournament that supports conservation efforts in Laos. You could also have the chance to spend 3 months as a social impact CEO with our team if your tournament team does well. So, what are you waiting for? Click here to learn more.