I have many misconceptions about traveling alone before I go abroad. I thought it might be dangerous, lonely, too much work, or make people think that I do not have friends. In addition, I always thought that being alone as a woman would make me a target for bad things (thank you, mainstream media!). Plus, who wants to see all these amazing places alone? Sounds like not an option, at least initially.
Then I realized that no one had time to go with me. My friends work in their careers while I've just decided to take a break from my job. I can not wait. I just have to leave, otherwise I probably will never leave.
So I went alone and found that all my assumptions about traveling alone were wrong. I'm not lonely, I'm not ending kidnapped, and, in many ways, it's actually a better way to travel alone. The freedom given to me, the way it grew my confidence, and all the new friends I made were great benefits that would not happen, I went with a group of friends.
So for everyone who thinks that solo travel is lonely, dangerous, or boring, I want my first column in the new year to be on the myth of traveling with a solo woman - and why it's all wrong - to help give you the courage to forget your fears and conquer years this:
Myth # 1: Traveling together is often lonely.
The scariest thing about traveling alone is the thought that you might be alone during your vacation, right? Who wants to travel to the other side of the world should only be alone when viewing a magnificent red sunrise over Angkor Wat?
I was really worried about this before I started traveling solo. Fortunately, I found that I got more friends in a week on the road than at all the year at home.
The best thing about traveling solo is you are not the only one doing it. More and more women are considering the concept of solo travel to be realistic lately, and I can not believe how many other solo women are on the road with me! Because so many others are on the same boat, they tend to be very friendly and friendly. Simply like staying in a social hostel - you can easily find those places by doing a quick search on Hostelworld - and headed to the recreation room. I regularly do that throughout Southeast Asia and I rarely feel alone during my years of travel there.
Myth # 2: Travel solo only for those who are single.
Before I start traveling and meet people with different stories and different backgrounds, I think that if you're traveling alone, it's because you have no significant others. People who have commitments like family or spouse do not just travel alone. That must mean there's a problem in that relationship or they're running away from their commitments, right?
Wrong. I began to know that many people are in a traveling relationship alone, and for all sorts of reasons.
It may be that they have a different interest, something that many experts say is really healthy. Maybe their partner can not take a break from work, or maybe both sides make the conscious decision to do soul search on a solo adventure, even just for a part of the trip, and meet back again.
Many solo travelers are single, but there are many more who are in the relationship as well. Just because you are not single does not mean you can not have a great trip alone.
Myth # 3: You have to be incredibly courageous traveling alone.
Many of my friends thought I was very brave and independent because I would be traveling alone. The truthful truth is that I was so scared and overwhelmed by the idea of traveling alone until I finally boarded the plane and left. Fear what you do not know is to be human. It's in our nature.
Despite my fear, I went anyway. Then I laughed at how scared I was, once I realized that going around, meeting new people, and finding things to eat was a lot easier than I ever thought.
You do not have to be sure of everything and are very courageous to travel alone. Those things may come as a nice benefit from traveling alone, but they should not be a prerequisite. The hardest part is getting on the plane. After that, it's easy to find language barriers, find out schedules, and get adventurous. A lot of locals speak some English, and Google Maps, translation apps, and mobile connectivity have made travel a lot easier than ever.
Myth # 4: You can not be an introvert.
I used to watch TV in the bar or wear my headphones in public places so I did not have to talk to anyone. I used to feel very paralyzed in a room with someone with a strong personality. Basically, I'm a bit awkward.
But the incredible benefit of traveling alone is it makes me very friendly. Even if you have trouble starting a conversation, in a shared space dormitory, chances are that eventually someone will call you and bring you into the conversation. I remember that in the Philippines, a girl patted me and asked where I came from, and after a short chat, we became friends and hung out all week.
You may also find that after several times approaching new people - which will be very stressful at first - they will be much more open than you feared that it will be a happy surprise. It's easy to start a conversation just by asking where they came from or where they came from. I know it's a cliche, but they also work, and before you know it, you have something to talk about.
