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The end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 started off kind of rough, I was unemployed, staying with mom in Boston and battling the frigid winter and snow storms. I was itching to get back into an international school and steadily looking and applying for jobs since the Spring of 2017 with no luck. When I needed a break I traveled, at the end of 2017 I went back to the DR to visit my forever work husband and ex principal Adam and in December I went to Cuba. I was able to go back to Barbados in February to see my Gran, visit friends in DMV and spend time with my friends and family in Boston and that was really nice. I had no idea where I was going to end up but in March I got a job in Egypt. While Egypt was not at the top of my list initially, I made a strategic decision to move because I could start the job in April.

In 2018 I have been lucky enough to travel to 7 new countries 😮and I went back to Paris again because I just love it there. In the past 8 months I have seen beautiful beaches, visited two world wonders in Rome and India well three if you count the Pyramids, eaten lots of wonderful food and gelato, climbed too many steps, stepped outside of my comfort zone, made new friends on an awesome BTM group trip to Morocco. I have fallen in love over and over with countries, people and possibilities. #Hopelessromantic While life is not perfect in Cairo it has been damn good at times and I have found a core group of people who have become my friends. There are times when I miss my family and friends in the US but I look forward to more new beginnings, blessings and travel stories in 2019. I hope more than anything that my life encourages the young ladies in the picture above – my nieces to travel, to explore different countries and experience different cultures for themselves.

Because I travel solo most often, traveling has made me braver despite the fact that I struggle with anxiety.  Traveling  has taught me to go with the flow, to admire and respect different cultures, to set my own pace, to push beyond the uncertainty and fear and to take time to do nothing if that is what I need.  Living abroad has made traveling easier and more affordable for me and it has taught me that I can deal with discomfort and difficult situations for a short space of time as long as I have a support network of people to lean on.  Travel has taught me to seek out balance, support, quiet time and to honor and listen to my body and intuition. Travel has been my therapy in so many ways and it has made me a stronger, more courageous, better person.  My goal right now is to keep going to new places, keep stepping outside of my comfort zone so that I can eventually find the right school and country to live in for longer than two years. 

This is not the life I imagined for myself. The wanderlust in me had been awakened and I am so happy every time I step foot in a new country because I am determined to see as much of the world as I can. The world is truly my bucket list – another dope hashtag/saying courtesy of Reggie Cummings and Black Travel Movement 🤩🤗. So I say…Bring it on 2019, I am ready.

#BlackExpat #awkwardblackgyal #livingmybestlife #MylifeisDopeandIdoDopeshit #travelismytherapy #readyfor2019 #BTMfamily #Barbadosisstilloneofmyfavs #blackandabroad #blacktravelculture #mytraveljourney #wanderlust #Blackwomenwhotravel #blackwomenwhoblog