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Taking On The World & Changing Your Story

Exploring the world as a black female travelling alone comes with its challenges. But it is also the greatest gift you can give to yourself. This is LaKeysha’s story.

 

Let the world be your oyster and change your narrative through travel.

 

That’s what LaKeysha Nisely-Olguin, 35 did, when she went globetrotting across the world.

 

While her job as a registered nurse certainly keeps her busy, she has also taken the opportunity to take some time out for herself over the years and immerse herself in different cultures and communities.

 

Adventures of a Black Woman Travelling Alone

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LaKeysha’s journeys have taken her to countries as far afield as Haiti, Dubai, Mexico and Canada.

 

There are many things that inspire people to travel. One of the things that motivated LaKeysha to explore the world was realising that after years of balancing motherhood with the routine of school and work, there was just no time to spend time on herself and broaden her horizons.

 

She decided to change that and write her own history.

 

“I woke up one day and decided that I was cheating myself out of valuable life experiences,” she said, “Society tells us to get an education just to work our whole lives until retirement and then we can live life on our terms. I decided to change the narrative!”

 

“Growing up, we were on welfare and we couldn’t afford traveling and I was also a young married mother of two children. I had to hustle hard during those years so now that the kids are older and I make a better living, I decided that travel would become a priority in my life.”

 

Powerful Lessons From a Faraway Land

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Travelling has also taught LaKeysha some powerful lessons about appreciating what she has and living in the moment.

 

One of her best experiences abroad was travelling to Haiti and learning more about the culture and the way people live.

 

She said: “One country that absolutely touched my heart was visiting Haiti. As many people know, Haiti is known for being an impoverished country. But what inspired me was that I met so many people who didn’t have the bare necessities and were happy despite their odds. It left me feeling really grateful for the normal things we take advantage of daily.”

 

However travelling overseas is not without its challenges. Occasionally when you travel abroad as a black female travelling alone, you come across the stereotypes that other people have towards people of colour.

 

While travelling has taught LaKeysha many important life lessons and given her unique experiences, she also believes that travelling has on occasion, given her the opportunity to address stereotypes and educate people about the culture which she comes from.

 

She added: “My experience has been enlightening. I have felt respected where I’ve traveled so far and when I encounter someone who has not encountered many black Americans, I am happy to educate them both on life in the US and as an African American woman.

 

“Of course I come across stereotypes but I feel it is more prevalent in the US. In other countries, they may not encounter blacks whatsoever, so they are easier to educate versus someone in the US with stereotypes because they have already formed an opinion of us.” 

"Let The World Be Your Oyster"

black female travelling alone, black backpackers

But LaKeysha is not done yet. As a black female travelling alone, she has given herself the opportunity to see much of the world and she is determined to see much more of it.

 

Her bucket list includes Thailand, Singapore, India, Africa and Japan. With there being so much to see, LaKeysha plans to take on the world.

 

The truth is that travelling teaches you so much about the the planet on which we live. You come face-to-face with different cultures, environments and people.

 

And that is exactly what LaKeysha is planning to do.


She added: “Let the world be your oyster, try one new experience every time you travel, such as new food, excursions and activities. Try to venture out to see not only the things your destination is known for, but also educate yourself on the history of the country and culture of the local people. Take a piece of that wisdom with you wherever you go.”

 

“The Time Is Now"

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Developing connections with communities across the globe and telling your story to people who may not be familiar with your culture allows you to go out and experience the world for what it is, rather than the distorted lens of the media.


As LaKeysha says, “the time is now”. There is only so much that we can learn from a history book or a documentary. In any case, history is written by the victors, and you can’t develop an accurate overview of the culture, day-to-day lifestyle and dynamics of a country from a 45 minute edited segment.


We hear so many horror stories on the news, that we become accustomed to thinking that some countries are dangerous just because of a few publicised events or selective reporting.


But of course you have to do your own research and in most cases, let experience be your teacher.

LaKeysha put it best when she said: “There is so much more to this world than where you currently live. Get outside your neighborhood and let travel be your history teacher.”


Ever dreamt of travelling alone as a solo woman? Well don’t do anything before reading my tips on my blog: ‘Is It Safe To Travel as a Solo Female Backpacker?. It is a complete guide to travelling alone as a woman.

This blog is designed to inspire you and build an online community where you can get all the resources you need to travel. The Backpackers Travel Hub was created to make travelling accessible to everyone – not just the posh people! So drop by and visit the Facebook Group Backpackers Travel Hub. The group contains exclusive tips, and content designed to inspire, motivate and empower you. No sales or annoying gimmicks – just good, solid content. You can also take a peek at the JaninesJourneys Facebook page here. Happy travels!

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