It's easy to build trust around tourists - they're really friendly people!
Myth # 5: Dangerous traveling solo, especially as a woman.
You have seen the movie, Captured, right? Which girl Liam Neeson's daughter was kidnapped in Europe and she kicked a big ass and saved her? Or what about Brokedown Palace, where Claire Danes was thrown in a Thai prison when a handsome stranger cultivated her medicines? This is our picture of girls exploring the world (thank you, Hollywood!). I suspect that, given these dramatic stories, the biggest argument against a solo journey you might hear from your friends and family is that it's dangerous.
First of all, none of the protagonists in the films actually travel alone. Maybe if they did exist, they would stop and listen to their sounds of reason and stay out of trouble.
Staying safe on the road is about trusting your intuition, behaving abroad like at home. Are you going to get very drunk alone in a bar at home? Do you walk alone at night? Talk to the locals in your homestead about what you should be aware of, and practice common sense. What keeps you alive at home and keeps you alive on the path as well.
Every day millions of women travel the world alone. It's safe and doable, and you will not end up in the trenches!
Myth # 6: You will continue to get unwanted attention.
It happened from the window of the car when I walked home from school at the age of 14, it happened when I got into my car at a random gas station in the middle of nowhere in Nevada, and it happened while I was walking down the streets of New York. City. Sometimes a boyfriend is just a few steps away - it does not matter. Catcalls occur abroad and at home. They are annoying, yes, but do not let them keep you away from the awesome solo trips you deserve.
The best way to handle such attention is to make sure you understand the requirements of decency in the countries you visit and dress appropriately. Some women suggest wearing wedding rings, but I find that being very confident, looking people in the eye, and being firmly assertive is a good way to keep my stance as well.
Although just being a woman does not open you to catcam and undesirable progress in some parts of the world, in many cases, it is quite the opposite, and I am treated with respect and kindness, especially as I am a woman traveling alone.
Myth # 7: It's more work because you have to do it all by yourself.
If you are traveling alone, you will make all the decisions.
This is also the biggest advantage of solo travel. That means that you do not have to plan ahead if you do not want to, worry whether others are having fun or not, or are stressed about doing everything for two or more people. Solo travelers should have more fun, new things that we cultivate for coveted. There's often room for just one more on a motorcycle, in a car, or at a local family dinner, and you'll be able to make a split-second decision without asking anyone first.
I find that the benefits of full freedom while traveling solo outweigh the extra hard work I have to do. I also find it easy to ask friends about restaurants or activities they like, or people who work at the hostel counter. Not that difficult. (In addition, planning everything for many people and making them happy too much work.)
Myth # 8: Traveling alone is a life-changing big decision.
Many people sell everything they have and go to the other side of the world with a one-way ticket in hand I'm talking about myself here
but that does not mean that everyone who travels solo has turned his life upside down to do it.
It can be as simple as a weekend trip alone to another city, a two-week jaunt to a warm and tropical place you've never been to, or a month-long full-time backpacking trip in Europe between semesters. It does not have to be a big deal, and you can come back to life as you know it before, with some new adventures and a bit more confidence.
Apparently, contrary to what people (including myself) think, solo travel is not dangerous, boring, or quiet at all. Actually this is one of the social activities I have ever tried.
I have finally found that, instead of traveling alone into a loss in any way, it is really profitable to be free when I travel. It made me more interested in the locals, and I got a unique experience because I can say yes to everything, and that is something that solo travelers can only do. It is a great benefit to be able to go where you want when you want, without having to answer to others. There must be a reason why it keeps growing in popularity year after year, is not it?
If traveling is about benefits, time spent in new reality, and departure from your normal daily life, then traveling solo is putting those benefits on steroids. Try it out, and you may also find that your misconception about it is all wrong.
All images for http://nomadicmatt.com