The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Traveling as a Person of Color
Written by Kritika Iyer Designed by Emily Chiu Photographed by Alexandra Bradley Traveling can be intimidating in more ways than one. You have to book tickets, make sure you pack enough underwear—because you can never have enough—and you have to make sure you remember your passport. But it’s not just that. Traveling to a new location, more importantly a new culture, is daunting. You never know what to expect. Every society has different norms and it can be hard to adjust and feel comfortable, even if only for a short vacation. There’s another thing to consider. Traveling as a person of color. Some regions aren’t as exposed to various cultures and races, making it difficult for others to travel there and feel completely safe. As a woman of color myself, I’ve run into the occasional stares and questions about where I’m really from, and it honestly sucks, I won’t lie. It’s one thing to not feel at home somewhere, but it’s a whole other thing to feel completely alienated. The worst part about it is: it’s completely out of your control. But in that same way, since
53
it’s almost completely out of your control, you shouldn’t let any part of your identity exist as a reason to not explore the world and travel to the places you want to see. That being said, there are a lot of things that factor into giving yourself the best vacation possible.
said.
Gelia Solomon, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences encourages people to still travel to the places they want to see. She really enjoys having the opportunity to see new places, and she hates staying in one place all the time. With so much history and culture being out there, Solomon likes to explore as much as she can.
Serenity S’rae, a senior in the College of Fine Arts, traveled on a Mediterranean tour earlier this year. While on her tour, she visited Italy and noted it felt less accepting than other countries.
“It’s a good reminder that the world is so much bigger than you think,” Solomon said. Solomon explains how avoidance can be a good procedure when traveling. In general, she avoids places that are known to be racist or just generally xenophobic. “As long as you research where you want to go, the only thing that should stop you is if you genuinely don’t want to travel there,” Solomon
If there’s a place you really want to see but are afraid the rumors might be true, there are still ways to ensure a little safety and comfort on your journey.
“I was called a negress which upset me, but also I understood the lack of exposure they have to Black people, especially black women,” S’rae said. S’rae explained there are many ways to help yourself feel safe when traveling to a new place, especially abroad. Planning ahead of time, sharing your travel plans with family and friends, even contacting the US Embassy of the country you’re going to—all good measures you can take to help you feel safe. “Travel is seen as this thing you can only do