Solo Female Travel: Forbidden to Some

I was 20 my first solo trip, road-tripping Mexico. My Mom, in her 70s, recently started solo travelling after my father’s passing and is addicted to it now, too. In fact, she just set sail on another month-long solo cruise today, owning this next stage of her life — living each day as she wishes (not as she should or needs to).

Where I’m from, Mom’s generation was the last to be raised believing WOMEN were expected to live the life of their husbands. That they needed to marry and have children as a rule. And that women weren’t equal to men. I WAS RAISED TO BELIEVE that points 1 & 2 were choices and that the inequality thing was 100% wrong.

Even 30 years ago, very few women solo travelled compared to men. Today, that has HAPPILY CHANGED. Well, at least for those us fortunate to be born in certain countries or into very internationally-minded and progressive families.

CULTURE vs EQUALITY
Even though I never want to live in the USA again (I truly don’t like it) and I prefer living in Asia or Europe, it’s hard living in certain societies and seeing how girls are taught that their worth lies in whom they marry. Making them believe that their place is in the home so they are NEVER ALLOWED TO DREAM. Ensuring they never understand what dreams are or that if they lived in another country they could work to achieve them and be equal — not oppressed — by men.

I know that each country is different. But one thing is the same. EVERY aspect of life for humans has evolved in the world due to technology and knowledge … yet somehow, women in some societies are still expected to live as their ancestors did 1,000s of years ago. Whilst males enjoy living in new progressive ways — including SOLO TRAVEL & openly using SOCIAL MEDIA without fear or harassment.

BACK TO THE SOLO TRAVEL TOPIC
I wish that every woman could feel empowered by the lessons solo travel teaches us: overcoming obstacles, broadening our horizons by experiencing different cultures, and being free to behave authentically … free from the expectations and watching eyes of others.

Solo travel helps women discover WHO WE ARE. It sets us on a journey to find (or rediscover) our INNER PEACE. It shouldn’t be forbidden to some…