Most travel is extractive and passive. You show up somewhere, take photos of the same landmarks everyone else takes photos of, eat at a restaurant the guidebook recommended, and hit up some bars. You take some tours to learn about the place and, if you’re lucky, get to meet some locals on your trip. You don’t really go deep.  Even long-term travelers who talk about how they “aren’t tourists” do the same – just at a slower pace and while trying to spend less money.  And there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s just the nature of travel. While we all imagine dropping into a place, befriending locals, and having this crazy time like we’re in some movies. But that doesn’t happen. Because we’re just passing through and, for the most part, locals don’t want to become friends with tourists. In fact, most locals don’t interact with tourists. (I mean it does happen but it’s not the norm.) If you really want a deep travel experience, you need to stay. If you want to understand a place, you need to stay.…