Make Your Travel Dream a Reality
Listen up! I am a single mom, an educator, with two young adult kids and we love to travel. But if we listen to all the fear mongering among friends, neighbors and colleagues, I would never go anywhere.
If I listen to all the messy media, I would lock myself in the house and never come out.
If I listened to all the scary stories, I would have never allowed my teens to study abroad in high school.
Whenever you travel outside of your home country — yes, of course, things will be different, weird, wonky and sometimes down right opposite from your own culture.
But that is why I travel almost everywhere and anywhere. Why? Because I want different, weird and a little crazy in my travels. When I see an elephant walking with a young boy on the side of the road in Thailand, I was shocked. When there was a slow moving water buffalo rounding the corner to pick up my daughter and I in a wooden cart, I was in awe, but these are the stories I tell when I return back home. These are the memories and the overall experiences that delights my soul.
And most importantly, these are the stories I will tell my grandkids when they are old enough.
Many people tell me they’re afraid to leave their home country unless it’s on a cruise or a fairly nearby destination.
Even family and friends often ask if I’m scared when I travel abroad, how I deal with language differences, and the question I hear most often, do I feel safe, especially traveling solo or as women traveling with my daughter?
We travelers get it, we know that traveling internationally can be exciting, but for many people it also triggers anxiety and fear. Many time these hidden fears are often rooted in historical, cultural and safety concerns from your home country rather than any actual danger.
- Be Self Aware – Don’t let others put the fear in you.
- Be Honest with yourself & know what type of traveler you want to be.
- Be mindful of your travel companion. Because, I would rather travel solo and truly enjoy the experience than travel with people who constantly complain, criticize everything, and bring a fixed, negative mindset that turns an amazing trip into a miserable one.
- Recognize what your boundaries are and stick to them without being so strict that you will not have a good time.
For instance, when I was working in Vietnam, whenever there was an event there would be beer and the professors loved drinking beer. Since, I am not a drinker and certainly do not like beer, that was where I set my boundary. I would hang out with them from time to time, but my drink of choice was Sprite in a wine glass, and I too had a great time.
I asked a few of my teachers, staff and co-workers why they are afraid to travel abraod and these are the answers they gave:
1. Fear of the Unknown
Leaving one’s country means entering unfamiliar environments. Surrounded by new languages, customs, food, and unknown social norms. Humans naturally seek predictability and familiarity in their lives, therefore, not knowing what to expect, not understanding how things work, or how to respond in unfamiliar situations can feel overwhelming creating a fear of traveling outside of their comfort zone.
The cure for fear of the unknown: Find a country you would like to visit. Explore blogs, books and research anything and everythihg about that country.
After a while you will know so much about that country you will be excited to take a trip there.
2. Language Barriers
I get asked many times; am I able to speak the language of the visiting country. My answer: absolutely not. I try to learn hello, goodbye, thank you!
Many travelers worry about not being able to communicate effectively. The fear of misunderstanding directions, ordering food incorrectly, or being unable to ask for help can discourage people from traveling abroad.
Language anxiety is especially strong for first-time travelers who fear embarrassment or helplessness.
The cure for Language Barriers: Download a translation app on your phone and use it!!
3. Safety and Crime Concerns
Media coverage quite often focuses on crime, political instability, terrorism or natural disasters in foreign countries.
While these risks exist everywhere, including in your home country, constantly watching and absorbing negative news can distort your perception and make international destinations feel far more dangerous than they actually are.
The cure for safety concerns: Stay in major tourist areas. Do not explore alone at night.
4. Fear of Getting Lost or Stranded
People may fear navigating unfamiliar transportation systems, missing flights, losing passports, or being stranded without support.
The idea of being far from home without immediate help from family, friends or a familiar network can be unsettling.
The cure of being lost: Use live version of Google Maps. Don’t stray far from your area alone.
While in Tokyo, live Google Maps Live View, which displays floating interactive arrows on your phone screen. I first time I used the Google Map Live View arrows was during my solo trip to Tokyo — it lead me in real time with arrows, pointing left, pointing right, crossing the street took me right to my destination– it was amazing.
5. Fear of Flying
Many times the fear of flying comes from being claustophobic in the tiny cramp spaces of the airplane, the idea of a terrible plane accident or fear of the turbulence that may occur while in the air.
However, I recently read and interesting statistic that in the USA in 2022 there were zero commercial flight fatalities and over 46,000 auto accident deaths.
Here’s an interesting post from Lauren Juliff about how she overcame her fear of Flying.
6. Fear of Cultural Differences & Loneliness
Different customs, social expectations, or etiquette can cause fear of offending others or feeling out of place.
Travelers may worry about dressing incorrectly, behaving inappropriately, or being judged as outsiders. When my daughter and I travel solo, not always, but many times, we opt to stay in hostels, where we meet people from all over the world. Being social is part of the fun of travel.
Janine and I often stay in female-only dorms or a private room in a hostel. Hostels are a great opportunity to meet other travelers, take a small group tours and attend social events. Some hostels are just as beautiful as a hotel.
For Hostels all over the world find ratings and reviews here at Hostelworld.com
7. Health and Medical Concerns
Fear of illness, food safety, lack of access to quality healthcare, or managing a medical conditions abroad can deter travel.
Some people worry about vaccines, unfamiliar diseases, or not understanding medical instructions in another language. Make sure your medications are up to date and alway have travel insurance.
Currently our favorite and most used is SafetyWing Travel Insurance.
8. Immigration, Visas, and Legal Worries
The complexity of visas, customs rules, and border controls can be intimidating. People may fear being denied entry, questioned by immigration officials, or accidentally breaking laws they don’t fully understand.
9. Fear of Discrimination or Being Targeted
Some travelers worry about racism, xenophobia, or being treated unfairly because of their nationality, race, religion, or appearance. This fear can be especially strong for marginalized groups who may already experience discrimination at home.
10. Lack of Travel Experience or Confidence
People who have never traveled abroad may doubt their ability to plan a trip and handle challenges. Fear often comes from lack of exposure; therefore, without prior experience, international travel can feel intimidating and overwhelming.
Now…Take a Deep Breath, (Read My Next Blog Post)
& Plan Your Next Trip
Keep in mind, I’m not saying we’ve been without minor issues when traveling — missed flights, going to medical facilities in another country, eating strange food.
However, these are just a few of the reasons I love to travel – using my critical thinking skills and learning how to solve minor issues outside of my own country, is imperative to my experiences.
Fear of traveling outside of your own country is common and often your perception, or rumors heard through the media or a single person’s story, rather than reality.
Many of these fears can be reduced through preparation, and slowly exposing yourself to travel experiences.
Understanding where your fear is coming from is the first step toward overcoming them and opening the door to a meaningful, enriching travel experiences.
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