Original: Re-Write Article Activity & Blog Post

Thousands of people create travel videos and post them online for the world to see. When people go on vacation it is typical to only want to document the good parts of the location and trip, however, this can be somewhat problematic because it shows viewers a limited version of what the location actually is. 

Don’t get me wrong.

I love watching these beautifully produced videos from online “influencers” of foreign locations. I love the sense of wanderlust that they make viewers feel, but I think, because I have always seen these romanticized views of these countries my idea of what these countries are actually like is very limited. For example, when I think of Dubai my mind automatically goes to a video on YouTube by Indy Blue that features a group of young adults experiencing stereotypical activities such as riding a camel and sand surfing.

If I were to create a travel video I would definitely include fun experiences as shown in Indy Blues video, but I think it would be beneficial to include a section in the video of more authentic experiences. Examples of this could be walking down the local markets and showing how locals actually live and make an income. It could also be beneficial to show some of the aspects of the country that are not as positive. This could range from somehow showing a countries poverty or showing a polluted city or beach. Doing this would allow for a broader, more inclusive, and authentic view that would be shown to viewers.

In the Dubai video there was nothing showing the reality of life in Dubai. I found an article that did a great job at showing an honest view of the city, the good and the bad. There is a quotation in the article stating, “Scrub the sheen off the glass in this concrete jungle, and the truth will melt in your hands. The modern-day slavery in the UAE is painfully obvious, but the propaganda-style tourism videos and Instagram handles will tell you otherwise.” This quote provides insight to how everything that you see on the internet is precisely curated to show you a false view of the country.