Summary

The article discusses the author's personal challenges and fears when traveling as a Black person, emphasizing the importance of safety, companionship, and thorough research.

Abstract

The author of "The Struggles of Travelling While Black" shares their apprehension about traveling due to past experiences of feeling like an outsider in predominantly white environments. They express a heightened concern for safety in destinations where racism could be a significant issue, despite the changing times. The author finds comfort and security in traveling with friends, as larger groups can deter potential threats and make new experiences more manageable. The article also highlights the importance of conducting in-depth research, including reading between the lines of first-hand accounts, to avoid negative experiences. The author concludes by advising travelers to be cautious and aware of their surroundings while still enjoying their travels.

Opinions

The author feels that traveling alone as a Black person can be unsafe and unwelcoming in certain destinations.
They believe that traveling in a group, especially with friends, provides a sense of security and reduces anxiety.
The author emphasizes the significance of researching destinations thoroughly, including seeking out personal travel accounts, to gauge safety and reception.
Despite some negative experiences, the author acknowledges that most people they encountered in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, were friendly and welcoming.
The author suggests that maintaining awareness of one's surroundings is crucial when traveling, without letting it overshadow the enjoyment of the trip.

The Struggles of Travelling While Black

Why I won’t be flying solo

Growing up, I went to a predominantly white school for all of my schooling. Less than the Black people in my class, predominant.

While I’d like to say growing up being so different from everyone around me didn’t have an effect on me in any way, I would be lying if I did.

It’s part of the reason traveling scares me so much. I think about how schoolchildren made me feel like a pariah at times and don’t even consider a place a single black person has said a bad word about.

The question that almost always stops me in my tracks is: “Will I even be welcomed there?”

While times are definitely changing, there’s still a healthy fear for my safety in a lot of popular travel destinations that might have been completely fine if not for my pigmentation.

Guaranteed safety isn’t enough for me when a certain look or phrase lets me know exactly what a person thinks of me.

With all those worries in mind, you must be thinking, “Well then how could you possibly go anywhere without being anxious all the time?”

Well, the short answer is that I can’t, but there are some things I do that definitely help.

There’s strength in numbers

When I’m thinking about going places, I always have a few people in mind to travel with. Of course, the planning gets more difficult when more people with different tastes are involved, but I’d say the trade-off is worth it.

While a few extra girls probably wouldn’t stop a pickpocket or scam artist, people with worse intentions are almost always deterred by larger groups as opposed to single travelers.

Along with that, the familiarity of a travel buddy or three can make new experiences less daunting to take on.

This is exactly what I did when my friend and I planned a trip to Gatlinberg, Tennessee. I’d have never gone on my own, but with a couple of buddies, what would have been an anxiety-inducing and the not very fun trip became a lot more bearable.

I still did see far too many Confederate flags and far too few other black people for my liking, but I definitely could have been worse. Most people were nice and welcoming and those that weren’t were easier to ignore with my friends rallying around me.

Do your own research

While I’m sure most people at the very least make a loose itinerary if not a detailed play-by-play for the duration of your trip, that’s not exactly what I’m meaning here.

This kind of research sometimes requires reading in between the lines and looking at first-hand accounts of their travels in the place you’re going to.

If I happen to find three or more first-hand accounts of a bad experience at a place with not-so-fun examples during a quick search on social media, then that place usually falls off my list of must-see destinations pretty quickly.

It might be a little crazy, but I didn’t find anyone saying anything bad about Gatlinburg, but still had some not-so-fun experiences in my 7 days there. In fact, every single one was so wholly positive it threw me off going there.

So yeah, if a few people are saying bad things, I’m definitely not going because it probably means three times as many people had a bad experience. I’d rather miss out on an experience than have spent time, effort, and money on a trip that goes badly for reasons out of my control.

Most Importantly…

Be cautious of your surroundings. I’m not saying you should be watching every move of each passerby you see or be so alert that it distracts from your overall enjoyment of the trip. That would be ridiculous!

But… being aware of what’s happening around you is a vital skill that everyone should have, especially in an unfamiliar place.

Most of all though, you should enjoy your trip, your friends, and all the activities you plan because what’s the fun in traveling if you’re not having a good time?

Bon voyage!