Yes. Yes it is.
Well...It starts out that way.
The scariest part is sitting at the gate before you get on the plane.
Why? You are waiting to voluntarily strand yourself in a country where you don't know anyone, don't know the language, and don't know the culture, don't know the food, and you just don't know. No matter how much you research, you will never actually know until you experience it yourself.
But, don't let this scare you too bad!
For my first solo trip, I was waiting at the gate at the JFK airport in New York City on my way to China. I was the only non-Asian person surrounded by people that didn't speak any English with practically every sign in Chinese and all announcements in Chinese IN MY OWN COUNTRY!
I. Was. Terrified.
I don't get scared by much. I have always loved change, meeting new people, and going new places, but I had never felt so out of place in my life.
I was considering all of my options. Should I just stay in New York for 2 weeks till my flight back to Georgia? Should I try to talk to all the airlines and attempt to get home and try to get my money back? Why was I so confident before? Do I even know what I'm doing?
As I was stressing out, this sweet little old Chinese man sits next to me and smiles. I took a deep breathe and said hello. I asked him if he was going home or going on vacation. He said he was going home, and he told me about his trip to America. He didn't know English well, but enough to have a small conversation.
After talking for a while, I started to feel much better. Like I had at least one face of familiarity. He helped me figure out where to go when they started to call zones (all in Chinese) and he got me all the way to my seat. I said thank you and I was ready for my trip.
After that, when ever I would get a little nervous, I would just talk to someone, anyone. Even if they didn't speak English I would at least get a smile in return.
Getting on that plane was the best decision I ever made!
"Courage isn't about knowing the path, it's about taking the first step" ~Katie Davis
This quote couldn't be more true! You have to trust yourself. You are brave. You are smart. You are strong. You have common sense (hopefully...). You have done your research, and you know more or less where you're going. You'll figure it out! :)
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out with me. I wold love to encourage you to see the world!!
Check out my other blog post about how to plan your first solo trip.
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