COVID INSPIRED HER TO START TRAVELING

Jamilah is a newbie traveler who started traveling during COVID. She describes her traveling rituals and tips for other newbie travelers. She also gives us tips on how to be a bougie on a budget traveler.

Sara: What inspired you to start exploring the world?

Jamilah: What inspired me honestly was during COVID when the flights were cheaper and friends would ask if I wanted to explore different destinations. I had not been afforded the ability to travel before as much because I’m not rich, but I have learned how to make travel affordable.

Sara: Do you consider yourself explore[her] or resort[her]?

Jamilah: Definitely explore[her] for sure. I want to explore… I want to see and experience the culture of the destination. The first country I visited was Jamaica and I got to experience Jamaica locally. I knew someone who lived in Jamaica so I got to experience the country like the locals. I didn’t step foot on the resort at all.

Sara: What are some of your traveling rituals?

Jamilah: Before I travel, I go on Shein and Fashion Nova because they're really cheap and I find stuff like. I love using AfterPay to get some cute travel outfits.

Sara: Do you have any tips for new Black women travelers?

Jamilah: My first suggestion is to be open-minded and flexible. Have an open mind and not listening to the opinions of others telling you that you can't travel or it's going to be very expensive. For the new solo travelers, put a ring on your marriage finger. If people ask you if you're by yourself, say I'm married to my husband.

Sara: What would you suggest as a first trip for a new traveler?

Jamilah: I would say Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It’s touristy but safe. The food was good, and it was a great experience. You could do excursions, things of that nature and have a great time. Most importantly, it was so cheap.

Sara: Do you have any tips for the bougie on the budget traveler who still likes nice things, but it wants to be within their budget when traveling?

Jamilah: You can use Paypal pay later to pay for flights. You can get your flight payment plan that automatically comes out every two weeks and it's split in four payments, so that's like one way to get your flights you know. And then I would also say to look on Expedia for deals like package deals as well, because there's some really nice hotels.

Sara: Why do you feel like black women should travel more or we should get into traveling?

Jamilah: Number one would be to really see things outside of what we see on the day-to-day. I think a lot of black women- we have our routines- we are very nurturing, so we care for our families and our loved ones. But we need that time to be able to see different cultures, experiences, and different foods. I'm a firm believer in traveling-helping you to get to know yourself as well, so I think that's very important for us.

Follow Jamilah and her travels on Instagram.