To Be A Woman Who Travels Alone

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I often get asked how I travel alone. No place — whether it’s in your home or all the way in Australia — is 100% safe. That percentage goes down dramatically when you add black + woman + U.S. citizen + solo. But you can increase your chances of safety by doing several things:

Tell Yourself You Deserve to Venture Out

This is your world, too.

Play To Your Strengths

I’m chatty, political, and wear bright clothes. Think about it. Who is more likely to be remembered: The woman who wore the most neutral colors, sat in her room, didn’t introduce herself to anyone, and only went out when she felt like it? Or the woman who set boundaries, but wore the brightest colors,  and had the most engaging personality?

Trust that Other People Will Look Out For You

I also realized that fictive kinship is (mostly) global. I don’t just travel as an American. I travel as an African American. And the African diaspora does provide some solace. Once that connection is made, there’s trust and safety there. In fact, my first day in Fortaleza, Brazil I met a man at a local outdoor cafe. He gave me a free T-shirt from his company as a gift, because we both share African blood.

Operate in Relative Autonomy

I want to be clear that I don’t operate in complete autonomy. I operate in an autonomy, relative to the country I am visiting. Every decision I make: What region of the country I’m visiting, what time of year, local demographics, history, religion, politics, language, determine what level of autonomy I can apply. I don’t wear all the clothes in my wardrobe. I learn some of the language. I like to do unconventional activities, but I don’t assume I can just walk around anywhere. That doesn’t mean I operate in fear. I’m more aware.

 Keep Your Mouth Shut, and Your Eyes Open

This is a good opportunity to pick up on local customs, language, and not tip anyone off too soon that you are a U.S. citizen. Now stay with me on this one. Before I’ve spoken a word of English, people easily let their guard down around me, because they assume I’m not a rich (read: white) American and not in their country for leisure. So if a situation seems questionable, I’ve dipped into crowds or taken a side streets if I could. And if none of that works…

Learn Basic Self-Defense

Learning self-defense is not about gearing up to flex on somebody. It’s about going through the mental exercise that says,

I will kill you, if it means I will survive.

Developing verbal, non-verbal, and physical techniques not only helps your self-esteem. It may save your life. There are a number of self-defense experts throughout the country who work with law enforcement. Remember that the goal is not to win. Not every strike will hit perfectly. The goal is to survive.

Let the World Love You, And the World Will Love You Back. Happy travels!

Animated gifs courtesy of Cartoon Network. Feature illustration by Sela Lewis