The $5 Argument I Still Think About
Antigua, Guatemala
“The important things in life you cannot see with
your eyes, only with your heart.”
— The Little Prince
The $5 Argument
The argument lasted nearly thirty minutes.
At 7 am in Vang Vieng, Laos, a tourist stood in the street arguing with a tuk-tuk driver over $5. The driver kept changing the price. The tourist wanted the original price and refused to budge. Other drivers chimed in. Google translate was typed into furiously. Back and forth like a game of ping-pong with a question as to who would be the victor, while a few of us stood by waiting for the situation to end.
Eventually the driver gave in, but both walked away looking exhausted. I stood there wondering how we had ended up arguing for 30 minutes over $5 and was it actually worth it?
If I’m being honest, I understand the tourist’s instinct. When we travel, we want things to feel fair. We want to avoid being taken advantage of. No one likes feeling like they’re paying the “tourist price.” Of course, after traveling for almost a year, I’ve had those thoughts often and also don’t want to feel ripped off for being a visitor.
But that moment has stayed with me throughout my time in Southeast Asia. Because the more I see, hear, and observe, the more I find myself thinking about travel expectations, privilege, and how we show up in places different from where we come from.
Travel exposes some of the best parts of the world—but it can also exposes some of the worst. And sometimes the uncomfortable moments are the ones that stay with you the longest.
What follows are a few reflections and personal thoughts (okay, perhaps rants) that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
Travel is inviting for so many reasons—the pull of beautiful places, incredible food, captivating nature, or let’s be honest, the photos. But the greatest gift travel can offer isn’t what ends up on your camera roll. It’s the personal growth that happens when you intentionally step outside your comfort zone. That might look like visiting less-traveled countries, leaving the touristy parts of town (RIP all-inclusive resorts) or taking public transit instead of Ubers.
It requires us to face our fears about places that look different from what we’re used to and to embrace the unfamiliar.
Traveling Is a Privilege
I recently learned that around 21% of the world’s population has never left their home country, and in some places the number is much higher. In countries like India, for example, it’s estimated to be as high as 95% (Pew Research Center, 2023).
That statistic surprised me. (You can read more from that report here).
It made me think about all the places I’ve visited and the people I’ve encountered along the way. How many of the people who served me food, drove my taxi, or checked me into my hotel have ever experienced a country different than their own? How many have taken a vacation in the past two years?
For many, the answer is likely not many—or maybe never. Yet there they are, welcoming you into their country.
It’s worth remembering this the next time there is an unexpected hiccup while traveling. Interacting with those from other countries and learning about another culture in person is a privilege.
Travel Isn’t Supposed to Feel Like Home
During my time in Laos, I saw and heard far too many visitors expecting the same level of service and efficiency they’re used to back home.
That expectation doesn’t always make sense. Home shouldn’t follow us when we travel. If you want that, stay home.
Countries operate differently—economically, culturally, and structurally. Expecting another country—especially a developing one—to function exactly like your own is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. It can also quietly assume that our way of doing things is inherently better.
When we arrive in a destination, we have to remind ourselves that different is not wrong. And we cannot judge what we don’t know or fully understand.
In some places, you might sit at a restaurant for thirty minutes after finishing your meal without receiving the check—not because the staff forgot about you, but because longer, relaxed meals are the norm and they don’t want you to feel rushed.
You might take a bus where the air conditioning barely works even though it explicitly said it would. You might encounter delays, confusion, or plans that simply don’t go the way you expected. Instead of immediately feeling irritated, it helps to reframe the moment with curiosity (and patience).
What is actually happening? Is this normal here and if yes, why is that? Am I being treated differently because I’m a foreigner? If so, can we understand why?
Curiosity almost always leads to a better experience than frustration. Travel rarely goes perfectly—and that’s just part of the experience.
The Meaning of $5
That argument over $5 wasn’t the only moment that made me pause. Travel has a way of revealing how quickly people get upset over small amounts of money.
Now, before I expand, I recognize we work hard for our money and vacations are a precious time where we put that money and free time. We want it to go smoothly.
However, we need to be realistic. If you are traveling to a low-cost destination and paying a fraction of what you would back home, we cannot demand the same standards and need to adjust our expectations.
If comfort and guarantee is important, paying a bit more will go a long way. Do not choose the cheapest option. A small price difference in some places can dramatically improve your experience. Know yourself, what you’re looking for, and make decisions accordingly.
For some travelers, $5 feels like a matter of principle. But for someone else, that $5 might have a significant impact.
This doesn’t mean you should accept scams or dishonest behavior. But it does mean it’s worth picking your battles. If you can afford to pay a little more—or leave a tip for someone who helped you—why would you not?
Some of the poorest people I’ve met have been incredibly generous. And sometimes the opposite is true.
Kindness Is Universal
Things will go wrong while traveling. But yelling rarely helps.
We’ve all seen the stereotype of the traveler throwing a tantrum. I witnessed one in my hotel lobby. There’s a reason the “Karen” reference became so popular. Watching a grown adult lose their composure over a small inconvenience isn’t a great look anywhere in the world.
While we can be frustrated and irritated, remember that a smile, patience, and slowing down go a long way.
Kindness translates across borders better than almost anything else, and will always be remembered.
The Hard Reality
None of this is meant to excuse scams, theft, or dishonest behavior. I’ve seen some of that too—particularly in Laos—and it’s disappointing.
I want to believe people are mostly good. And I still do. But unfortunate circumstances can push people into desperate decisions. When someone is struggling to survive, their choices can look very different.
I grew up with a lot of privilege. Because of that, I can’t pretend to fully understand what it’s like to live in that level of scarcity.
What I can do is try to approach those situations with empathy rather than anger or demands.
The world carries a lot of suffering, and acknowledging that reality helps us better understand the behavior we sometimes encounter.
Doing Our Small Part
At the end of the day, most of us want the same basic things: health, safety, and the chance to live a decent life with those we care about. Travel has a way of reminding us of that.
When we have the chance to reduce someone’s suffering—through kindness, generosity, patience, or understanding—we should take it.
I still think about that argument over $5.
Travel gives us the chance to see the world, but it also reveals how we choose to move through it. And the simple fact that we have the choice to travel at all is a privilege.
