Travel Concerns & How I Manage

The first day of my Latina solo travel sabbatical, as I waited in Heathrow airport on a long layover, there was a terrorist attack in Manchester. This happened outside of a popular event venue during an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. A couple days later they struck again in Bangladesh outside of an ice cream store. When traveling, especially when I am solo traveling and as a female traveler, I’ll have travel concerns & how I manage them are in this article.

We all want to make the most our of our trip and sometimes, the world can be scary but there are ways to feel more peace of mind while enjoying your adventure abroad.

Travel Concerns

Of course terrorist concerns were on my mind, especially traveling in Europe in 2017, where multiple attacks have occurred. Receiving emails by the U.S embassy warning U.S. citizens of, “Ongoing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests abroad” didn’t help either.

Did I hesitate and consider redoing my itinerary, yes, but I took the risk because I had considered a terrorist attack and the other concerns below when I was planning my trip.

Other concerns:

• Natural disasters
• Illness & health risks
• Accidents or injuries
• Travel interruptions
• Political stability and civil unrest
• Crime and safety

Why to Still Travel

So why should you still travel? Ultimately, for me, my rationale was easy. It’s what I use to tell my grandmother when she shared her concerns with me about my traveling. God knows my path and has laid out the plan for my life. Something could happen to me in Chicago or in the shower when I’m dancing or it could happen when I’m traveling. One thing is for sure, I have only one life. I could stay put and play it safe. Or I could take advantage of the one life I was given and maximize my time in this small planet we call earth. I’ll pick the latter any day.

Ways to Manage Travel cONCERNS

Travel Insurance

My best advise when traveling is to get travel insurance. I found that especially on a sabbatical, having travel insurance was really helpful. Protect yourself, your trip and let others have peace of mind while you are traveling,

Register Your Trip

It’s super easy for US citizens to register their travel with the US Embassy using STEP. STEP is short for “The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.” It’s a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals travelling and living abroad to enroll their trip(s) with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate online .

Not only will the US Embassy know how to contact you in an emergency but you will receive email alerts based on the countries you will be visiting.

Reliable Communication

My trusty SIM card is my indispensable tool whenever I’m on the road! I always carry this with me and I ensure I’m covered in the country I will be visiting. It keeps me connected, enables me to access directions, and allows me to call for assistance whenever necessary.

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