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Introvert in The City - Spirituality, Lifestyle and Travel

Introvert in The City - Spirituality, Lifestyle and Travel

Travel
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June 15, 2020

What My Trip To Amsterdam Taught Me About Traveling While Black

Believe it or not, Black people travel. A lot.

I’d consider myself well-traveled. As a child, my mother felt it was important to visit different parts of the world. Over the years, I incorporated the concept of world-travel into my life. No matter the destination, I developed strategies to help me explore different countries and all they have to offer. Beyond exploration, traveling strengthens my spiritual connection with the universe. There is nothing like seeing the sun set against a foreign backdrop.

In September 2017, during an impromptu trip to London, I made an attempt to travel to Amsterdam for a day trip. Amsterdam has an alluring reputation for openness and adventure, so I figured it’d be the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a free day. Lack of planning made it impossible to get away for the day but I returned to the states determined to extend the idea of a day trip to a week-long vacation. I enrolled my then girlfriend in the idea of visiting Amsterdam and a week later, our tickets were booked for March 2018.

Feeding the giraffes in Kenya

My ex-girlfriend is a world traveler as well. Together, we’ve gone to South Africa, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, among other places. We were excited to experience Amsterdam together and even booked a day trip to Belgium to maximize what we could see while in Europe.

Once we arrived, we hit the ground running with activities and excursions to keep us occupied. Mid-week, we decided to rent bicycles and use that as our primary mode of transportation. Our hotel partnered with a local shop that was able to give us a discounted rate on bikes. At the bike shop, we engaged in small talk with the attendant as he educated us on how to navigate the busy city on a bike. John, an American man from Ohio, moved to Florida before relocating to Amsterdam to be with his girlfriend. He had been here for about a year and worked in the bike shop as a way to get by. After establishing a comfortable rapport, John began to talk about traveling.

“I must say, I rarely ever see any brown Americans here,” he stated.

“Really?” I responded a bit surprised.

“Yes. I see people of color from all over the world come in here. Unfortunately, I rarely ever see brown people from America,” he continued.

He went on to tell us about his family. His parents are from Puerto Rico but eventually settled in Ohio. Some of his family moved to Florida while his cousins have never left the city of Ohio. “They won’t even get on a plane,” he said. It made him question why people of color don’t explore more of what the world has to offer. This reminded me of a conversation I had in South Africa. While chatting with the owner of a local gift shop, he asked me why more black Americans don’t visit the country.

This was a complex question and I wasn’t too sure I could provide an adequate answer. There I was, an African American from the United States, visiting the Motherland for the first time. I had friends who went to South Africa before. In fact, a friend recommended I visit that specific gift shop. But outside of my circle of people, were people of color traveling? Of course they were. I mean, have you checked the brown girls travel hashtag on Instagram? There are enough photos to inspire you to pack a bag and get a few passport stamps. Travel blogs, ambassador programs and group-travel sites have become a thing in recent years. Solo, squad and bae travel is widely promoted on social media so why wasn’t this translating to other countries?

Chillin’ in the Southern Cape

There is a huge stigma around African Americans and traveling. It’s like the stereotype of black people not knowing how to swim. The truth is we are a diverse race that varies in interests, hobbies and abilities. Can I swim? No. Do I travel? Absolutely. I can’t explain why our presence isn’t felt in other parts of the world but what I learned is that it is needed. People want us to experience their culture. More importantly, they want to experience us.

We are changing the narrative. Although John’s statement was general, it was based on what he observed during his time in Amsterdam. Just like the store owner in South Africa. When presented with these statements I can choose to explain that African Americans travel all over the world, or I can allow my presence to contradict their opinion. Here I am, a woman of color, traveling to other countries.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, I plan on booking a trip to another part of the world. What about you?

TAGS:AmsterdamSouth AfricaTravel
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4 Comments
  • Kat
    June 15, 2020

    I’ve experienced the same in 2018 when i made a to Hamburg,Germany. I wasn’t completely alone because I was visiting a friend who lives there & was an au pair here in the states. She & her family were fantastic hosts. While touring Hamburg and other parts of the surrounding city i couldn’t help but notice the constant stares i was getting plus i didn’t see anyone that was brown or black. I was told it’s rare to see people of color in Hamburg, that Ig i wanted to see people of such they mainly visit Berlin. It was a pleasure as i was always greeted with friendly smiles and gestures even though i knew very little German. I’m definitely ready to book a trip after this pandemic to a country to explore its customs and culture but to where? Who knows.

    Reply
    • iammarsha
      Kat
      June 15, 2020

      The stares always get me! Lol. Their fascination with seeing us out and about is… interesting. Like I don’t know if I should be offended or intrigued by their curiosity. This is why we need to go out and travel!

      Reply
  • Marlene Robinson
    June 16, 2020

    Bravo! I too am African American female who travels quite a bit, almost always alone!
    I think the travel bug stung me when my late husband, a Jazz Pianist, invited me along all over Europe, on many occasions. Later, he was invited to teach for 6 months at a University in Nairobi, Kenya, he accepted and I was able to spend a month there looking around and enjoyed every minute! Since his passing in 2013, I have never stopped traveling, based on information I gathered while with him. Paris is like a second home, lol. I know my way around, as I do here in NYC. I was last thee in 2016, can’t wait to be able to get back there!
    Where are you off to next?

    Reply
    • iammarsha
      Marlene Robinson
      June 16, 2020

      My condolences! He sounds like a wonderful man with such a great career path. I’d love to pick up and go across country for a few months!

      I’m not too sure where my next trip will be. Going to stay within the states this year until I’m certain its safe to travel again. I would love to go back to Kenya.

      Reply

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