I started traveling a few years ago, and since then I have had a difficult time staying still. I've met a bunch of pretty cool people, and I started to notice a pattern in the kinds of people I was meeting.
British Where you'll find them: Almost always in a pub or a bar. One thing they'll definitely say: "Yeah I'm just kind of teaching English" What they're like: British people tend to be some of the funniest people you will ever meet. It can take a little while to get accustomed to their humor, so for a while you're going to think that they are terribly unfriendly people. Once you start adjusting to them "taking the piss" out of you, you'll start to appreciate them and slowly realize that they make up for about 90% of your friends.
Middle Aged person looking for a new direction in life Where you'll find them: At your hostel, on a beach, or in the park. One thing they'll definitely say: "Things just weren't going the way I wanted, so I left" What they're like: You're going to have a love/hate relationship with this person. A big part of you is going to admire them for having the guts to leave behind a menial existence, but another part of you is going to think that they're a bit self righteous and annoying. You'll probably spend one or two drunken nights with them until they either get really flirty and creepy in which case you’ll start ignoring them for the rest of your trip, or they’ll turn into life long friends and quite amazing references to have later on in life.
College-aged kid who is hitch hiking Where you'll find them: In your hostel. Or you'll stumble across them outside of a bar One thing they'll definitely say: "You won't believe the people I've met" What they're like: These people are actually pretty great. They have that wide-eyed innocence about them that makes them relatively interesting to talk to, and they're usually not the kind of people who will be mean or off-putting partially because they want as much free stuff as they can get, so they're nice to everyone.
College-aged kid who’s parent is paying for everything Where you'll find them: In a museum, or in the restaurant you went to use the bathroom One thing they'll definitely say: "Don't worry, I'll pay" What they're like: These people tend to be a mixed bag. You're either going to hate them because they're rude and out of touch with reality, or they're going to be as really quite humble, but because they've got money you'll be thoroughly impressed. At the very least their life stories are pretty interesting, and they make for a solid afternoon of conversations over coffee or tea.
The "changed" pseudo hippies Where you'll find them: The bar One thing they'll definitely say: "It's just like... life is such a weird concept, you know?" What they're like: If nothing else, these guys are interesting to listen to. You can check out their really sweet tattoos and hear their ideas about religion, their theories about life on other planets, or their life stories. Its almost always a solid night of conversation, one which will leave you contemplating life and give you a few new perspectives on things you thought you knew.
