The Journey: The Contrary Traveler

About a month ago, I began writing this piece. But life has been moving so rapidly, I didn't have time to complete it or post. So I've decided to post what I had thus far and add on a little bit later. 

Inspired by an article in Fader about traveling while black, I began to reflect on my own personal experience. Sometimes even more so, because I am now an African American Women living in Vietnam. 

What doe it mean to travel while African American? Why is it important to travel while African American? Why is it important for me to study abroad while being African American? Why is it important to represent my country as an African American?

All of these questions evoke so many emotions, sentiments and memories. Each very vivid, moving and sometimes visceral. When I think of what it means to travel while being African American; I am overwhelmed with a sense of pride, a cautious optimism and propensity to explore. As an African American Woman, I have become the Contrary Traveler. 

Why pride? As African American our contributions to the world are often overlooked, not remembered or historically accredited to someone else. So for me, when I travel I am continuing in the thousands if not millions of footsteps before me that travel the world. A sense of pride because, I look for the blackness in every city and country I travel to. A sense of pride because as an African American with solid enough finances dispels the stereotypes so many have of African Americans. A sense of pride because being American is not limited to being Caucasian, it is also being African American and so many other ethnicities. A sense of pride because I carry with me everyone who has ever poured into me - to help me become who I am today. 

To be continued....