Intro:
Whether you’ve stumbled on this post accidentally, or were searching for hours and hours hoping to find something that will either cement your fear of travelling the world or give you the push you need, I hope you find comfort once you’re done reading
My story:
Solo travelling for me was something I kept saying I want to do. Eventually I got tired of saying I want and decide to just do.
The beginning of my journey didn’t start with me planning on going solo. Initially, I was supposed to fly to Morocco with my older sister for my 20th birthday but then…that didn’t work out.
Then I planned on going with some friends but guess what…that also did not work out
At this point I’d already bought my ticket. So I thought to myself “you’re always saying to want to solo travel, now you have the chance”. So off I went to Morocco… by myself!
Was I scared? Yes. Nervous? Hell Yes. Excited? You have no idea!
I was a bundle of emotions but most of all, I was proud. So so so proud of myself.
Here I am doing what I want to do, living my life, telling myself ‘YES’ when everyone else was telling me ‘NO’.
Read about the power of ‘YES’ here
Now, should YOU do it? Should you travel the world by yourself? As the beautiful black woman you are?
Short answer? Yes. Yes you should. Book that ticket and allow yourself to go on adventures. Allow yourself to meet new people from different places. Allow yourself to experience different cultures, languages and food. Give yourself permission to be happy.
Travelling happens in stages – first, you have the thought, then the plan, then you find yourself in a whole new world. But solo travelling has additional factors to consider because it’s just you. Of course you make friends, many friends but you’re the one looking after you. You’re the one finding your own way, the one dealing with any challenges that arise. You don’t have the comfort of knowing your family or friends are with you. It’s all you. An overwhelming thought to most but something you end up finding comfort in- you learn to trust your own judgement, your intuition and most importantly, you learn about yourself.
So what are these extra things to consider?
- Is it a safe country? Of course this is subjective but you want to steer clear from countries with high political instability, war etc.
- Okay so it seems safe but, is it safe for women? This is a question most women are concerned about , and rightly so. As a woman you want to know you can safely navigate the country you’re in. This is down to your research- and again what you consider to be safe
3. Okay it seems safe for women but is the country racist? How will I be treated as a black woman? WHOO! What an important question. The answer? You don’t ever really know.
Of course, if the country is generally known to be racist- then unfortunately expect to have some not so nice encounters if you decide to travel there.
It’s very important to remember that other people’s experiences may not be your own. Some black women would’ve gone to Morocco and loved it, others would have hated it. It’s important that you bear in mind that people’s experiences are their own. They’re not yours to match.
Your job is to go where your heart desires, with an open mind but equipped to deal with unfavourable circumstances if they arise.
What to remember
You must remember that it’s not your job to change people’s perception of black women. Your job is to live your life freely, travel freely and explore to your heart’s content. How people perceive you is not your responsibility. Not at home and not abroad.
Remember there are racist people everywhere. Homophobic people everywhere. Sexist people everywhere. Do your research, then decide. One person’s experience- good or bad will not determine yours but seeing different people’s experiences (especially people who look like you), will give you an insight on what you MAY experience. Taking everything with a grain of salt is extremely important
Remember, most of what you’re afraid of happening to you abroad can also happen at home. Don’t let fear be the reason you don’t follow your heart. Book that ticket and visit temples in Thailand, learn about history in Vietnam, try those chapatis in Kenya. Immerse yourself in something new.
Affirmation: The world is equally mine to explore, to love and to experience. I refuse to let other people be the reason I don’t chase my dreams
