Since the advent of the commercial travel, travel (especially, international travel) has long been associated with the elite. Since commercialized flights became free game in the market in 1978, the upper echelons seceded this relative privilege of jumping on a plane to anyone who could afford competitive fares.
Although we have come a long way (and there’s definitely other factors that have influenced American travel), international travel is still expensive, and inaccessible to most. But, it’s not necessarily hard. Being a part of the one of the first, true generation of global citizens (#millenial), traveling is becoming an phenomenon that is becoming accessible to many members of society — traditionally and historically disenfranchised, underprivileged people who have been previously denied this relative ‘privilege’ of taking to the sky now enjoy it freely.
As a young, Black woman who is a full time graduate school student, I know these historical, traditional and circumstantial restraints well. With the success of sites like Travel Noire, there is open conversation on how my generation and particular demographic (e.g. broke students, people of color, women; etc.) are finding themselves abroad and about.
Not only do I want to add to that ongoing conversation, from my perspective as a full time graduate student, who has less than ideal funds and opportunties to travel (codewords for “I’m broke”). Anyone who happens to encounter me knows I routinely complain about being a “brokie”.
Although everyone loves a bomb travel photo, what I felt has been missing from this conversation is about resources: who has the time, money and expertise to travel? Travel blogs must be cognizant that not everyone possesses the same resources. There’s time and (lots of) money involved in international travel — something most broke student do not have. Couple that with the cultural and social juxtaposition women of color may face while traveling abroad, and you got many people with ??? circling their head, and afraid to take the plunge. My mission is tri-fold and simple: bridging the gap between young Black women and travel via figuring out how to travel with limited funds and time. All while balancing priorities and looking fione while doing so.
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Join me on my world tour, mmk? Being on the run hasn’t sounded this good since Beyonce created the phrase –