GirlGI | Girl Gone International Issue 9 | Page 62

3 | (Discretely) carry a map
Like many other women, the first solo
travel experience births several
different emotions. While I have never
truly had negative travel experiences,
there are vivid moments in my mind
that has made me very cognizant and
mindful of being safe and practicing
safety precautions.

The three most important tips I could
share with any person would be..
1 | Have a basic understanding
of the culture you are visiting
There are six plus billion people in the
world. That means not everyone everywhere is going to look alike. Do not be
discouraged to world travel but do not
brainwash yourself into believing that
you won’t stand out or look different in
any way.
2 | Travel light
As an American, it is in our nature to
get sucked into the world of fashion,
where we want to take our favorite
pair of colorful sneakers, our Beats
headphones, and our expensive
frames because they look so awesome in selfies. Economically, not every country is in the same place. Pack
for the culture you will be visiting. Try
to blend your fashion, mimicking their
style, of course with your own flare.

The best part of travel is getting
out there and seeing this new
place. Discreetly plan your moves.
Don’t be the person standing in the
middle of the street holding a map.
That will only draw more attention
you.
As a woman of colour, these are
things I can’t forget. Unfortunately,
in some cultures, I’m so different
that people stare - in a way that I
define as rude. Harassment comes
in different forms, so just bombarding me to take pictures or touch
my hair without my permission is
harassment, while to them it is
merely fascination. I’ve had
people cause scenes by singing
to me (I thought some of the lyrics
were racial slurs, but it was also not
in English). People in other cultures
have thought that I was someone
famous. On the contrary, I will
admit that it was somewhat
enjoyable in the beginning, but
after the attention began to grow,
it became uncomfortable. There
are times when it would hamper
my desire to travel. Basking in my
fifteen minutes of fame was very
short lived. However, I would not
change any of my experiences. It
was those experiences that have
taught me to be mindful of not only
my safety, but to be open to
different cultures and also consider
other cultural perspectives of me.