7 Tips for Brown Girls Travelling

July 11, 2012 by 4 Comments

1) DO YOUR RESEARCH

It’s important to do thorough research when you’re deciding to travel nationally or internationally. However, it’s more important that you’re flexible. Having background information on your travel destination such as general cost of living, places to visit, and common scams are all worth looking up in your Lonely Planet Guidebook but don’t overdo it, especially when you have to put your money where your mouth is! Outside of flight,s most things like activities and hostels can always be negotiated upon arrival. Hostels can look great online but being able to see a room or learn from locals or other travelers is always best. When I went to Dharamsala to climb the Himalaya’s I thought I needed a guide for my trek which cost almost $30 bucks. That sounds cheap but its the equivalent of 1500-1800 rupees. After talking to other travelers who had been in the town for a while they assured me that I would be fine on my own and would probably meet people along the way!

2)  GET THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

You may hear this lot but it’s crucial that you think of unconventional travel destinations where the dollar goes far. Places in Southeast Asia and South America are best but if you’re dying to get to Europe places like Portugal, Turkey, and Croatia are more affordable than its EU partners.

3) TRAVEL OFF SEASON

This may seem like common sense but it’s not because high season is different everywhere. Most high seasons are during the summer because that’s when most Americans are on vacation but don’t let that fool you! For example, our summer is Capetown’s winter…did you know that? If you’re a budget traveler its best that you do the thorough research ( see step 1)  to make sure you’re maximizing deals.  Good months for most places are Sep-Nov as well as February. Random I know, but I don’t make up the rules ladies.

4) BE OPEN…YOUR BROWN-YOUR DIFFERENT

No matter what country I’ve been to I always get stares, points, people running up to me snapping pics, and the never ending “I love Obama and Kentucky Fried Chicken” remarks. If you’re traveling to Europe this may not be as bad but even in Spain I dealt with this very same thing. Embrace it. You’re brown which makes you different. Some people don’t  understand the concept of black Americans, but don’t let this deter you from making the most of your trip. Take pictures and answer questions when you feel like it and keep it moving when you don’t.  Remember that your trip is all about you!

5) PACK LIGHT

Most of you know this but even fabulous divas  need to be reminded sometimes: do not bring anything you would hate to loose! Below is a good packing list that should keep you to one backpack or good carryon.

-          1 versatile dress

-          3 pair of pants ( jeans,  tights, capri/shorts)

-          4 t-shirts ( 1 should be a nice top)

-          2 camisoles

-          1 cardigan

-          3 Shoes ( sneakers, flats, sandals)

-          1 lightweight jacket

*my favorites: 1 hat because you never know and a scarf to dress any plain shirt up and to keep you warm during chilly airplane rides*

6) HAIR

Now homegirl, let’s not play when it comes to hair. Natural is probably the best way to go  but this does mean that you have to pack products which can be a hassle . To avoid the extra baggage and maintenance try braids. It can be with your own hair or synthetic hair. Styles like cornrows, individual braids, and something a little jazzier such as crochet braids are good fixes!  All will have you looking fly while you’re out exploring!

7) LIVE LIKE THE LOCALS

Last but most importantly “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”.  The best way to experience a country is to engage with its people and for me the best way to do this is through food and travel!  The best way to eat cheap is to eat where the locals eat. Anywhere that doesn’t have a menu in English is a good start but the more obvious way is to experiment with street food! It may sound dangerous but just use your better judgment (don’t go to the stand with flies all over) and go for it! Other ways to save money on food would be to book accommodations that serve breakfast or have kitchens. Fixed menus are also a good idea and usually are 3 course meals for one cheap price!  Rather than taking cabs everywhere get a bus pass and hop on…it’s always cheaper to take public transportation and it creates more opportunities for you to meet locals and other travelers.

Hopefully these tips geared you all up for your next big trip! 

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Just Play.

April 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’m about to let you in on a secret. I’m a huge fan of clichés. I don’t generally walk around spewing tired platitudes like “there’s beauty all around us” but there is! I may have a bit of an angry face but in my head, I’m saying stuff like this all the time.

Lately, I haven’t explored this love like usual. In the last year, I’ve transformed from a thinker -the reflective, contemplative type to more of a doer. I rarely keep still. I’ve found the transition to be necessary and appropriate, effortless in fact. The new me is a lot less aloof and indecisive – less annoying even! Last year, deciding if I was gonna order pizza or buffalo wings required the brainpower of preliminary research. Now I just choose the cheapest or whichever is closest. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ve simply become broke and lazy.

Anyways, I digress. I am currently completing a yearlong fellowship. Thus the job search begins again. All of the employees at my job have been hounding me with one question, “so have you figured out what you’re doing next year.” They’re freaking out for me. They can’t imagine being in my position with my whole life turned around in a day (which would be the day I get my last paycheck and have to exit the apartment provided). Yeah, that day may suck, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had worse days.

