Going on a trip alone can be overwhelming. Yet this is exactly why Caribbean women should solo travel more and get out of their comfort zones. Tell me if this sounds familiar…you finally travel overseas and thankfully you’re able to stay with an aunty or some family member in the USA, UK, or Canada. It’s a Caribbean household so:
- the food is Caribbean;
- your aunty or big cousin works long hours and you spend most of the week waiting for them to get off work and take you out;
- when you finally go out, you more than likely just go shopping and maybe to an amusement park as the grand event to close out your trip abroad.
Sounds like a trip you’ve had at least once, right?
I remember trips abroad turning out like this. Many of my Jamaican friends also say they only want to travel to places where they know someone and can stay with family. How many times did you make the trip by yourself then end up waiting on other people to take you around? New things you want to try out are turned down because “why you wanna do that?” or “Black people don’t do those things” or “white people sumn dat”. Am I the only one who heard this when I wanted to go on that hike, or go ice skating, or eat out at the Thai restaurant, etc etc? Like is me one dat happen to?
Solo Travel is Always Possible
Before you know it, the trip is over and it’s time to go back home. And although you travelled abroad by yourself, you forgot that you could also go exploring by yourself. Or maybe you let pressure or the uncertainty of expanding your comfort zone allow you to tell yourself that your aunty didn’t have much time to take you out cuz they were hard at work so you have to understand..?
Many Caribbean women get stuck in this cycle. But I’m here to tell you that you can travel alone, and visit the museums, and eat from the food stalls, and try out the new activity. Even when you’re unsure or it’s scary, solo travel helps you to expand your comfort zone in unforgettable ways. You create your own epic life moments when you explore on your own terms. If not for the new discoveries, here’s why Caribbean women should solo travel more:
Meet Yourself on the Road
Yes travelling is a great way to meet new people. But who you often find on your solo trips is yourself. Solo travel gives you unbridled freedom, sets you up to make all the decisions, and forces you to navigate unknown adventures. You will learn more about yourself and your capabilities. You will discover strengths you didn’t know you had, and also pick up new ways of doing things.
Build Lifelong Friendships in Unexpected Places
In addition to meeting yourself on the road, solo travel has a funny way of letting you meet kindred spirits in far-flung places that you wonder if you were soul mates in a past life. I remember showing up to random parties and meeting people who are still my friends a decade later. Or bonding at the bus stop in one country with a kindred spirit of a whole other nationality. These cross-cultural friendships that solo travel creates help to enrich your life in remarkable ways. Your perspective shifts and you also find out that there are more good people than bad in this world.
© 2019 Diedre McLeod
Create Your Own Epic Life Moments
Curating your life and designing the experiences you want for yourself is another reason why Caribbean women should solo travel more. Travelling solo frees up your schedule where you don’t need to rely on a busy aunty, flaky friend, or uninterested partner to finally agree to do the trip with you. Solo travel allows for spontaneous moments to sneak up and surprise you. Solo travel means unexpected adventures and incredible stories (good, bad, or inappropriate) that will stay with you for a lifetime. Do not underestimate the joy of doing what you want, when you want, and how you want.
Stay Safe During COVID19 Travels
Let’s pause right quick and get real. No matter how much we curate our experiences, COVID19 is here to stay. You will need to practice social distancing for the foreseeable future every time you leave home. Solo travel is arguably one of the best ways to do this while you travel. Plus social distancing is easy when you’re by yourself. Less things to figure out and simpler ways to stay safe.
Become More Empowered After Every Trip
There is a healing that occurs when you venture out on your own. At first it might be triggering, it might even be lonely. It will definitely be a little bit scary. But in between and at the end of all of this is undeniable growth. Challenges you faced on the road will help you overcome uncertainties in your daily life. Successes and great adventures on the road will show up as a more confident you when you return home. Your worldview will expand, you’ll discover that fear of the unknown is a little less spooky, and that change is just a part of life that will show up on any journey.
I’ve travelled solo for more than 11 years, and to countries that are nothing like my home in Jamaica. Whenever I venture out and meet other Caribbean women on my travels, they all agree that solo travel has a profound impact on their lives. My hope is for Caribbean women to find their own definition of beauty in the far corners of their own countries, to explore wonders around the world, and to discover their beautiful selves along these wanderful journeys. This, for me, is really why Caribbean women should solo travel more.
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Excellent read Diedre! Solo travel is such a rewarding experience. I can’t wait to do it outside of Jamaica’s shores one day. Thanks for the link back to my article as well. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Elle! 😀
I can’t wait for your stories of those intl solo adventures too! 🤘🏽
Greetings Beloved,
I’m not Caribbean 😊(to My knowledge anyway), but Thankh You for giving an inspiration for any woman that hasn’t stepped out her comfort zone, (silent fears), and find oneself through solo travelling.
I have missed out on things because I didn’t know how or have anyone to do it with, You have opened My sense of adventure (and I downloaded mini guide,) to GO FOR IT!!! THANKH YOU : )!
Great article Diedre. We all should solo travel even once in our lifetime. You might just like it. I can relate to spending vacations with family overseas and barely seeing much of the place, mostly out of fear of venturing out alone but in this age of technology and adventure, those days are in the past.
Thanks Lor. Yea so much info and tech available that fear of travelling alone can be minimized fo real.
Well said! Everyone should really try solo traveling at least once in their life!
A friend told me ” once you go solo, all you forever say YOLO” 😄
I totally agree that solo travel is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and reconnect with yourself.
I’ve rediscovered myself countless times on solo trips…sometimes during one trip hahaha!
Love this! Such good points, especially the fact that solo travel is really empowering. I love that your friends you met came to visit! Also, that orange bathing suit and cover-up combo in your last photo is gorgeous!
Just thinking abt some of the stuff I had to figure out on my own during my solo trips…I’m now like, ok Life I’m ready!
Loved reading about your own perspective of solo travel!
Thanks for stopping by Krista!
I was in Bogota in February and was itching to go exploring. My cousins and aunts were amazed I was by myself. I said, I speak Spanish fluently, I have cash to hop into a cab and I do this in other countries.
Love solo travel
Aunties and Cousins always holding us back when we wanna go solo lol!
But you’re so right, exploring around is not that crazy
Love how honest and inspiring this post is! I know myself and many others have struggling with pushing ourselves to travel solo – but it is ALWAYS worth it! :_
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Great article!
Glad you liked it!
This hit a good nerve, i tell myself next i am going on my own so i can visit museum, waterfall,beach and other interesting places.You are a God sent, thanks so much.I always wondered if other persons had the same experience of not seeing any where other than to do some shoppi g. Blessings .
Yea these moments are now one of my travel regrets…but hindsight is 20/20. I hope you’ll go on an adventure for your next trip Mureen!