I know it’s a bit out-of-place to be talking about travel right now, given the current global context as I write this in early/mid 2020. But as I stay stuck at home for the good of the community… My mind is still travelling, and is even beginning to plan the next big adventure, once the world “reopens”, of course. Perhaps it is a way to keep my mind entertained while trying to work from home, but it’s exciting nonetheless. Even though the world has had to change for just a little while, I believe that it is a good time for girls everywhere to reflect on their journeys, and even form ideas to begin a journey of their own, whenever it is safe to do so.
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Location: California, United States
Knowing that you are from another country is a unique boost to one’s confidence; you feel interesting, and you like to answer people’s questions. While I do completely advocate for finding events in the local community (through online event boards), it is important to make sure you feel safe.
I found an EDM (Electronic Dance Music) party in a community outside of LA, and so I decided to go. Since the area was completely new to me, I spent the afternoon the day before the party familiarising myself with the street that the party was going to be held on, I wanted to know how to get there, and how long it was going to take me to get back to where I was staying. Therefore, when the time came to get dressed up and go– I felt confident about where I was going.
I was lucky, people were interested in this newcomer… I was more than happy to talk to friendly people about who I am, where I had come from, and where I was going next. It was a beautiful and fun night, where I made the first friends and formed the first stories of my long journey.
During my journey, this stood out as a moment where I began to find more confidence and bravery. As a girl travelling alone and exploring a different city far away from home, confidence and bravery are essential. Travelling alone can prove itself as a tough journey of self-discovery, as well as a test of adaptability and bravery. I feel that on my seven month journey across two continents, that I returned home as an evolved version of myself. I left a girl, and returned a young woman.
It is becoming more and more normal for girls to have their own travel experience, with the accessibility of the rest of the world through new technology and advancements of modern communication. My mother did it, and now I am in the midst of taking my own personal journeys even further. Whether it be around the world, or through one’s home state, the possibilities for adventure are endless.
-Emily Rawle
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.