I’m just not about to let that phase me. Reading the article: Don’t Work. Be Hated. Love Someone. only solidified the fact that my judgment is usually that of a sage.

At this juncture in life what I find most beautiful is precisely that: this juncture in life. I’m in my early 20s, I live in one of the greatest cities in the world, and I have no kids. As far as I’m concerned, life is grand.

I need to play. You should too.

Easier said than done, right?

I know. I’m not so strong. I get weak. I know it that securing a job with a salary is the responsible decision. It would be wise to put a dent in my student loans. Sometimes I wonder how much could be reduced for an insignificant body part or two – like my pinky fingernail or my second toe that doesn’t bend anyway. Those together have to be at least 5Gs. Come on!

However, taking a job that does not excite me would be me buying into some facade of responsibility impressed upon me by societal norms in a culture that probably works too hard and has a crappy economic system to show for it anyway. I would do so out of compulsion rather than desire. What I need to work for is finding something that love rather than something that simply pays the bills.

PLAY.

Cheers to finding courage and discovering your purpose!

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Featured, Other Side Tagged With: , , , , ,

Surviving College: The elusive Me Time

October 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

It’s the middle of the day. I don’t have any homework to do. I don’t have any RA programs to plan. I’ve refreshed Gmail and my school email site at least three times each. I’m wearing a college sweatshirt. No Pants. What am I supposed to be doing?  I look behind me and to both sides to check for hidden cameras planted in my room. There are none.  I grab my laptop, open to Google Reader and sit down. The crowd goes WILD! Ladies… It’s Me Time!

About a year ago, when I first started college, I went through a restless phase. I was in a new environment, surrounded by people I didn’t yet know, and removed from the active campus involvement I was used to in high school. I read the daily campus activities e-mail religiously, my hair always looked perfect, and my side of my room was so clean it was legitimately creepy to walk into it.

I should’ve held on to that life.

These days I’m the RA to a co-ed floor of honors freshmen, on the executive board of two organizations, an associate justice of the Student Honor Court,  trying to get a summer internship, and taking classes (almost forgot that one… whoops.) My calendar looks like a sea of text, I’ve perfected my cross-campus speed walk, and  I avoid the campus activities e-mail like the plague. I really don’t need any more to do.

Cue Me Time.

This past weekend, for the first time since the start of the semester, I was completely free.  I spent the week staring at the empty spaces in my online calendar, wondering what would jump out and fill them, but as Friday approached and they remained empty, twas I jumping. For joy. For Me Time.

When life gets really busy for a long time, it’s easy to forget what Me Time feels like, but it’s important to practice Me Time-ing lest one forgets the skill!

The Me Time Litmus Test

  • Do I have any meetings or appointments today?
  • Does anyone specifically know my plans for today?
  • Have i been sleeping adequately lately?
  • Do I feel compelled to wear pants right now?

If that series of questions elicited a whimper of some sort, you should probably check out your schedule, and try for some Me Time.

For people like me who enjoy the satisfaction that comes with being productive, I’ve found that the best way to stick to a regimen of relaxation is to cripple your productive self.

Example: During Me Time, I will do a load of laundry that is crucial to my public presence. I can’t leave the area if I’m not wearing a bra and underwear, so if ALL my delicates are in the wash, I’m stuck.

One of the best things about Me Time is that it allows you to escape judgement. You can put on old school Busta Rhymes and mumble along, all the while motioning like a DJ, you can read and watch literary and cinematic nonsense (Twilight series and Talledega Nights on deck!), and you can be in whatever state of dress (or undress) you enjoy. For me, I know Me Time is about to go down when I’m in my skivvies and have neither desire nor obligation to put on any more clothing or I’m wearing “those” clothes. You know the ones. Had ‘em for years, would never let the world see me in them,  tell my friends I’m keeping them “for sentimental value,” but, damn, they’re comfortable.

Watching movies, eating, sleeping, and sitting around are great ways to spend Me Time, but don’t fall into the danger zone and make Me Time unproductive; that’s not the point! Go into Me Time, remembering that the goal is to feel relaxed both during and after. You don’t want to take Me Time and feel even more burdened afterward, so it’s okay to do work during it. Just make sure you’re doing it at a leisurely pace, taking breaks when you need them, and feeling good about it.

Perhaps the most difficult hurdle to hop during Me Time is the idea that other people need to reach you. You don’t want to come back from Me Time with a friendship to mend or a career to save, so consider these people. If you find yourself spontaneously dropped into Me Time, be sure to keep your cell phone, laptop, and other communication devices within reach and don’t slack on sending replies. If you see Me Time before it hits you, though, you’re staring opportunity in the face. Tell your friends you’re hanging out with other friends, tell your parents you’re in the throes of academia, and tell your significant other you’re going shopping for feminine products.

Get everyone who’s on your back – or has always got your back- off your back.

Just do you. It’s Me Time!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured, Surviving College, UFl Tagged With: , , ,